Collation 5

COLLATION V.


First collation on the gift of fortitude.

Summary.

Introduction, 1.

Exposition of the text: The Virgin Mary is commended for three things, 2. - First, for fortitude, 3.

Fortitude is a gift of God: threefold division of the argument, 4.

Part I. On the gift of fortitude on the part of the giver. It is given by God according to a threefold reason: by God protecting, redeeming, indwelling, 5-7.

Figure of this in Samson, 8.

Part II. On it on the part of the recipient. Threefold disposition, 9.

First, the soul is disposed through the unconquerable shield of faith, 10.

Second, through the imperturbable solace of hope, 11.

Third, through the inextinguishable fire of charity, 12.

Part III. On it on the part of the consequent work. It is given for three things: first, for accomplishing manly deeds, 13.

Second, for overthrowing the aerial powers, 14.

Third, for enduring worldly tribulations, 15.

1. Who shall find a valiant woman? Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.

Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks: a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armor of valiant men. The last word is written in the Song of Songs and was said to the bride or mother Church, whose neck is like the tower of David: a thousand bucklers etc. It is called the neck, whence the doctrine of truth goes forth. The neck serves us for two things, namely, for receiving food and for expressing words. Thus mother Church is called the neck, because from her the doctrine of truth goes forth: whence it says: a thousand bucklers hang upon it. Likewise, from her proceeds the universality of words for strengthening souls: whence it says: all the armor of valiant men. There is nothing that avails for having spiritual fortitude that sacred Scripture does not set forth.

We must speak of the fourth gift of the Holy Spirit, namely, of the gift of fortitude. Let us ask the Lord at the beginning, etc.

2. Who shall find a valiant woman etc. This word is written in Proverbs: without doubt it was said in commendation of mother Church, and specially in commendation of the glorious Virgin. In which word she is commended for three things: first, for the strengthening of spiritual fortitude; second, for the fruitfulness of supernatural conception; and third, for the discretion of salutary counsel. The first is noted when it says: Who shall find a valiant woman etc. The second, when it says: Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. The third it adds: She hath sought wool and flax etc.

Of the gift of fortitude we shall speak now: of the privilege of fruitfulness tomorrow in the morning, and of the gift of counsel tomorrow in the evening.

3. First, I say, she is commended for the strength of spiritual fortitude, when he says: Who shall find a valiant woman? He asks not in despair, but in confidence. Who then shall find her? Certainly he who reaches from end to end; he himself shall find her and sent to her a bridesman, that is, Gabriel the Archangel. Gabriel is interpreted as the strength of God, and he himself was sent to find the valiant woman. Without doubt Solomon wished to rest in her as in a secure place; but this could not be unless she were strong, because it is said in the Canticle that sixty valiant ones surround the bed of Solomon. Solomon is interpreted as the desirable king: sixty valiant ones surround his bed. - The number sixty is perfect and arises from the multiplication of the number six by ten, and thus through it is signified the universality of works; or it arises from the multiplication of the number ten by the number six, and through it is signified the universality of the ten precepts of the decalogue. Insofar as one is strong and ready according to the dictates of the laws and precepts of the decalogue, then one is strong, such that one cannot be harmed from without. Whence in Proverbs: Strength and beauty are her clothing. Just as the body is adorned by its garment, so the soul is adorned by fortitude; therefore it is called the clothing of the soul; nor is fortitude only the clothing of the soul, or of the glorious Virgin, but indeed of Mother Church. Whence Isaiah: Arise, arise, O daughter of Sion; put on the garments of thy glory.

4. The discourse concerns the habit of fortitude, how we may be clothed with it. If we wish to describe fortitude rightly, we must note that it is from heaven. Whence in the book of Machabees: The victory of war is not in the multitude of the army, but strength is from heaven. The Psalm: God is wonderful in his saints; the God of Israel, he himself shall give power and strength to his people. Therefore fortitude is a gift of God. And that we may better know the gift of fortitude, we wish to say three things about this gift. First, I wish to describe it on the part of the giver; second, on the part of the receiver; and third, on the part of the consequent work.

5. First, I say, I wish to describe it on the part of the giver; and I say that it is given by God protecting, by God redeeming, and by God indwelling.

First, I say, the gift of fortitude is given by God protecting. For God protects us according to hierarchical ordering, fortifying us within and without. It is written in Proverbs: The name of the Lord is a most strong tower; the just man runs to it and shall be exalted: and in the same: The substance of the rich man is a city of strength and like a strong wall surrounding him. Fortitude is, as from a solid, sublime, and strong principle, from God; and the eternal God is the origin of fortitude in all things, because nothing is powerful nor strong except through the fortitude of the first principle. Therefore this fortitude descends from God protecting us as from the first principle according to hierarchical dispositions; which fortitude renders every man rich and secure and powerful and confident.

6. Second, this fortitude is from God redeeming through the incarnation of the divine Word. Whence Isaiah: The Lord is my strength and my praise, and he has become my salvation; you shall draw waters with joy from the fountains of the Savior. These are the waters in which the soul is strengthened, purified, redeemed, sanctified, and snatched from the power of demons. By what is the soul redeemed? It is said in Habakkuk: His splendor shall be as the light; horns are in his hands; there his fortitude is hidden. Likewise it is written: When a strong man armed guards his court, those things which he possesses are in peace; but if a stronger one than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he will take away all his armor in which he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. This stronger one is God, because the weakness of God is stronger than men. The Son of God was made weak for our sake.

7. The third ground of the influx of fortitude is from God indwelling. Whence in Micah: I am filled with the fortitude of the Lord, with judgment and power. The human body, when it does not have a spirit, does not have power, even if it were a gigantic body; so if God is not in the soul, then it does not have power. Concerning our most mighty one, namely Christ, it is said: The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, etc.; and he places fortitude in the middle, because Christ does not dwell in us unless we have these two, namely the Spirit of the Lord and fortitude; and therefore he placed fortitude in the middle. Peter denied at the voice of a maidservant, yet stood firm against the emperor, because without the Spirit of the Lord the soul is weak, and with the Spirit of the Lord it is strong. He stood firm against the emperor, because with the Spirit of the Lord he was then strong.

8. In designation of this mystery, it is said that Samson, according to the instruction of the Angel, did not permit a razor to come upon his head; but his hair grew, and he became the strongest of men. It was a wondrous thing that with his hair he was strong, and without hair he became weak. Delilah the harlot deceived him: she asked him where his strength lay. Four times she asked him, and the fourth time he told her the truth, but the first three times he concealed the truth from her. The first time he said: If I am bound with seven cords of sinew, I shall be like other men; and when he was bound and the Philistines came upon him to seize him, he immediately broke the cords. Again she asked him where his strength lay, and he said: If I am bound with seven new ropes that have not yet been put to use, I shall be like other men. The third time he said to her: If you fasten seven locks of my hair into the ground with a pin, I shall be like other men. The fourth time he revealed the truth to her and said: If you shave the seven locks of hair that are on my head, I shall be like other men; and then the Philistines seized him. What does this mean? — I say that the shaving of the hair signifies the withdrawal of the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit. Concerning all the Saints it is clear that, as long as the grace of the Holy Spirit remained with them, they were strong. — Why did he not tell her where his strength lay? See, in the loss of the Holy Spirit there is this progression; by this path the Holy Spirit is lost. There are four enticements of the senses, namely preoccupation, cogitation, the bending of the interior affections, and the assault upon the divine laws. In the last the Holy Spirit is lost, but in the others a man is disposed toward this. First the devil offers sensory pleasures; and this is to be bound with seven cords of sinew. Afterward, when a man lingers in thoughts upon the pleasure offered, then he is bound with seven new ropes that have not yet been put to use. Next follows the bending of the affections: just as from a multitude of rays heat is generated, so when there is manifold cogitation in the soul, the soul is bent toward that thing; and this is signified by the binding of the hair with a pin in the ground. Still the man does not lose the Holy Spirit. But fourthly follows the assault upon the divine laws, when the hair of the head is shaved off, that is, when the grace of the Holy Spirit is withdrawn.

We now have from whom the gift of the Holy Spirit proceeds: from God protecting, from God redeeming, and from God indwelling. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, nature preserves the origin of life, and we ought to preserve the spirit of life. What would a man be worth if he did not have the Holy Spirit?

9. Say now: through what is the soul disposed to the reception of the influx of this gift? I say that fortitude, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, comes into us first through the unconquerable shield of faith; second, through the imperturbable consolation of hope; and third, through the inextinguishable fire of charity.

10. First, I say, the soul is disposed to the gift of fortitude through the unconquerable shield of faith. Hence the Apostle to the Hebrews: Who through faith conquered kingdoms etc.; they were made strong in battle: to the Ephesians: In all things taking up the shield of faith, by which you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one: and in Esdras: Wine is a strong thing, the king is stronger, women are stronger still, said the third; and the fourth said: The strongest thing is truth. - He shows how man can overcome the fortitude of the devil. The devil draws man to the concupiscence of the flesh, to the concupiscence of the eyes, and to the pride of life. The concupiscence of the flesh makes men most strong: men endure many things so that they may fulfill the desire of the flesh. Likewise, ambition makes men strong: on account of ambition for honors, many endure many things. Again, the concupiscence of the eyes, which is the fuel of concupiscence and pride, makes men strong, because men endure many things in order to acquire temporal goods. In the king is signified pride: in wine, which makes a man drunk and renders him bold, is signified the concupiscence of the eyes. It is written: Do not gaze upon wine when it grows golden in the cup. By women is signified the concupiscence of the flesh. What is the means of resisting these? How can wine and the other two be overcome? I say: through truth. The Psalm: His truth shall encompass you with a shield, namely through faith dwelling within, you shall not fear the terror of the night etc. And blessed Peter said: Your adversary as a roaring lion goes about seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, strong in faith. If we loved truth, we would not fear the devil, because it is written: The eyes of the Lord behold the whole earth and give fortitude to those who believe in him with a perfect heart.

11. The second disposition for the inflowing of the gift of fortitude is through the imperturbable consolation of hope. Hence the Apostle to the Hebrews: We have the strongest consolation, we who have fled to hold fast the hope set before us. And in Isaiah: Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall take wings as eagles, they shall run and not labor: they shall walk and not grow faint. A man would gladly bear a great burden for a mark of gold. If a fly refreshes so much, then you ought greatly to be moved to endure for the hope of a future and eternal reward. In God we ought to trust, because he gives strength to the weary. The Philosopher holds that one of the cardinal virtues is magnanimity: but it is not necessary that this magnanimity, which is a virtue, be in you, but in God.

12. Third, a person is disposed to the influx of the gift of fortitude through the inextinguishable fire of charity. Whence in the Song of Songs: Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm: for love is strong as death, jealousy is hard as hell; its lamps are lamps of fire and flames; many waters could not extinguish charity. Do you think you can extinguish a burning furnace with a drop of water? Every power is like a drop of water in comparison to the loving soul. Love is strong as death: death conquers all, and likewise love conquers all things. Jealousy is hard as hell: hell does not release what it holds, and so charity conquers all things and holds them fast. Paul, what do you say about charity? Who, he says, shall separate me from the charity of God? He answers: Tribulation? or distress? or hunger? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? And he says: I am certain that neither death nor life nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate me from the charity which is in Christ Jesus. Chrysostom says that Paul enumerates all creatures and says: Nor shall any other creature be able to separate me from the charity which is in Christ Jesus: that is, if a creature could be made anew, it could not separate me. — This charity draws us to a celestial nature and does not permit any foreign impression upon us: of itself, it is perpetual; unless I give a bill of divorce, God will not take away his charity from us. In the Psalm: I will love you, O Lord, my fortitude; the Lord is my firmament and my refuge and my deliverer. The protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Catherine and Lucy were strong through the love of God. If we are not bound to the Lord through charity, we easily lose our fortitude.

It is now clear from whom the origin of the gift of fortitude comes, and through what things we are disposed to this influx of the gift of fortitude.

13. But you know that a habit without an act is nothing: therefore it must be known that the gift of fortitude is given for three purposes: first, for accomplishing manly deeds; second, for overthrowing the powers of the air; and third, for enduring worldly tribulations.

First, I say, the gift of fortitude is given for accomplishing manly works; whence in Proverbs: The slack hand works poverty, but the hand of the strong prepares riches. And of the valiant woman it is said: She put her hand to strong things, and her fingers grasped the spindle. He speaks of the Church and of her members. First it is necessary to put the hand to strong things before the fingers grasp the spindle, that is, it is necessary first to act with fortitude before a man can teach with perspicacity. In the spindle, by which thread is drawn from tow, is signified the diligence by which men receive doctrine and unfold it. He who wishes to teach well must put his hand to strong things. In the book of Kings it is said: Enter, for you are a strong man and one announcing good tidings; and in Isaiah: Ascend upon a high mountain, you who bring good tidings to Zion. If the arm is weak, even if the sword be strong and good, the blow will not be good. Some are full of words and have little of works.

14. Second, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given for overthrowing the powers of the air. Whence in John: I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. This fortitude ought to be in every Christian and especially in the leader of the army of the Christian people. It is written in the book of Maccabees that Judas, strong in might from his youth, let him be your prince of the army, and he shall wage the war of the people. Everyone who receives the care of souls becomes a prince of the army; and when the prince is not good, then the army is in great danger. Whence Jeremiah laments: All beauty, he says, has departed from the daughter of Zion; her princes have become like rams not finding pasture, and they went away without strength before the face of the pursuer. There were two to whom the Lord gave fortitude, namely Caleb and Joshua. Of Caleb it is said: The Lord gave fortitude to Caleb himself, and even unto old age his strength remained with him, that he might ascend to the high place of the land. And likewise it is said of Joshua that he became mighty in war. Caleb is interpreted as whole heart, and Joshua is interpreted as salvation. These men, for the salvation of others, went about to explore the promised land.

15. Third, the gift of fortitude is given for enduring worldly tribulations. Whence it is said in the book of Maccabees that Eleazar, when he departed from life, leaving behind an example of fortitude for the young and the old, said: Gladly for love of you do I suffer these things. He could have been freed if he had pretended to have eaten pork; but he refused, nay rather he chose to die and to leave behind an example of fortitude for others.

Who will have that gift? All now flee for a trifle, for the loss of some small temporal thing, or some slight advantage; and why? Because they do not have fortitude. But Job himself says: The just man will hold to his way. The way of Christ himself is that a man walk purely and with fortitude. She girded, he says, her loins with strength. And elsewhere it is said: Upon the heights he will lead me, the conqueror, singing in psalms. - Let us beseech our Lord Jesus Christ, that he through his mercy may deign so to lead and govern us in this mortal life, that we may obtain the aforesaid gifts of the Holy Spirit and arrive at that ineffable joy, in which he lives and reigns whom "we shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise," through the grace of him who is three and one; Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.