Folio 26v - the dove continued. Hic incipit de tribus columbis; The three doves.
of a picture. Personally, I try harder to please the uneducated than to speak to the learned - as if I were pouring liquid into a vessel. For to furnish the wise man with words is like pouring liquid into a vessel that is already full.
Here begins the account of the three doves
'If you sleep among the sheepfolds...a dove, its wings sheathed in silver and its tail feathers in the pale colour of gold' (see BSV, Psalmi, 67:14; NEB, Psalms, 68:11-13).
In reading the Holy Scripture, brothers, I have found references to three doves which, if they are carefully studied, can bring the minds of the uneducated to perfection. They are the doves of Noah, David and Jesus Christ. Noah represents peace; David, the mighty hand; Jesus, salvation. Now the sinner is told: 'Hast thou sinned? do so no more' (Ecclesiasticus, 21:1). If, therefore, you wish to be Noah, desist from sin; in order to be David, you must do brave deeds; if you long to be saved, ask for salvation from your Saviour. 'Depart from evil and do good; seek peace' (Psalms, 34:14). Turn towards the ark of Noah. Fight with David the battles of the Lord. Seek peace with Jesus in Jerusalem. Turn towards peace of mind. Resist temptation. Await patiently the favour of salvation.
Of Noah's dove, it is said: 'The dove came in to him in the evening; and in her mouth was an olive branch' (see Genesis, 8:11). The dove returns to Noah's ark as the soul is recalled from external things to the inner peace of the mind. The dove returns at evening as the light of wordly pleasure starts to fade, and the soul flees from the pomp of empty glory, fearing to encounter the darkness of the night - that is, the depths of eternal damnation. The dove carries an olive branch signifying the soul seeking mercy. It carries the olive branch in its mouth, signifying the soul begging with prayers for its sins to be forgiven.
Of the dove of David it is said: 'and its tail feathers in the pale colour of gold.' Its tail feathers are of gold because anyone who conducts himself virtuously in time to come is promised forgiveness.
Likewise we read of our Saviour, that when the dove descended upon him, a voice was heard, saying: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased' (Matthew, 3:17). The dove is the grace of the Holy Spirit, which was seen to decend upon Jesus in Jordan, because grace is made ready for anyone who is humble and cleansed of sin. To the penitent, mercy is granted; to those who are virtuous in conduct, a pardon is promised; to the loving, grace is given.
- Commentary
-
Commentary
Text
The three doves. They are Noah's dove, David's dove mentioned in Psalm 68: 13 and the dove of the Holy Spirit descending on Christ at his baptism.
Comment
Initial type 2 and shows margins.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
-
Transcription
picture. Ego autem plus laboro ut simplicibus placeam, quam ut \doctoribus loquar, et quasi vasculo latices infundam. Qui enim \sapientem verbis instruit, quasi vasculo pleno latices infundit. \ Hic incipit de tribus columbis \ Si dormiatis inter medios cleros \penne columbe deargentate, et postiora dorsi eius in pal\lore auri. In scriptura sacra fratres tres columbas legendo repperi, ex \quibus si attente considerentur simplicium mentes ad perfectionem \poterunt edoceri. Columba, scilicet Noe, columba David, columba Jesus Christi. \Noe requies, David manu fortis, Jesus salvator interpretatur. Peccatori \autem dicitur: peccasti, quiesce. Si igitur vis esse Noe, quiesce a peccatis \ut David esse possis, operare fortia, si salvari desideras, a salvato\re salutem postula. Diverte a malo, fac bonum, inquire pacem, \diverte ad archam Noe, preliare cum David, prelia domini, inquire pa\cem cum Jesu in Jerusalem, diverte ad quietem mentis, resiste temp\tationibus, expecta pacienter salutis beneficium. De columba vero \Noe dicitur: Reversa est columba ad vesperam, ferens in ore suo ramum \olive. Ad archam Noe columba revertitur, cum ad quietem men\tis ab exterioribus animus revocatur. Revertitur ad vesperam cum defi\ciente luce mundane felicitatis, vane glorie fugit pompam ti\mens ne incurrat obscuritatem noctis, id est profunditatem perpetue \dampnationis. Olivam gerit, quia misericordiam querit. Olivam \in ore portat, dum indulgeri sibi quod deliquerat precibus exorat. De \columba vero David dicitur, et postiora dorsi eius in pallore auri. In posterioribus dorsi au\rum habetur, quia bene operanti in futuro venia promittitur. Similiter \et de salvatore legitur cum descensu columbe super eum hec vox \auditur: Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacui. \Columba est sancti spiritus gratia, que super Jesum in Jordane descendisse cernitur, \quia cuilibet humili a peccatis mundato, gratia preparatur. Penitenti \igitur fit misericordia, bene operanti promittitur venia, diligenti datur gratia. \Translation
of a picture. Personally, I try harder to please the uneducated than to speak to the learned - as if I were pouring liquid into a vessel. For to furnish the wise man with words is like pouring liquid into a vessel that is already full. Here begins the account of the three doves 'If you sleep among the sheepfolds...a dove, its wings sheathed in silver and its tail feathers in the pale colour of gold' (see BSV, Psalmi, 67:14; NEB, Psalms, 68:11-13). In reading the Holy Scripture, brothers, I have found references to three doves which, if they are carefully studied, can bring the minds of the uneducated to perfection. They are the doves of Noah, David and Jesus Christ. Noah represents peace; David, the mighty hand; Jesus, salvation. Now the sinner is told: 'Hast thou sinned? do so no more' (Ecclesiasticus, 21:1). If, therefore, you wish to be Noah, desist from sin; in order to be David, you must do brave deeds; if you long to be saved, ask for salvation from your Saviour. 'Depart from evil and do good; seek peace' (Psalms, 34:14). Turn towards the ark of Noah. Fight with David the battles of the Lord. Seek peace with Jesus in Jerusalem. Turn towards peace of mind. Resist temptation. Await patiently the favour of salvation. Of Noah's dove, it is said: 'The dove came in to him in the evening; and in her mouth was an olive branch' (see Genesis, 8:11). The dove returns to Noah's ark as the soul is recalled from external things to the inner peace of the mind. The dove returns at evening as the light of wordly pleasure starts to fade, and the soul flees from the pomp of empty glory, fearing to encounter the darkness of the night - that is, the depths of eternal damnation. The dove carries an olive branch signifying the soul seeking mercy. It carries the olive branch in its mouth, signifying the soul begging with prayers for its sins to be forgiven. Of the dove of David it is said: 'and its tail feathers in the pale colour of gold.' Its tail feathers are of gold because anyone who conducts himself virtuously in time to come is promised forgiveness. Likewise we read of our Saviour, that when the dove descended upon him, a voice was heard, saying: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased' (Matthew, 3:17). The dove is the grace of the Holy Spirit, which was seen to decend upon Jesus in Jordan, because grace is made ready for anyone who is humble and cleansed of sin. To the penitent, mercy is granted; to those who are virtuous in conduct, a pardon is promised; to the loving, grace is given.
