Sidenote: 1 Cor. xiii. 10.
Sidenote: S. John vi. 58.
1. YOU ask me why the Lord God does not now rain manna as He did on our
fathers. If you consider, He does rain manna from heaven on those who
serve Him, and that day by day. The earthly manna indeed is to this
very day found in many places, but it is not now an event so miraculous
because _that which is perfect is come_. Now _that which is perfect_
is the Bread from heaven, the Body born of the Virgin, as to which the
Gospel sufficiently instructs us. O how greatly does this excel what
went before it! For they who eat that manna or bread, are dead, _but
he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever_.
Sidenote: S. Matt. iv. 4.
Sidenote: Exod. xvi. 15, 16.
Sidenote: Prov. xvi. 24.
2. But there is also a spiritual manna, the dew that is of spiritual
Wisdom, which descends from heaven upon those who sincerely seek for
it, and which waters the souls of the righteous, and puts sweetness
into their mouths. Wherefore he who comprehends this out-pouring of
divine wisdom receives pleasure from it, nor requires any other food,
_nor lives by bread alone, but by every word of God_. He who is more
curious, will ask what that is which is sweeter than honey. The servant
of God answers him, _This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to
eat_. And hear further what this bread is, _the word_, he says, _which
the Lord hath commanded_. Now this food so commanded by God nourishes
the soul of the wise, imparting light and sweetness, brightened by
the beams of truth, and communicating to it the soothing sweetness of
divers virtues and the word of wisdom like that of an honey-comb; for
_pleasant words_, it is written in the Proverbs, _are as an honey-comb_.
Sidenote: S. Luke xiii. 19.
Sidenote: Ib. xvii. 6.
Sidenote: Ib. xiii. 21.
Sidenote: Exod. xxxii. 20.
Sidenote: S. Matt. xxiv. 41.
3. And now hear the reason why it was small; it was because a grain of
mustard-seed which is compared to the kingdom of heaven is also small,
and because faith, which is as a grain of mustard-seed, can remove
mountains and cast them into the sea. Again, _the kingdom of heaven is
like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till
the whole was leavened_. Again, Moses ground the head of the golden
calf to powder, and cast it into water, and made the people drink of
it; for their heart was hardened by the greatness of their perfidy, and
he did thus that it might be softened and made refined by faith. Lastly,
that woman who grinds meal well and fine shall be taken, but she who
grinds ill shall be left.
Sidenote: Cant. iii. 6.
4. Follow then these examples as regards thy faith, that thou mayest be
like that soul which excites in itself the love of Christ, and which,
as it ascends aloft, is admired by the host of heaven; that it may
rise without impediment, that it may soar above this world with joy
and gladness, lifting itself on high like the vine stock and like the
smoke, sending forth the fragrance of a holy resurrection, and the
sweetness of faith, as it is written, _Who is this that cometh out of
the wilderness like the stock of vine burned with smoke, perfumed with
myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of ointment?_
Sidenote: Exod. xxx. 8.
Sidenote: Ps. cxli. 2.
Sidenote: Rev. viii. 3, 4.
5. The refined nature of this faith is well expressed by being compared
with powder or by the mention of perfume; for we read in Exodus of that
prophetic incense which is the prayer of the Saints, as being a subtile
perfume and compounded of many things, that it may be set forth in the
sight of the Lord, as David also says, _Let my prayer be set forth in
Thy sight as the incense_. And so it is in the Greek also, κατευθυνθήτω
ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνώπιον σου. And in the Revelation of John
we read that _an Angel stood at the Altar, having a golden censer; and
there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the
prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
And the smoke of the incense_, it is said, _with the prayers of the
Saints, ascended up before God out of the Angel’s hand_.
Sidenote: Cant. vii. 2.
6. Small too is the navel and the belly of that soul which ascends
up to Christ, and therefore it is praised by the words of the spouse
saying, _Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor,
thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies_. For it is
rounded and polished with all kinds of learning, and is a spiritual
drink not failing in fulness, and in the knowledge of heavenly secrets.
The belly of the soul is also like the navel, mystical, and not only
strong food whereby the heart is strengthened, but also sweet and
flowery food whereby it is delighted, is received therein. And perhaps
this is what Moses meant, that by many and pious prayers the sacrilege
was to be atoned for.
Sidenote: Wisd. vii. 22.
Sidenote: Rev. xviii. 22.
7. In the book of Kings also, when the Lord revealed Himself to holy
Elijah, a small still voice was first heard, and then the Lord revealed
Himself to him; thereby to teach us that bodily things are solid
and gross, but such as are spiritual tender and so fine as not to be
perceptible to the eye. In the same way we read in the book of Wisdom
that the Spirit of Wisdom is subtile and lively _for in her is an
understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, subtile and lively_;
and she grinds her words before she speaks, that neither her mode
of speech nor her meaning may give offence. Lastly, it shall be said
to Babylon herself, when about to be destroyed, _And the sound of a
millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee_.
8. The manna then was fine, and was gathered each day, not reserved
for the day following; because the extemporaneous inventions of
Wisdom please the most; when made at leisure they excite not the same
admiration as when struck out at the moment by the spark of genius.
Or it may be that future mysteries are revealed herein: the manna
kept till the rising of the sun was unfit to be eaten, in other words,
after the coming of Christ, it lost its grace. For when the Sun of
Righteousness arose, and the more illustrious Sacraments of the Body
and Blood of Christ appeared, lower things were to cease, and the
people were to take in their stead what was more perfect.
Farewell; love me, for I also love you.