Salesian Literature

Part II:  Salesian Commentary

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B. Inspired Narratives

::   First Narrative   ::   Second Narrative   ::   Third Narrative   ::   Fourth Narrative   ::   Fifth Narrative

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Fifth narrative (8:6)

 

“Love is stronger as death”

 

Cf. Treatise on the Love of God, Book 7, Chapter 12:  A remarkable story of the knight who died of love on Mount Olivet

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A very illustrious and virtuous knight went one day across the sea to Palestine in order to visit the Holy Places where Our Lord had performed the works of our Redemption.  In order to begin worthily this holy exercise, before all things he confessed and communicated devoutly.

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Then (he) goes, in the first place, to the village of Nazareth, where the Angel announced to the Virgin the most sacred Incarnation and where the very adorable Conception of the Eternal Word was accomplished.  There this worthy pilgrim begins to contemplate the depth of heavenly Goodness which had designed to take human flesh in order to draw men back from perdition.

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From there he passes to Bethlehem, to the place of the Nativity, where one could not imagine how many tears he pours forth, contemplating those with which the Son of God, small Infant of the Virgin, had watered that holy stable, kissing and rekissing a hundred times that sacred ground, and licking the dust on which the first infancy of this divine Baby had been received.

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From Bethlehem he goes to Bethara and passes as far as the small place of Bethany where, remembering that Our Lord had stripped himself in order to be baptized, he likewise strips himself.  Entering into the Jordan (and) washing himself and drinking its waters, he perceives seeing there his Saviour receiving Baptism by the hand of his Precursor and the Holy Spirit descending visibly on him under the form of (a) dove, with the heavens still opened, from where, it seems to him, the voice of the Eternal Father descends, saying: “This is my beloved Son in who I delight” (cf. Mt. 3:16-4:11).

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From Bethany he goes into the desert and sees, by the eyes of his spirit, the Saviour fasting, struggling with, and conquering the enemy.  Then (he sees) the Angels who served him admirable foods.

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From there he goes up to the mountain of Tabor, where he sees the Saviour transfigured (and) then to the mountain of Sion, where, again it seems to him, he sees Our Lord kneeling down in the (room of the) Last Supper, washing the feet of his disciples and later distributing to them his Divine Body in the Sacred Eucharist.

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He passes the stream of Cedron and goes to the garden of Gethsemene, where his heart is found in the tears of a most lovable sorrow when he pictures to himself his dear Saviour, sweating his blood in that extreme agony which he suffered there (and) then soon after, bound, tied, and led to Jerusalem, where he makes his way also, following everywhere the footprints of his Beloved.  And in imagination (he) sees him dragged here and there, to Annas, to Caiaphas, to Pilate, to Herod, whipped and condemned to death, burdened by the cross which he carries, and carrying it, (he) has the pitiable meeting with his Mother, completely weakened by sorrow, and the women of Jerusalem, weeping over Him.

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(And) so, at last, this devout pilgrim climbs Mount Calvary, where he sees, in spirit, the Cross spread out on the earth and Our Lord all naked, whom one very cruelly threw down and nailed hands and feet on it.

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He looks at the poor sacred Virgin, entirely pierced through by the sword of sorrow.  Then he turns his eyes on the crucified Saviour, from whom he listens to the seven words with unparalleled love.  And finally, he sees him dying, then dead, then receiving the thrust of the lance and showing by the opening the wound of his Divine Heart, then taken off the cross and carried to the sepulchre, where he goes following him, casting a sea of tears on the places moistened by the blood of his Redeemer.  Hence, he enters into the sepulchre and entombs his heart near the body of his Master.

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Then, rising with him, he goes to Emmaus and sees all that passed between the Saviour and the two disciples.  Finally, returning to Mt. Olivet, where the mystery of the Ascension took place, and seeing there the last marks and vestiges of the feet of the divine Saviour, (he) prostrates on them, and kissing them (a) thousand and thousand times with sighs of an infinite love, he begins to withdraw into himself all the forces of his affections…  Then, getting up again (and) raising his eyes and stretching out his hands toward Heaven, he says:

 

O Jesus, … my gentle Jesus,

I no longer know where to look for you

and follow (you) on earth.

Ah, Jesus, my love, grant to this heart

that it may follow you and go after (you) there on high.

 

And with these ardent words he hurls his soul toward Heaven…, (and) like (a) divine archer, he directs (it) to the (centre of the) target of his very blessed object.

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But his companions and servants who saw this poor lover suddenly fall to his death, astonished by this accident, run by force to the doctor, who came (and) found that he actually passed away…

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“Without doubt,” said the doctor, “his heart burst by the excess and fervour of love.”

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And in order to affirm better his judgement, he wished to open him.  And (after doing so he) found that brave heart split open, with this sacred phrase engraved on the interior of it:[1]

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Jesus, MY LOVE!

 

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[1] Oeuvres, Tome 5, p. 45. Treatise on the Love of God, Book 7, Chapter 12.

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