By somebody |

24. "Our Lord looked to His Side, Lo! how I loved you"

THEN with a glad cheer our Lord looked to 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 showed a fair, delectable place, and large enough for all mankind that shall be saved to rest in peace and in love. 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 showed His blessed heart even cloven in two.

And with this sweet enjoying, He showed to my understanding, in part, the blessed Godhead, stirring then the poor soul to understand, as it may be said, that is, to think on, 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 you, as if He had said: My darling, behold and see your Lord, your God that is your Maker and your endless joy, see what satisfying and bliss I have in your salvation; and for my love rejoice [you] with me.

And also, for more understanding, this blessed word was said: Lo, how I loved you! Behold and see that I loved you so much before I died for you that I would die for you; and now I have died for you 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 you. How should it now be that you should anything pray that pleases me but that I should full gladly grant it you? For my pleasing 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 you. This showed our good Lord for to make us glad and merry.