Supplement to the Sacred Anthologies

)( 5 )(

...shining: for thus the soul, by turning itself, shines through a good example. St. Gregory the Great, Exposition on the Song of Solomon, chapter 6.

Light. The soul is to the body what light is to a lamp, and the sun to the world. Lobbetius, question 3, On St. Philip Neri, § 3.

The woman bent toward the earth (Luke 13). She who could not look upward signifies the soul which, by the merit of the fault of original corruption, is drawn toward earthly things because of a prone inclination toward evil. St. Bonaventure, Sermon 1, Sunday 2 of Advent. This woman is healed on the Sabbath: because in the other life of rest, the soul will first be perfectly liberated from every bond of concupiscence Concupiscence: a theological term for the tendency toward sin remaining in human nature. left in man by original sin. The same author, in the same place.

The Sailor. Our flesh is the ship, and the Spirit is the sailor. St. Bonaventure, The Diet of Salvation, title 1, chapter 9.

The Small Boat. St. Augustine, On Time, book 67. A ship of three decks is any soul—in which there are three powers like three decks: namely, memory of the past, understanding of the present, and will for the future. St. Vincent Ferrer, Sermon 4, On All Saints.

Neglect of the soul. But while you sit in the barber’s shop and trim your hair, even using a mirror with much study and the greatest care, you consider the symmetry and the gloss of your hair—yet for our soul, which is not only deformed but indeed shaped like a wild beast, and which has become like some Scylla or Chimera Monsters from Greek mythology; Scylla was a multi-headed sea monster and the Chimera was a fire-breathing hybrid creature. (as the legend celebrates); we have no concern. Yet even here a spiritual mirror is prepared; one far more useful than that mirror, and far more bright. This is the memory of holy men, and the history of their blessed way of life, and generally the reading of the Divine Scriptures and the laws established by GOD. St. John Chrysostom, Homily 4 on Matthew.

Our soul is a Noble Maiden. She stands leaning against the wall, namely the Christian faith: because just as a wall supports and blocks the view; so the Christian faith is the support of the Christian. St. Vincent Ferrer, On St. Anthony the Abbot.

The Coin. The soul is a coin, which the Lord examines especially at death, so that He may seek His own image. St. Bonaventure, Monday 2, Sunday 22 after Pentecost.

The Eye. The human eye is not illuminated by the sun unless it has a direct action toward it: so the soul, if it is to receive Divine light, must have a direct gaze toward GOD. St. Thomas Aquinas, on Psalm 6.

The Door consists of two valves Meaning the two leaves of a folding door., namely, desire and fear: through these two things, all things enter into a man. St. Augustine, Enarration on Psalm 141.

Oil. In a lamp there is oil; in the body, the soul. Pierius, book 46.

The Sheep. That soul is like a sheep; which, in the manner of an innocent sheep, has no weapons for attacking: no horns of pride, no heels of violence, no teeth of cruelty, no claws of greed, no poison of malice. St. Bonaventure, Monday 1, Sunday 2 after Easter.

The Palm Tree. The soul is fittingly compared to a palm tree. St. Gregory the Great, On the Song of Solomon, chapter 7. The palm is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top: so the soul, which wishes to ascend to GOD, must be narrow toward earthly pleasures, etc. St. Vincent Ferrer, Monday 1, Palm Sunday.

The soul of man is the Paradise of GOD. St. Thomas Aquinas, Opuscule on the Sacrament of the Altar, chapter 31.

The Shepherd. The two shepherds whom he mentioned are understood as the spirit and the soul; however, the earth is the man himself. Arnobius, Annotations on Matthew, chapter 15.

The Head of the Household (Matthew 24) is our mind. Haymo, Homily on the feast of a Bishop and Confessor.

The Wagon. What is designated by the name of a wagon, but each soul of every faithful person? Of which wagon the wheels are both Testaments The Old and New Testaments of the Bible.. St. Gregory the Great, book 3, chapter 4, on 1 Kings, chapter 1.

The soul is a precious thing. Arnobius, Against the Pagans, book 1, at the end.

The soul is called the pupil of the eye: because just as the pupil, which is in the middle of the eye, is surrounded by many membranes for defense; and a man puts up his hand, and almost everything he has, so that it is not harmed: so a man ought to do for his soul. For what does it profit a man, etc. (Mark 16). Keep me as the pupil of the eye, that is, as Christ. St. Thomas Aquinas on Psalm 16.

The Governess. He made the soul the governess of the body. St. Augustine, On the acts with Felix the Manichean, book 2, chapter 18.

The soul is the Seat of Wisdom. St. Bernard, On Charity, chapter 35.

The Sun. Nemesius compares it with the sun in chapter 3, On the Union of Soul and Body. The soul is to the body what the light is to a lamp and the sun in the world. Lobbetius, On St. Philip Neri, § 3. The soul of itself, insofar as it is in the image of GOD, is more beautiful than the sun. St. Vincent Ferrer, Monday 1, On St. John the Baptist.

The Mirror. St. Dionysius the Areopagite, On the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, chapter 3, calls the souls of the Saints "Mirrors." St. Maximus gives the reason for this in the same chapter, saying: He calls the souls of the Saints mirrors, as being capable of receiving Divine light.

Thirst. Desire itself is the thirst of the soul. St. Augustine on Psalm 54.

Sleep of the soul is to forget its GOD. The same author, in the same place.

The Tabernacle. You shall make the curtains of the tabernacle—that is, the ornaments of the soul—from twisted fine linen original: "bysso retorta", that is, from works of penance, fastings, prayers, afflictions, etc. St. Thomas Aquinas, Opuscule on the Sacrament of the Altar, chapter 15.

The Earth. He hangs the earth upon nothing, that is, the soul upon the foundation of humility. St. Bonaventure, The Diet of Salvation, title 7, chapter 1.

The Temple. The soul is called the Temple of GOD, because in a temple GOD is adored: similarly in a faithful soul. Matthew 6: Enter into your chamber, that is, the secrets of your soul, etc. Also, sacrifices are offered there; similarly in a faithful soul. Psalm 50: A troubled spirit is a sacrifice to GOD. Also, because GOD sanc-

B