Chapter 60

But now behoveth to say a little more of this forthspreading, as I understand in the meaning of our Lord: how that we be brought again by the Motherhood of Mercy and Grace into our Nature's place, where that we were made by the Motherhood of Nature-Love: which kindly-love, it never leaveth us.

But now I must say a little more about this spreading out, as I understand our Lord’s meaning. The Motherhood of Mercy and Grace brings us back to our nature’s place, where the Motherhood of Nature-Love made us. This natural love never leaves us.

Our Kind Mother, our Gracious Mother,¹ for that He would all wholly become our Mother in all things, He took the Ground of His Works full low and full mildly in the Maiden's womb. (And that He shewed in the First [Shewing] where He brought that meek Maid afore the eye of mine understanding in the simple stature as she was when she conceived.) That is to say: our high God is sovereign Wisdom of all: in this low place He arrayed and dight Him full ready in our poor flesh, Himself to do the service and the office of Motherhood in all things.

Our kind Mother, our gracious Mother,¹ wished to become our mother wholly in all things. So he laid the foundation of his works very low and gently in the Virgin's womb. (He showed me this in the First [Showing]. He brought the humble maiden before my mind's eye, just as she was when she conceived.) In other words, our high God is the supreme Wisdom of all. In this lowly place, he clothed himself in our poor flesh, fully ready to perform the service and duties of motherhood in all things.

The Mother's service is nearest, readiest, and surest: [nearest, for it is most of nature; readiest, for it is most of love; and surest]² for it is most of truth. This office none might, nor could, nor ever should do to the full, but He alone. We know that all our mothers' bearing is [bearing of] us to pain and to dying: and what is this but that our Very Mother, Jesus, He—All-Love—beareth us to joy and to endless living?—blessed may He be! Thus He sustaineth³ us within Himself in love; and travailed, unto the full time that He would suffer the sharpest throes and the most grievous pains that ever were or ever shall be; and died at the last. And when He had finished, and so borne us to bliss, yet might not all this make full content to His marvellous love; and that sheweth He in these high overpassing words of love: If I might suffer more, I would suffer more.

A mother's care is the closest, the most ready, and the surest: [closest, because it is most natural; most ready, because it is most loving; and surest]² because it is most true. No one but he alone might, could, or ever should fulfill this role completely. We know that all our mothers give [birth to] us into pain and death. But our true Mother, Jesus, who is all love, gives birth to us into joy and endless life. Blessed be he! Thus he holds³ us within himself in love. He labored until the time came when he would suffer the sharpest birth pangs and the greatest pains that ever were or ever will be. At last he died. When he had finished and so brought us to bliss, even all this could not fully satisfy his marvelous love. He shows this in these sublime words of love: If I could suffer more, I would suffer more.

He might no more die, but He would not stint of working: wherefore then it behoveth Him to feed us; for the dearworthy love of Motherhood hath made Him debtor to us. The mother may give her child suck of her milk, but our precious Mother, Jesus, He may feed us with Himself, and doeth it, full courteously and full tenderly, with the Blessed Sacrament that is precious food of my life; and with all the sweet Sacraments He sustaineth us full mercifully and graciously. And so meant He in this blessed word where that He said: It is I⁴ that Holy Church preacheth thee and teacheth thee. That is to say: All the health and life of Sacraments, all the virtue and grace of my Word, all the Goodness that is ordained in Holy Church for thee, it is I. The Mother may lay the child tenderly to her breast, but our tender Mother, Jesus, He may homely lead us into His blessed breast, by His sweet open side, and shew therein part of the Godhead and the joys of Heaven, with spiritual sureness of endless bliss. And that shewed He in the Tenth [Shewing], giving the same understanding in this sweet word where He saith: Lo! how I loved thee; looking unto [the Wound in] His side, rejoicing.

He could no longer die, but he would not stop working. So he must feed us, because the precious love of motherhood has made him indebted to us. A mother can feed her child with her milk, but our precious Mother, Jesus, can feed us with himself. He does this with great kindness and tenderness through the Blessed Sacrament, the precious food of my life. And through all the sweet Sacraments he sustains us with great mercy and grace. This is what he meant when he said these blessed words: It is I⁴ whom Holy Church preaches and teaches to you. That is to say: All the salvation and life of the Sacraments, all the power and grace of my Word, all the Goodness provided for you in Holy Church, it is I. A mother can lay her child tenderly against her breast, but our tender Mother, Jesus, can lead us close to his blessed breast through his sweet open side. There he can show us something of the Godhead and the joys of Heaven, with spiritual assurance of endless bliss. He showed this in the Tenth [Shewing], giving the same understanding in these sweet words: See how I loved you. As he said this, he looked at [the Wound in] his side and rejoiced.

This fair lovely word Mother, it is so sweet and so close in Nature of itself⁵ that it may not verily be said of none but of Him; and to her that is very Mother of Him and of all. To the property of Motherhood belongeth natural love, wisdom, and knowing; and it is good: for though it be so that our bodily forthbringing be but little, low, and simple in regard of our spiritual forthbringing, yet it is He that doeth it in the creatures by whom that it is done. The Kindly,⁶ loving Mother that witteth and knoweth the need of her child, she keepeth it full tenderly, as the nature⁷ and condition of Motherhood will. And as it waxeth in age, she changeth her working, but not her love. And when it is waxen of more age, she suffereth that it be beaten⁸ in breaking down of vices, to make the child receive virtues and graces. This working, with all that be fair and good, our Lord doeth it in them by whom it is done: thus He is our Mother in Nature by the working of Grace in the lower part for love of the higher part. And He willeth that we know this: for He will have all our love fastened to Him. And in this I saw that all our duty that we owe, by God's bidding, to Fatherhood and Motherhood, for [reason of] God's Fatherhood and Motherhood is fulfilled in true loving of God; which blessed love Christ worketh in us. And this was shewed in all [the Revelations] and especially in the high plenteous words where He saith: It is I that thou lovest.

The beautiful, lovely word Mother is so sweet and so close to nature itself⁵ that it can truly be said only of him and of her who is truly mother of him and of all. Motherhood includes natural love, wisdom, and understanding, and this is good. For although our bodily birth is small, humble, and simple compared with our spiritual birth, it is he who brings it about through the creatures who give us birth. The natural,⁶ loving mother understands and knows what her child needs. She cares for the child very tenderly, as the nature⁷ and character of motherhood require. As the child grows older, she changes what she does, but not her love. And when the child is older still, she allows the child to be beaten⁸ to break down vices, so that the child may receive virtues and graces. Our Lord does all this, and everything that is beautiful and good, through those who do it. Thus he is our Mother in nature. He works through grace in the lower part for love of the higher part. And he wants us to know this, for he wants all our love to be fixed on him. In this I saw that all the duty we owe to fatherhood and motherhood, as God commands, is fulfilled by truly loving God, because of God's fatherhood and motherhood. Christ brings about this blessed love in us. This was shown in all [the Revelations], especially in the lofty, abundant words where he says: It is I that you love.