Chapter I

Treats of the difficulty of understanding the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, especially the Canticle of Canticles. That some sentences contained in the latter, although they seem trite, homely, and unsuited to the most pure utterance of God and of His Spouse, yet comprise very holy mysteries and sublime ideas.

1. Consolation to be found in the mysteries of the Holy Scriptures. 2. How to look upon these mysteries. 3. Misinterpretation of the Canticle of Canticles. 4. Caused by our lack of love for God. 5. How the Canticles comfort devout souls. 6. They demonstrate God's love for us. 7. How profound are the mysteries of the Canticles. 8. Saint Teresa's plea for commenting on them. 9. Her apologies. 10. Whom the Bride addresses in the text quoted. 11. " Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His mouth." 12. The " kiss " signifies peace. 13. The Canticles scandalise tepid souls. 14. They are meant for fervent souls.

"let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth: for thy breasts are better than wine."¹

I. I HAVE noticed especially that the soul appears by these words to be speaking with one person and asking a kiss from another. For the Bride says: " Let Htm kiss me with the kiss of His mouth," and then appears to address the person himself in the words: "for thy breasts are better than wine." I cannot understand this, and I am very glad of it. For the soul ought not so much to contemplate and honour God in those things that our grovelling intellects can master in this life, as in these problems that we cannot solve. When you read a book, or hear a sermon, or meditate on any of the mysteries of our holy faith, if you find you cannot clearly comprehend the matter, I strongly recommend you not to tire yourselves, nor to strain your minds by puzzling over it, for many of these things are not suited for women — nor men either, very often!

2. When our Lord wishes us to comprehend these matters, He will enlighten us with no labour of our own. This applies to women, and also to men who are not bound to defend the truth by their doctrine: those whom God has appointed for our teachers must necessarily study, and they gain by it. As for us, let us accept what He gives us in all simplicity, and not tire ourselves by trying to discover the rest; let us rather rejoice at thinking that we have so great a God, Whose every word contains a thousand mysteries, so that its very first principle is beyond our grasp. This would not be surprising were the language Latin, or Hebrew, or Greek, but how many things in the Psalms of the glorious King David are as obscure to us in Spanish as they would be in Latin! Therefore never rack your brain or tire yourselves about these matters; for women need no more than what suits their capacity — with this, God will give us His grace when He chooses. He will teach us without any trouble or labour of our own. As for the rest, let us humble ourselves and, as I said, glory in having a God Whose words, even in the vulgar tongue, are beyond our understanding. I 3. You may think that some things in the Canticles might have been expressed diñerently. Our minds are so evil that this would not surprise me. I have even heard people say that they avoided hearing them. Alas, O God, what most miserable creatures we are: like venomous reptiles that turn all they eat into poison! From the great favour our Lord does us in showing us the bliss enjoyed by the soul that loves Him and how He encourages it to converse with and delight in Him, we draw misgivings and mistaken ideas in accordance with our lukewarm love for Him.

3. O my Master! How we pervert all the blessings Thou bestowest on us! Thou dost seek ways and meansand allurements to testify Thy love for us, but we, unused,: as it were, to love Thee, so disparage them that ourthoughts follow their usual track, and never penetrate the sublime mysteries hidden in mere words, dictated as they are by the Holy Spirit. Could more be needed to inflarne , us with love for God than the thought that He did not adopt this way of speaking without a deep motive? I remember once hearing, a religious preach an excellent sermon, principally upon the joys of the bride with her God, and the congregation scandalised me by the way that they laughed at and misinterpreted his words — for he spoke about love because it was at the Mandatum * when no other subject was admissible.

4. I am convinced, as I said, that the love of God is so strange a thing to us that we cannot believe that a soul could thus be intimate with God. But though these people gained no good from the words because they did not understand them, and I believe they fancied that the preacher invented them himself, yet others have drawn great profit and comfort and reassurance of their misgivings from this source, and have often thanked God for having left such gracious refuge and help to souls who love Him fervently, in words which testify how far He can abase Himself. Were it not for this, their fears could not be quieted. I am acquainted with some one ' who felt very anxious for many years and nothing could reassure her until our Lord was pleased that she should hear certain passages from the Canticles which showed her that she was in the right path. For, as I

2 The ceremony of the washing of the feet which is performed on Maundy Thursday in memory of our Lord's washing the feet of the apostles on the eve of His passion. It is called Mandatum (whence Maundy Thursday) from the antiphon sung on that occasion, Mandatum novum do vobis — I give you a new commandment. A sermon is sometimes preached during this ceremony.

8 The Saint evidently speaks here of her own experience. said, she knew that it is possible for a soul enamoured of the Bridegroom to experience these caresses, ecstasies, overmastering desires of death, and desolations, delights and joys with Him, once it has forsaken all worldly pleasures for His love and has placed itself entirely in His hands; * resigning itself to His will — not in word alone as many do, but in very truth, confirmed by deeds. 6. O my daughters, what a good Paymaster God is! You have a Master and Bridegroom Whose notice nothing escapes, Who knows and sees everything, so do all you can, however little, for love of Him. He will reward you, for He will only look at the love which inspired your deeds. To conclude with, I advise you, whenever you meet with anything that you do not understand, either in the Holy Scriptures or the Mysteries of the Faith, not to stop to puzzle over it, as I said, nor to be shocked at the tender speeches which pass between God and the soul. I am more daunted and overcome at His love for us, seeing what we are, yet since He feels such affection, no endearing words can testify it so plainly as do His actions. And now, I beg you to pause a little, and think over the love of God for us, and what He has done for us. Seeing that His love was potent and resistless enough to make Him suffer thus, how can He amaze us by any words through which He utters it?

7. To return to what I was speaking of. There must

4 CasUe, M. y. gh. ij. 5. needs be a deep meaning and profound mystery contained in the words of the Canticle of Canticles, and they are so precious that theologians, whom I have asked what the . Holy Ghost signifies by them and what was their true purport, have told me that the Doctors of the Church have written many commentaries without succeeding in fully explaining them.

8. Since this is the case, it seems excessively presumptuous for me to attempt to elucidate the subject; but this is not my design, nor, however wanting I may be in humility, do I suppose that I can penetrate the exact sense. My idea is, as I derive great pleasiure from what our Lord makes me understand when I hear any part of the Canticles, that if I told you about it, it might perhaps comfort you as it does me. Though my commentary may not be applicable to the words of the Holy Scripture, yet I may take them in that sense, if I do not differ from the doctrine of the Church and the Saints — and men skilled in theology will examine my book to guard against this before it is shown you — I think our Lord authorises this, as He permits us, when meditating on His sacred Passion, to ponder over the many labours and torments He must have suffered which the Evangelists never mention. If we do not act from curiosity, as I said at first, but only accept the light God gives us, I feel certain that He will not resent our joy and comfort in His words and works. In the same way, it would please and amuse a king to see a simple shepherd boy, who was his favourite, standing amazed at the sight of the royal robes, wondering of what material they were, and how they were made. So we women need not be entirely shut out from enjoying the divine treasures; as to discussing them and teaching others on the subject as if we thought we understood it without having consulted learned men — that is another thing.

9. God knows I do not expect such success in what I write — I am only like the shepherd lad I spoke of. It is a pleasure to relate my thoughts to you, although many of them are very foolish. So I will begin, with the aid of my Divine King, and the permission of my confessor. May God grant, since He has vouchsafed to let me succeed in aiding you (or has Himself aided you through me on your account) in other ways, that I may help you now. But if not, my time will have been well spent in writing and thinking over a subject so divine that I am unworthy even to hear it mentioned.

10. It appears to me, as I said before, that the Bride is speaking of a third person who yet is the very same she is addressing, for in Christ there are two natures, one divine and the other human. I will not dwell on this, because I only intend writing of what appears profitable to us who practise prayer — yet everything serves to encourage and rouse to admiration the soul that fervently desires to love our Lord. His Majesty knows that, though I have heard these words expounded and they have been explained to me at my own request, yet this happened but rarely and I remember nothing at all about it, for my memory is very bad. Thus I can only say what He teaches me or what suits my purpose, and I cannot recall having heard anything about the beginning of the chapter: " Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His mouth."

11. O my Lord and my God! What words for a creature to utter to its Creator! Blessed be Thou for having taught us in so many different ways! Who, O my King, who would dare to speak thus without Thy permission? It is astounding; indeed, some may be astounded at my saying that anyone may use such an expression. People may tell me that I am a simpleton — " that the bride would not utter such a speech," — " the words have many meanings and we certainly ought not to address them to God; " — " it would be better that simple persons should not discuss such things! "

12. I own that the words have many meanings, yet the soul inflamed and intoxicated with love cares for no other meaning, and only desires to utter them, since God does not deprive her of the right of so doing. God help me! Why should we be so amazed? Is not the reality still more wonderful? Do we not approach the most Blessed Sacrament? I have sometimes wondered whether the Spouse \ya asking here for this favour which Christ afterwards bestowed on us? At other times I have thought she might have meant the consummate union of God being made Man, that close friendship He contracted with the human race. Undoubtedly, a kiss is the sign of peace and friendship between two persons. May God give us grace to understand how many kinds of peace there are. 13. Before going any farther, I have a remark to make which I think is important, although it would have been more appropriate at some other time; however, I wül run no risk of forgetting it. I feel sure that many souls approach the most Blessed Sacrament — would to God I were mistaken! — laden with mortal sms. If such persons heard one who was dying for love of God utter the words I quote, they would be scandalised and would take it for extreme presumption. Most certainly they would never themselves use this expression, for it and others of the same sort contained in the Canticle of Canticles are uttered by love which speaks thus, and as such persons lack love, they might read the book every day and never use such expressions, nor even dare to pronounce the words whose very sound strikes one with awe, so sublime is their majesty. And this majesty is Thine, O my Lord! in the most holy Sacrament, but as faith is no longer living but is dead in such souls, they, seeing Thee humbled beneath the species of bread and remaining silent (for indeed they are unworthy to hear Thee), dare thus grievously to outrage Thee. When I consider, 0 my God ancj my Lord! the dignity of Thy divine Majesty and the greatness of Thy Sovereign bounty which lead Thee to communicate so intimately with base creatures, I ask myself how it is that they are not beside themselves with wonder and do not seek Thy grace and friendship with all their heart. For, not content with cherishing the soul and giving Thyself for its food and nourishment, Thou dost delight in its treating Thee as its tender and beloved Bridegroom and asking Thee to kiss it with Thy sweet and divine mouth. In order to bestow Thy gifts and favours and to draw it to Thy love, Thou dost speak to it and teach it with such care that the words addressed by Thee to souls to show them their faults, their miseries, and to lead them to renounce earthly things are usually of a kind of which the very sound penetrates the mind with fear.

13. If these words were taken literally they might well awe the soul, yet to one beside herself with love of Thee, Lord, Thou mayest pardon this and even more, presumptuous as it may be! For if, my Lord, a kiss signifies peace, why should not souls ask it of Thee? What more can we beg of Thee than what I plead to Thee for, O my Master, that Thou wilt kiss me with the kiss of Thy mouth? This, daughters, is a most sublime petition, as I will explain to you.

5 This paragraph, from the words "When I consider," to "with fear," is only found in the manuscript of Baeza.

Footnotes

1. Cant. i. I: Osculeiur me ósculo oris sui: quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino, ↩