John of Fecamp



CH. 22: The Happiness of Eternal Life for those who long for it.	CAPUT XXII. Vitae aeternae felicitas ejusque desiderium.


O LIFE that God has prepared for those who love him! (1Cor 2:8) [O] vibrant life, blessed life secure life, tranquil life, beautiful life, pure life, chaste life, holy life	O tu, vita quam praeparavit Deus his qui diligunt eum, vita vitalis, vita beata, vita secura, vita tranquilla, vita pulchra, vita munda, vita casta, vita sancta,
[O] life, ignorant of death, knowing nothing of sorrow: life without stain, without corruption, without pain, without anxiety, without disturbance, without variation or change,	vita ignara mortis, nescia tristitiae, vita sine labe, sine corruptione, sine dolore, sine anxietate, sine perturbatione, sine varietate et mutatione,
[O] life replete with elegance and dignity,	vita totius elegantiae et dignitatis plenissima,
where there is no adversary to fight where there are no enticements of sin, where there is perfect love without fear (1 Jn 4:18), where there is eternal day and union of all spirits, where God is seen face to face, (1 Cor 13:12; ) and the mind is sated with the never-failing food of life! (cf. Ps 16 [H17]:14-15)	ubi non est adversarius et impugnans, ubi nulla peccati illecebra, ubi est amor perfectus, et nullus timor, ubi est dies aeternus, et unus omnium spiritus, ubi Deus facie ad faciem cernitur, et hoc vitae cibo mens sine defectu satiatur!

IT pleases me to concentrate on your glory: for the more I strive to consider, the more your goodness delights my eager heart: For I am faint with love (Cant 2:5, 5:8), I burn with eager desire for you, I greatly delight in your sweet memory. (cf Cant 2:14),	Libet mihi tuae intendere claritati, delectat me bona tua avido corde, quantum plus valeo mecum considerare. Tuo enim amore langueo, tuo vehementer desiderio flagro, tuaque dulci memoria admodum delector
And so it pleases me, to raise the eyes of my heart to you, to establish the state of [my] mind to conform the dispositions of my soul.	Libet itaque, libet cordis in te oculos attollere, statum mentis erigere, affectum animi conformare.
It pleases me to speak of you, to hear of you, to write about you, to converse [with others] about you, to read daily of your blessedness and glory, and to constantly repeat it in my heart on my bed (cf.Ps 63(62):6)	Libet sane de te loqui, de te audire, de te scribere, de te conferre, de tua beatitudine et gloria quotidie legere, et lecta saepius sub corde revolvere:
So that I may thus pass from the dangers and sweat[y toil] of this mortal, perishing and burning life, into the sweet breezes of your reviving refreshment, laying my [care-] worn head on your bosom, there to sleep or at least recline for a little. (Cant 2:6; Jn 13:23)	ut vel sic possim ab hujus mortalis et periturae vitae ardoribus, periculis et sudoribus sub tuae vitalis aurae dulcere frigerium transire, et transiens in sinu tuo fessum caput dormiturus vel paululum reclinare.
Lectio Divina - Path to the Breast of the	Beloved
For this reason I enter into the pleasant garden of Sacred Scripture,	Hujus rei gratia Scripturarum sanctarum amoena prata ingredior,
to pick the most brilliant green herbs of [sacred] verses,	viridissimas sententiarum herbas exarando carpo,
[1] I devour them by reading;	legendo comedo,
[2] I repeat them by ruminating;	frequentando rumino,
[3] and gathering them at last into the high repose of memory	atque congregando tandem in alta memoriae sede repono:
[4] I taste in this way your sweetness	ut tali modo tua dulcedine degustata,
thinking not at all of the bitterness of this unhappy life	minus istius miserrimae vitae amaritudines sentiam

O LIFE most joyful, O kingdom truly blessed, where death is gone and limits absent, where ages are not measured by the passing of time	O tu, vita felicissima, o regnum vere beatum , carens morte, vacans fine, cui nulla tempora ^[0918] succedunt per aevum;
where continuous day without night is ignorant of time;	ubi continuus sine nocte dies nescit habere tempus,
where victorious soldiers join the hymnody of the angelic choir and sing to God unceasingly the Songs of Zion	ubi victor miles illis hymnidicis Angelorum sociatus choris, cantat Deo sine cessatione canticum de canticis Sion,
their heads adorned with noble crowns	Nobile perpetua caput amplectente corona.

Would that I were granted forgiveness of sins, that this covering of flesh could soon be laid aside!	Utinam concessa mihi peccatorum venia, moxque hac carnis sarcina deposita,
Would, O would that I could enter in to your true joys and take my rest,	utinam, utinam in tua gaudia veram requiem habiturus intrarem,
advancing to the brilliant, spacious walls of your city, to receive the crown of life from the hand of the Lord,	et in tuae civitatis praeclara atque spatiosa moenia, coronam vitae de manu Domini accepturus ingrederer:
to join that most holy choir and with the blessed spirits stand before the glory of the Creator, to see Christ face to face	ut illis sanctissimis choris interessem, ut cum beatissimis spiritibus gloriae Conditoris assisterem, ut praesentem Christi vultum cernerem,
to behold forever that high, ineffable, and unlimited light	ut illud summum et ineffabile et incircumscriptum lumen semper aspicerem,
and thus unperturbed by the fear of death, to be [freed] by incorruption to undertake the eternal vocation of rejoicing without end!	sicque nullo metu mortis affici, sed de incorruptionis perpetuae munere laetari possem sine fine!



CH. 23: The Happiness of the departed Saints	CAPUT XXIIY. Sanctorum hinc migrantium felicitas.


HAPPY is the soul who asks to be released into heaven from its earthly prison!	Felix anima quae terreno resoluta carcere libera coelum petit!
She is secure and tranquil, fearing neither enemy nor death	Secura est et tranquilla, non timet hostem neque mortem;
for she both possesses and unendingly perceives the ever-present and most beautiful Lord	habet enim semper praesentem, cernitque indesinenter pulcherrimum Dominum
whom she serves	cui servivit,
whom she loves	quem dilexit,
and whom, glorious and rejoicing, she at last attains.	et ad quem tandem laeta et gloriosa pervenit.
This glory and blessedness no length of days can diminish, no thief can steal.	Hanc vero tantae beatitudinis gloriam nulla dies minuet, nullus improbus poteritauferre.
The daughters saw her, and declared her most blessed: the queens and concubines, and they praised her, (Cant. 6.9), saying:	*Viderunt eam filiae, et beatissimam praedicaverunt: reginae et concubinae laudaverunt eam* (Cant. VI, 8), dicentes,
Who is this who ascends from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her beloved?(Cant. 8.5.)	*Quae est ista, quae ascendit de deserto, deliciis affluens, innixa super dilectum suum* (Id. VIII, 5)?
Who is she who comes forth like the rising dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?(Cant. 6.10)	*Quae est ista, quae progreditur sicut aurora consurgens, pulchra ut luna, electa ut sol, terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata* (Id. VI, 9)?
With what joy does she fly, with what haste does she run when, having attuned her ears, (cf. RB Prol.) she hears her beloved [say]:	Quam laeta exit, festina currit, cum dilectum suum sibi dicentem attonitis auribus audit:
Arise, my love my beautiful one, and come.	**Surge, amica mea , speciosa mea, et veni:**
For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone.	jam enim hiems transiit, imber abiit et recessit,
The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtle[dove] is heard in our land	flores apparuerunt, tempus putationis advenit. Vox turturis audita est in terra nostra,
The fig tree has put forth her green figs: the flowering yield their fragrance.	ficus protulit grossos suos, florentes vineae dederunt odorem.
Arise, make haste, my beloved, my beautiful one:	Surge, propera, amica mea, formosa mea,
My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollows of the wall, show me your face, let your voice sound in my ears: for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. (Cant. 2:10-14)	*columba mea in foraminibus petrae, in caverna maceriae, ostende mihi faciem tuam, sonet vox tua in auribus meis. Vox enim tua dulcis, et facies tua decora* (Id. II, 10-14).
Come, my chosen one, my beautiful one, my dove, my immaculate one, my spouse: come, and I will set my throne within you,*(Ant. Com.Virg.)* for I long for your beauty.	Veni, electa mea, speciosa mea, columba mea, immaculata mea, sponsa mea: veni, et ponam in te thronum meum, quia concupivi speciem tuam.
Come and rejoice before me with my angels, to whom I have promised to make you their companion.	Veni ut laeteris in conspectu meo cum Angelis meis, quorum societas tibi a me repromissa est.
Come after many dangers and labors, and enter into the joy of your Lord,(Mat. 25:23), a joy no one can take from you.(John 16:22.)	Veni post multa pericula et labores, intra in gaudium Domini tui, quod nemo tollet a te.



CH. 24: Invocation of the Saints	*CAPUT XXIV.* Sanctorum invocatio.


HAPPY are all you saints of God who have traversed the sea of mortality, and attained the port of everlasting rest, security and peace: secure and tranquil, you are always festive and glad	Felices sancti Dei omnes, qui jam pertransistis hujus mortalitatis pelagus, et pervenire meruistis ad portum perpetuae quietis, securitatis et pacis: securi et tranquilli, semperque festivi atque gaudentes estis.
I beseech you by the MOTHER of CHARITY: you who enjoy tranquility, concern yourselves with us;	Obsecro vos per matrem charitatem, securi estis de vobis, solliciti estote de nobis:
tranquil in your unfading glory, concern yourselves with our manifold misery.	securi estis de vestra immarcescibili gloria, solliciti estote de nostra multiplici miseria.
I implore you (plural) through Him Who chose you, who made you to be as you are,	Per ipsum vos rogo, qui vos elegit, qui vos tales fecit,
through Whose beauty you are now satiated	de cujus pulchritudine jam satiamini,
through Whose immortality you have been made immortal	de cujus immortalitate immortales facti estis,
through Whose blessed vision you eternally rejoice	de cujus beatissima visione semper gaudetis,
keep us always in mind, relieve our distress, you who stand unruffled	estote jugiter memores nostri; subvenite nobis miseris,
as we are tossed about in the storms of this life.	qui adhuc in salo hujus vitae circumstantibus agitamur procellis.
You who are the most beautiful gates, raised up to great heights	Vos portae pulcherrimae, quae in magnam surrexistis altitudinem,
come to the aid of us, lowly paving stones, far below.	adjuvate nos vile pavimentum, longe inferius jacens.
Extend your hand[s] and raise [us] up, who lie prostrate at your feet;	Date manum, et erigite jacentes super pedes:
like those recovering from sickness, may we be made strong for battle	ut convalescentes de infirmitate, fortes efficiamur in bello.
Intercede and pray constantly and unceasingly for us miserable and most negligent sinners,	Intercedite atque orate constanter atque indesinenter pro nobis miseris multumque negligentibus peccatoribus,
So that, through your prayers, we may be united with your holy company: for we cannot otherwise be saved.	ut per vestras ^[0919] orationes vestro sancto consortio conjungamur: quia aliter salvi esse non possumus.


We are exceeding frail, exceeding weak and despicable, slaves to intemperance and lust, and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking.	Sumus namque valde fragiles et nullius virtutis homunciones: animalia ventris et carnis mancipia, in quibus vix aliquod probitatis vestigium apparet.
And yet, helpless wretches as we are, when listed under thy banner, and borne up by thy cross, we are buoyed up by thy faith, and commit ourselves boldly to this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts, where is that Leviathan, that serpent ready to devour; (Psal. 104:25, 28.) wherein are rocks and quicksands.aud other dangers without number, on which the careless and the unbelieving run their vessels, and suffer shipwreck daily.	Et tamen sub Christi confessione positi, ligno crucis ferimur, navigantes per hoc mare magnum et spatiosum ubi sunt reptilia quorum non est numerus, ubi sunt animalia pusilla cum magnis (Psal. CV, 25), ubi est draco saevissimus, semper paratus ad devorandum, ubi sunt loca periculosa Scylla et Charibdis, et alia innumerabilia, in quibus naufragantur incauti, et in fide dubii.
Intercede for me therefore, most gracious Saviour, that, by thy powerful mediation, and allsufficient merits, I may be able to bring this vessel and its lading safe to shore; and be conducted to the haven where every pious soul would be, the haven of peace and salvation, of uninterrupted rest, and never-ending joy.	Orate Deum, orate piissimi, orate, omnia agmina sanctorum et universi coetus beatorum, ut vestris precibus meritisque adjuti, salva nave et integris mercibus pervenire mereamur ad portum perpetuae quietis, continuae pacis, et nunquam finiendae securitatis.



CH. 25: The pious Soul's desire of Heaven.	*CAPUT XXV.*oeli ardens desiderium. Coeli gloria et gaudia.


O HEAVENLY Jerusalem, Our common mother, the holy city of God, thou beautiful spouse of Christ, my soul hath loved thee exceedingly, and all my faculties are ravished with thy charms. O what graces, what glory, what noble state appears in every part of thee!	Mater Jerusalem, civitas sancta Dei, charissima sponsa Christi, te amat cor meum, pulchritudinem tuam nimium desiderat mens mea. Quam decora, quam gloriosa, quam generosa tu es!
Most exquisite is thy form, and thou alone art beauty without blemish. Rejoice and dance for joy, O daughter of my king, for thy Lord himself, fairer than all the sons of men, hath pleasure in thy beauty. (Psal. xlv. 11.)	Tota pulchra es, et macula non est in te. Exsulta et laetare, formosa principis filia, quia concupivit rex speciem tuam, et amavit decorem tuum speciosus forma prae filiis hominum.
But, what is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? (Cant. v. 9, 10. ii. 3.) My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. 1 sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.	Sed qualis est dilectus tuus ex dilecto, o pulcherrima? Dilectus tuus candidus et rubicundus, electus ex millibus (Cant. V, 9, 10). Sicut malus inter ligna sylvarum, sic dilectus tuus inter filios. Sub umbra illius quem desideravi, ecce laetus sedeo: et fructus ejus dulcis gutturi meo (Id. II, 3.
	Dilectus tuus misit manum per foramen, et venter meus intremuit a tactu ejus (Id. V, 4).
By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth, I sought him and found him. I hold him fast, and will not let him go, till be bring me into his house, into the secret places of his tabernacles.	In lectulo meo per noctem quaesivi dilectum tuum , quaesivi, et inveni eum (Id. III, 1): teneo, nec dimittam eum, donec introducat me in domum tuam, et in cubiculum tuum ,
O glorious metropolis! there shalt thou give the children thy breast, and so fill me with the plentiful communication of thy pleasures, that 1 shall never hunger more, neither thirst any more.	gloriosa genitrix mea. Ibi enim dabis mihi dulcissima ubera tua (Id. VII, 12) abundantius et perfectius, et saturabis me satietate mirifica, ita ut nec esuriam, neque sitiam in aeternum.
O how happy will my soul perceive itself when it shall be admitted to see thy glory, thy beauty; to view the gates, the walls, the streets, the stately buildings, the splendor of thy inhabitants, and the triumphant pomp of thy king enthroned in the midst of thee!	Felix anima mea, semperque in saecula felix, si intueri meruero gloriam tuam, beatitudinem tuam, pulchritudinem tuam, portas et muros tuos, plateas tuas, mansiones tuas multas, nobilissimos cives tuos, et fortissimum regem tuum Dominum nostrum in decore suo.
For thy walls are of precious stones, and thy gates of pearl, and thy streets of pure gold, continually resounding with loud Hallelujahs.	Muri namque tui ex lapidibus pretiosis, portae tuae ex margaritis optimis, plateae tuae ex auro purissimo, in quibus jucundum alleluia sine intermissione concinitur.
Thy houses are founded upon hewn square stone, carried up with sapphire, covered in with gold, and no unclean person can enter into thee, no manner of pollution abide within thy borders.	Mansiones tuae multae quadris lapidibus fundatae, sapphyris constructae, laterculis aureis coopertae; in quas nullus ingreditur immundus, nullus habitat inquinatus.
Sweet and charming are thy delights, O holy mother of us all. Subject to none of those vicissitudes and interruptions which abate our pleasures here below. No successions of night and day, no intervals of darkness, no difference of seasons in their several courses.	Speciosa facta es et suavis in deliciis tuis, mater Jerusalem. Nihil in te tale, quale hic patimur, qualia in hac misera vita cernimus. Non sunt tenebrae in te, neque nox, aut quaelibet diversitas temporum.
Nor is the light derived from artificial helps, or natural luminaries, the same with ours; no lamps or caudles, no shining of the moon or stars, but God of God, and light of light, even the sun of righteousness shines in thee, and the white immaculate lamb, he it is that enlightens thee with the full lustre of bis majesty and beauty. (Rev. xxi. 23.)	Non lucet in te lux lucernae, aut splendor lunae, vel jubar stellarum; sed Deus de Deo, lux de luce, sol justitiae semper illuminat te; Agnus candidus et immaculatus, lucidus et pulcherrimus, est lumen tuum .
Thy light and glory, and all thy happiness, is the incessant contemplation of this divine king; for this King of kings is in the midst of thee, and all his host are ministering round about him continually.	Sol tuus, claritas tua et omne bonum tuum, hujus pulcherrimi Regis indeficiens contemplatio. Ipse Rex regum in medio tui, et pueri ejus in circuitu ejus.
There are the melodious choirs of angels, there the sweet fellowship and company of the heavenly inhabitants; there the joyful pomp of all those triumphant souls who from their sore trials and travels through this valley of tears, at last return victorious to their native country.	Ibi hymnidici Angelorum chori, ibi societas supernorum civium. Ibi dulcis solemnitas omnium ab hac tristi peregrinatione ad tua gaudia redeuntium.
There the goodly fellowship of prophets, whose eyes God opened to take a prospect of far distant mysteries. There the twelve leaders of the Christian armies, the blessed apostles; there the noble army of the martyrs; there the convention of confessors; there the holy men and women, who in the days of their flesh were mortified to the pleasures of sin and the world;	Ibi Prophetarum providus chorus, ibi judex Apostolorum numerus, ibi innumerabilium ^[0920] martyrum victor exercitus, ibi sanctorum Confessorum sacer conventus, ibi veri et perfecti monachi, ibi sanctae mulieres, quae voluptates saeculi et sexum infirmitatis vicerunt;
there the virgins and youths, whose blooming virtues put out early fruits, and ripened into piety far exceeding the proportion of their years. There the sheep and lambs, who have escaped the ravening wolf, and all the snares laid for their destruction. These all rejoice in their proper mansions; and, though each differ from other in degrees of glory, yet all agree in bliss and joy, diffused to all in common; and the happiness of every one is esteemed each man's own.	ibi pueri et puellae, quae annos suos moribus transcenderunt. Ibi sunt omnes oves et agni, qui jam hujus voluptatis laqueos evaserunt. Exsultant omnes in propriis mansionibus. Dispar gloria singulorum, sed communis est laetitia omnium.
For there charity reigns in its utmost perfection, because God there is all in all; whom they continually behold, and beholding continually admire, and praise and love, and love and praise without intermission, without end, without weariness, or distraction of thought. This is their constant, their delightful employments.	Plena et perfecta ibi regnat charitas; quia Deus est omnia in omnibus (I Cor. XV, 28), quem sine fine vident, et semper videndo in ejus ardent amore. Amant et laudant, laudant et amant. Omne opus eorum, laus Dei, sine defectione, sine labore.
And how happy shall 1 be, how exquisitely, how inceesantly happy, if, when this body crumbles into dust 1 shall be entertamed with that celestial harmony, and hear the hymns of praise to their eternal king, which troops of angels, and saints innumerable, are ever singing m full consort How happy myself to bear a part with them, and pay the same tribute to my God and Saviour, the author and the captain of my salvation lo behold his face in glory, and be made partaker of those gracious promises, of which he hath given me the comfortable hope, when saymg to Ins lather / will, that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, tlutt they may behold the glory which I had with thee before the world was (John xvii 5 24.) And again, supportmg his disciples against the tribulations they should encounter here below, (John xii. 26.) If any man love me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be. And in another place, He that loveth me shall he loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. (John xiv. 21.)	Felix ego, et vere in perpetuum felix, si post resolutionem hujus corpusculi audire meruero illa cantica coelestis melodiae, quae cantantur ad laudem Regis aeterni ab illis supernae patriae civibus, beatorumque spirituum agminibus. Fortunatus ego nimiumque beatus, si et ego ipse meruero cantare ea, et assistere regi meo, Deo meo, duci meo , et cernere eum in gloria sua, sicut ipse polliceri dignatus est dicens, Pater, volo ut quos dedisti mihi, sint mecum; ut videant claritatem meam quam habui apud te ante constitutionem mundi (Joan. XVII, 24); et alibi, Qui mihi ministrat, me sequatur, et ubi sum ego, illic et minister meus erit (Id. XII, 26); et iterum, Qui diligit me, diligetur a Patre meo, et ego diligam eum, et manifestabo ei me ipsum (Id. XIV, 21).

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