MECHTHILD OF MAGDEBURG 



not be slain by Thee ? Thus would it have 

 been better for me if that I had never known 

 Thee." 



Then answers Love : " That I pursued thee 

 gave me delight. That I made thee captive 

 was my desire. That I bound thee was my 

 joy. When I wounded thee, then did I become 

 one with thee. Thus I give thee hard blows 

 so that I may be possessed of thee. I drove 

 Almighty God from His heavenly kingdom, and 

 took from Him His mortal life, and have restored 

 Him with honour to His Father. How canst 

 thou, poor worm, save thyself from me ? " 



Of all Mechthild's visions, there is none 

 that seems to reach a greater height of supreme 

 beauty than that in which the loving soul learns 

 the way to its Divine Lover. It is strangely 

 reminiscent of courtly life and courtly poetry, 

 translated into the ecstatic state, and etherealised 

 into the very perfume of spirituality as the soul 

 becomes one with God. Having passed the 

 distress of repentance, the pain of confession, 

 and the labour of penance, and having overcome 

 the love of the World, the tempting of the 

 Devil, and its own self-will, the soul, weary, 

 and longing for her Divine Lover and God, 

 cries out : " Beautiful Youth, I long for thee. 

 Where shall I find thee ? " 



Then says the youth : " I hear a voice which 

 speaks somewhat of love. Many days have I 

 wooed her, but never have I heard her voice. 

 Now I am moved. I must go to meet her. 



79 



