{ "meta": { "schema_version": "1.1", "endpoint": "/api/sources/rhineland-mystics/suso/vol-1-40-chapter-xlvi.json" }, "work": { "slug": "suso", "name": "Heinrich Suso" }, "parents": [ { "slug": "rhineland-mystics", "name": "Rhineland Mystics", "url": "/sources/rhineland-mystics/" } ], "chapter": { "num": 41, "slug": "vol-1-40-chapter-xlvi", "title": "Chapter XLVI.", "of": 51, "words": 1305, "text": "## Chapter XLVI.\n\nHow Christ appeared to him under the form of a Seraph, \nand taught him how to suffer. \n\nOnce upon a time, when the Servitor had \nturned to God with great fervour, beseeching \nHim to instruct him how to suffer, there ap- \npeared to him in a vision a likeness of Christ \nupon the cross in the form of a Seraph : and the \nSeraph had six wings : with two he covered his \nhead, with two his feet, and with two he flew. \nOn the two lowest wings was written, \"Re- \nceive sufferings willingly;\" on the two middle \nwings, \"Bear sufferings patiently;\" and on \n\n\n2&0 LITE OF BLESSED HElSTtY SUSO. \n\nthe two highest wings, \"Learn to suffer after \nChrist's pattern.\" \n\nHe told this vision of love to one of his inti- \nmate friends, who was a very holy person. The \nanswer which he received was: — Be assured \nthat God has once more prepared for you new \nsufferings, which you will have to suffer. He \nasked what kind of sufferings these might be. \nHe was answered : — You will be raised to the \ndignity of a prelate, in order that those who are \ndisaffected to you may be the better able to \nstrike you, and may humble you so much the \nmore deeply. Therefore stablish yourself in \npatience, as has been shown you under the \nfigure of the Seraph. He fetched a sigh, and \nlooked out for the coming of a new storm ; and \nso in truth it came to pass as the holy person \nhad foretold him. \n\nIt happened at this time that there were \nseveral years of scarcity, and no one gave alms \nof bread or wine to the convent in which he \nthen was ; so that the convent fell greatly into \ndebt. The brothers resolved in common to elect \nthe Servitor prior during the great scarcity, not- \nwithstanding his sorrow and repugnance; for \nhe well understood that herein new sufferings \nwere prepared for him. \n\n\nHE IS MADE PRIOR. 241 \n\nOn the first day he caused the bell to be \nrung for chapter, and he exhorted the commu- \nnity to call upon the dear St. Dominic, inas- \nmuch as he had promised his brothers that if \nthey called upon him when they were in need, \nhe would, with God's permission, come and \nhelp them. Now there were two of the bro- \nthers sitting side by side in the chapter, one \nof whom whispered to the other very scorn- \nfully:— See what a foolish man this prior is, \nthat he bids us turn to God in our need. Does \nhe fancy that God will open heaven, and send \nus down meat and drink? The other an- \nswered : — He js not the only fool. We are all \nfools for having made him prior, though we \nknew well beforehand that he is quite ignor- \nant about earthly things, and does nothing but \ngape upwards continually to heaven. Many a \ncontemptuous judgment of this kind was passed \nupon him. When morning came, he ordered \na mass of St. Dominic to be sung, that the \nsaint might provide for them what they needed. \nNow, while he was standing in the choir deep \nsunk in thought, the porter came and called \nhim out to a rich canon, who was his particular \nfriend. The canon said to him : — Dear sir, \nyou have no experience in temporal things; \nR \n\n\n242 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nbut I have been inwardly admonished by God \nlast night to help you in His stead, and ac- \ncordingly I have brought you twenty pounds \nweight of Constance pennies for a beginning. \nPut your trust in God. He will not forsake \nyou. The Servitor was filled with joy, and, \ntaking the money, ordered wine and corn to be \nbought with it. Moreover, God and St. Do- \nminic so helped him during the whole time that \nhe was prior, that the convent never wanted \nfor provisions of any kind ; and besides this, he \npaid off all the debt. \n\nThe above-mentioned canon, when he lay \nupon his death-bed, made large bequests for \nhis soul's health to various objects towards \nwhich he had a devotion. Afterwards he sent \nfor the Servitor, who was then prior, and \nintrusted him with a considerable number of \nflorins, bidding him distribute them in other \nplaces among poor friends of God who had \nworn out their strength in austere exercises. \nThe Servitor was reluctant to undertake this, \nfor he feared that he would have to suffer for \nit afterwards, as in fact happened. At last lie \nwas over-persuaded to take the money, and he \nwent out into the neighbouring country and \ndistributed the sum, as he had promised, here \n\n\nHIS LIFE IS THREATENED. 243 \n\nand there where he believed that it would be \nmost beneficial to the donor's soul ; and he took \nproper receipts for it, and gave account of it all \nto his superiors. A heavy tribulation, however, \nfell upon him in consequence of this. \n\nThe canon had an ill-conditioned natural \nson, who, after squandering away what his fa- \nther had given him, abandoned himself to pro- \nfligate and ruinous courses. This man was very \nanxious to obtain possession of the money in \nquestion, and, as he could not succeed in this, \nhe sent word to the Servitor, under a solemn \noath, that wherever he fell in with him he \nwould kill him. No one could appease this \nman's enmity, however often the attempt was \nmade. Nothing would do but he must kill him. \nThe poor Servitor was for a long time in an- \nguish and distress, and he did not venture to \ntravel about from place to place, for fear of \nbeing murdered by the reprobate man. He \nused to lift up his eyes to God, and with many \nsighs exclaim: — Alas, O God! what miser- \nable kind of death hast Thou ordained for me ! \nHis distress was all the greater because a short \ntime before a brother of good repute had been \ncruelly murdered in another town for the same \nsort of thing. The poor Servitor found no one \n\n\n244 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nwho had the will or the courage to undertake to \nshield him from the ferocity of this savage man. \nSo he betook himself to the sovereign Lord of \nall, who set him free from his persecutor, and \ncut short his young and vigorous life by death. \n\nTo these afflictions was added another bitter \nsuffering. There was a certain ecclesiastical \ncommunity which had received great gifts from \nthe canon. But this did not satisfy them, and \nthey all fell upon the brother with great indig- \nnation because he would not let all the above- \nmentioned money come to them. He was sadly \ninsulted on this account, and they accused him \nbefore seculars and ecclesiastics, and the slan- \nderous tale, making him out guilty by a per- \nversion of the facts, was carried far and wide \nthroughout the country, and he had to bear the \nloss of his good name among men for things in \nwhich he was guiltless in the eyes of God. \n\nAt this time the deceased canon appeared to \nhim in a vision, clothed in a beautiful green \nvestment worked all over with red roses. He \ntold the Servitor that it was well with him in \nthe other world ; and he entreated him to bear \npatiently the great wrong which was being done \nhim, for that God would make it all up to him \nabundantlv. The Servitor asked him what \n\n\nSPIRITUAL TOURNAMENT. 245 \n\nhis beautiful vestment signified. He answered : \n— The red roses on the green ground represent \nyour patient suffering, with which you have \nrichly clothed me ; and for this God will clothe \nyou with Himself everlastingly.", "project_translation": false, "text_trust": "verbatim", "quote_safe": true, "license": null, "methodology_url": null } }