De comparatione Christi ad florem et Mariae ad virgam
1031AVirgo Dei genitrix virga est, flos Filius ejus; quia recte dicitur virga beata Virgo Maria, virga recta, 1031Bvirga erecta et in coelum usque porrecta, virga gracilis, virga flexibilis, virga florigera, virga fructifera. Recta per fidem, erecta per speciem, procera per longanimitatem; per humilitatem gracilis, per compassionem flexibilis, per virginalem conceptionem florigera, per partum salutis fructifera. Virgo Dei Genitrix virga est, flos Filius ejus. O quam bene, quam recte flos dicitur, qui ex virga virginali producitur! Quid flore tenuius, quid flore tenerius? Quid ad tactum lenius, quid ad portandum levius? Quid flore formosius, quid flore fragrantius, quid flore fructuosius si effectum attendimus? In flore namque mellificatio, ex flore fructificatio. Ex flore itaque favus et fructus. In favo mel et cera, in fructu potus et esca. Si parva sunt ista, addo quia et in flore est 1031Cmedicina. Quid namque flore tenuius, cum astringitur; quid tenerius, cum atteritur; quid lenius, cum attrectatur; quid levius, cum portatur; quid speciosius, cum aspicitur; quid fragrantius, cum odoratur; quid utilius, si effectus attenditur? Septem itaque sunt quae in flore miramur, tenuitatem, 1032Ateneritudinem, lenitatem, levitatem, pulchritudinem, odorem, utilitatem. Ex his itaque collige virginis 1032Bille Filius qualis invenitur ab illis quibus in florem vertitur. Nam qui incredulis et praevaricatoribus est lapis offensionis et petra scandali, flos est spe et amore inhaerentibus illi; flos utique mirabilis, spe et utilitate singularis; flos, inquam, est Filius virginis. Flos tenuis ad indignationem, tener ad miserationem, mansuetudine lenis, damnatione levis, pulcher per conversationem, fragrans per repromissionem, utilis per remunerationem. Est ergo tenuis in flagellis, tener in misericordiis, lenis in donis, levis in praeceptis, pulcher in exemplis, fragrans in promissis, fructuosus in praemiis. Hic flos factus est nobis medicina, ex illo mel et cera, in ipso potus et esca. Medicina in redemptione, potus et esca in justificatione, mel et cera in glorificatione. 1032CEx hac medicina sanitas sempiternae incorruptibilitatis; ex ejus esca refectio internae satietatis; ex ejusmodi potu ebrietas aeternae securitatis; de illius cera splendor summae claritatis; in ejus melle dulcor indeficientis felicitatis.
On the Comparison of Christ to a Flower and of Mary to a Rod
1031AThe Virgin, Mother of God, is a rod; her Son is the flower. For rightly is the blessed Virgin Mary called a rod: a rod upright, 1031Ba rod raised erect and stretched even up to heaven, a rod slender, a rod pliant, a rod flower-bearing, a rod fruit-bearing. Upright through faith, raised erect through vision, tall through long-suffering; slender through humility, pliant through compassion, flower-bearing through virginal conception, fruit-bearing through the childbearing of salvation. The Virgin, Mother of God, is a rod; her Son is the flower. O how well, how rightly is he called a flower, who is brought forth from the virginal rod! What is more delicate than a flower, what more tender than a flower? What gentler to the touch, what lighter to carry? What more beautiful than a flower, what more fragrant than a flower, what more fruitful than a flower, if we attend to its effect? For in the flower is the making of honey, from the flower the bearing of fruit. From the flower, therefore, come both honeycomb and fruit. In the honeycomb are honey and wax; in the fruit are drink and food. If these things are small, I add that in the flower too there is 1031Cmedicine. For what is more delicate than a flower, when it is pressed; what more tender, when it is crushed; what gentler, when it is handled; what lighter, when it is carried; what more comely, when it is beheld; what more fragrant, when it is smelled; what more useful, if its effect be considered? There are, then, seven things that we marvel at in the flower: delicacy, 1032Atenderness, gentleness, lightness, beauty, fragrance, usefulness. From these things, therefore, gather 1032Bof what sort that Son of the Virgin is found to be by those for whom he is turned into a flower. For he who to the unbelieving and to transgressors is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, is a flower to those who cleave to him in hope and love; a flower indeed wonderful, singular in hope and usefulness; a flower, I say, is the Son of the Virgin. A flower delicate unto indignation, tender unto compassion, gentle in mildness, light in condemnation, beautiful through his manner of life, fragrant through his promise, useful through his reward. He is therefore delicate in scourgings, tender in mercies, gentle in gifts, light in precepts, beautiful in examples, fragrant in promises, fruitful in rewards. This flower has become for us medicine; from him, honey and wax; in him, drink and food. Medicine in redemption; drink and food in justification; honey and wax in glorification. 1032CFrom this medicine comes the health of everlasting incorruption; from his food, the refreshment of inward satiety; from such drink, the inebriation of eternal security; from his wax, the splendor of highest brightness; in his honey, the sweetness of unfailing happiness.