Chapter 24

Then with a glad cheer our Lord looked unto His Side and beheld, rejoicing. With His sweet looking He led forth the understanding of His creature by the same wound into His Side within. And then he shewed a fair, delectable place, and large enough for all mankind that shall be saved to rest in peace and in love.¹ And therewith He brought to mind His dearworthy blood and precious water which he let pour all out for love. And with the sweet beholding He shewed His blessed heart even cloven in two.

Then our Lord looked joyfully at his side. With his loving gaze, he led his creature’s understanding through the wound into his side. There he showed a beautiful, delightful place, large enough for all those who will be saved to rest in peace and love.¹ He also brought to mind his beloved blood and precious water, which he let pour out completely for love. With his loving gaze, he showed his blessed heart, split in two.

And with this sweet enjoying, He shewed unto mine understanding, in part, the blessed Godhead, stirring then the poor soul² to understand, as it may be said, that is, to think on,³ the endless Love that was without beginning, and is, and shall be ever. And with this our good Lord said full blissfully: Lo, how that I loved thee, as if He had said: My darling, behold and see thy Lord, thy God that is thy Maker and thine endless joy, see what satisfying and bliss I have in thy salvation; and for my love rejoice [thou] with me.

And in this sweet enjoyment, he showed my understanding a part of the blessed Godhead. He stirred the poor soul² to understand, or, as we might say, to think about,³ the endless love that had no beginning, that is now, and that will always be. And with this, our good Lord said with great joy: See how I loved you. It was as if he had said: My darling, look and see your Lord, your God, who made you and is your endless joy. See what satisfaction and joy I find in your salvation. And for my love, rejoice with me.

And also, for more understanding, this blessed word was said: Lo, how I loved thee! Behold and see that I loved thee so much ere I died for thee that I would die for thee; and now I have died for thee and suffered willingly that which I may. And now is all my bitter pain and all my hard travail turned to endless joy and bliss to me and to thee. How should it now be that thou shouldst anything pray that pleaseth me but that I should full gladly grant it thee? For my pleasing is thy holiness and thine endless joy and bliss with me.

And to help me understand more, these blessed words were spoken: Look how I loved you! See that I loved you so much before I died for you that I was willing to die for you. And now I have died for you and willingly suffered all that I can. Now all my bitter pain and all my hard struggle have turned to endless joy and bliss for me and for you. So how could you pray for anything that pleases me without my gladly granting it to you? For what pleases me is your holiness and your endless joy and bliss with me.

This is the understanding, simply as I can say it, of this blessed word: Lo, how I loved thee. This shewed our good Lord for to make us glad and merry.

This is my understanding of these blessed words, as simply as I can say it: See how I loved you. Our good Lord showed us this to make us glad and joyful.