Folio 33r - the palm tree, continued.
The stature of the Church or of the soul of one of the faithful can be compared to that of a palm-tree. In the stature of a man one notes the smallness or largeness of the limbs by the outline of the body. But the righteous man has the stature of a palm-tree; if he appears of only modest size to himself, to God he is tall; humble in himself, before God he is exalted.
This palm-tree is Christ, to whom the righteous man can be compared. For when he suffers the tribulations which Christ endured, the righteous man takes on the stature of the palm-tree. Thus the Apostle says: 'Those who will partake of suffering will also partake in glory' (see 2 Corinthians, 1:7). If you are a limb of the body, you must experience what goes on in the head.
The palm-tree has already grown to its full height; its tip has already pierced the sky; there is already hair on its head, which is the foliage of the palm bud, that is, the elect among souls. The trunk, with its rough bark - the Church wrapped around with the roughness of sorrow - is set firmly in the ground, and its branches - the saints - glory in eternal happiness.
Again of the palm-tree
'The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree.' (Psalms, 92:12). The righteous man is planted, he flourishes and bears fruit; he is planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
The house of our God is the house of conversion. In front of the house is the forecourt. Since it is in front of the house of conversion, it must be the forecourt of renunciation. For those who renounce the world plant in the forecourt of the house of the Lord the palm of the victory by which they overcame the world.
The rightous man is planted, therefore, in the house of conversion; he flourishes through his renown; he bears the fruit of virtuous conduct. But to what end does he set down roots? How does he grow? How does he become strong? He takes root through faith, he grows through hope, he becomes strong through charity.
What is said in the psalm about the righteous is, however, strange: 'Those that he planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God' (Psalms, 92:13) It is strange that they are planted in the house and flower in the forecourt. Perhaps they are planted inside by reason of their faith; through the example of their good works they flower externally, and thus through their renown the scent of their flower spreads outside. Alternatively, the righteous are planted in the house but flower in the forecourt, because they are planted in the Church of today and will flourish, without their flower fading, in eternal life. There also they will receive, with the flower, the fruit; that is, with their pureness of body and soul, the prize of recompense to come.
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
The palm tree. A symbol of virtue, of Christ, the Church and the righteous man.
Comment
Three text corrections in margin: 'cu', corrected in adjacent line; 'tur x'; 'figit'. Gathering mark at centre bottom (f). Top right edge, folio mark, one horizontal 'match stick'. Initial type 2.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
Statura ecclesie vel cuiuslibet fidelis anime, assimilatur palme.\ In statura cuiuslibet hominis notatur parvitas vel magnitudo in\ membris per liniamenta corporis. Habet autem statura [PL, staturam] palme iustus,\ si apud se modicus, apud deum magnus. In se humilis, coram deo\ sublimis. Hec palma est Christus, cui assimilatur iustus. Dum enim tribu\lationes quas passus est Christus patitur, stature palme iustus assimilatur.\ Unde apostolus: Qui erunt participes tribulationum, erunt participes\ et glorie. Qui igitur membrum corporis est, que sunt capitis sentire debet. Iam\ palma crevit in altum, iam cacumen illius penetravit celum, iam\ capite sunt capitis come qui sunt elate palmarum, id est electe ani\marum, adhuc stipes rugoso cortice, id est ecclesia circumdata tribulatio\num asperitate in terra figitur, et rami, id est sancti in eterna felicitate gloriantur.\ Item de palma\ Iustus ut palma florebit. Iustus plantatur, floret\ et fert fructum, plantatur in domo domini in atriis domus dei nostri.\ Domus dei nostri est domus conversionis. Est autem atrium ante domum.\ Ante domum conversionis siquidem, est autem atrium renuntiationis.\ Qui enim mundum renuntiat, palmam victorie qua mundum\ vicit in atriis domus domini plantat. Plantatur igitur in domo con\versionis, floret per famam bone opinionis fert fructum recte\ operationis. Seorsum significat [PL, Sed quorsum figit] radicem? Quomodo crescit? Quomodo roboratur?\ Radicatur per fidem, crescit per spem, roboratur per caritatem. Mirum\ est tamen quod de iustis dicitur: Plantati in domo domini in atriis domus dei nostri florebunt. Mirum\ est quod plantantur in domo et florent in atrio. Sed fortasse per fidem\ plantatur iustus [PL, plantantur intus], per exemplum boni operis florent exterius et sic per\ famam bone opinionis foras exit odor floris. Vel aliter, plantatur\ in domo, florent in atrio, quia iusti plantantur in presenti ecclesia et flore immar\cescibili florebunt in eterna vita. Ibi etiam cum flore recipient fruc\tum, id est cum mundicia carnis et anime, future retributionis premium.\Translation
The stature of the Church or of the soul of one of the faithful can be compared to that of a palm-tree. In the stature of a man one notes the smallness or largeness of the limbs by the outline of the body. But the righteous man has the stature of a palm-tree; if he appears of only modest size to himself, to God he is tall; humble in himself, before God he is exalted. This palm-tree is Christ, to whom the righteous man can be compared. For when he suffers the tribulations which Christ endured, the righteous man takes on the stature of the palm-tree. Thus the Apostle says: 'Those who will partake of suffering will also partake in glory' (see 2 Corinthians, 1:7). If you are a limb of the body, you must experience what goes on in the head. The palm-tree has already grown to its full height; its tip has already pierced the sky; there is already hair on its head, which is the foliage of the palm bud, that is, the elect among souls. The trunk, with its rough bark - the Church wrapped around with the roughness of sorrow - is set firmly in the ground, and its branches - the saints - glory in eternal happiness. Again of the palm-tree 'The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree.' (Psalms, 92:12). The righteous man is planted, he flourishes and bears fruit; he is planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. The house of our God is the house of conversion. In front of the house is the forecourt. Since it is in front of the house of conversion, it must be the forecourt of renunciation. For those who renounce the world plant in the forecourt of the house of the Lord the palm of the victory by which they overcame the world. The rightous man is planted, therefore, in the house of conversion; he flourishes through his renown; he bears the fruit of virtuous conduct. But to what end does he set down roots? How does he grow? How does he become strong? He takes root through faith, he grows through hope, he becomes strong through charity. What is said in the psalm about the righteous is, however, strange: 'Those that he planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God' (Psalms, 92:13) It is strange that they are planted in the house and flower in the forecourt. Perhaps they are planted inside by reason of their faith; through the example of their good works they flower externally, and thus through their renown the scent of their flower spreads outside. Alternatively, the righteous are planted in the house but flower in the forecourt, because they are planted in the Church of today and will flourish, without their flower fading, in eternal life. There also they will receive, with the flower, the fruit; that is, with their pureness of body and soul, the prize of recompense to come.
