LETTER LXIV   07-27  27. a With this Letter begins what the Benedictines have called a second division of the Letters, containing those which furnish no internal evidence of their date sufficient to justify their being assigned a place in chronological order. They are arranged according to their matter, 1st, those which contain expositions of passages of Holy Scripture, (lxi-lxxv.), 2nd, those which discuss important, and mostly doctrinal subjects, (lxxvi-lxxxiii), 3rd, a few brief letters of ordinary friendly intercourse, (lxxxiv- xci.) .

S. Ambrose replies to Irenaeus, who had asked why the manna, which was given to the children of Israel, was not given now, that the Body of Christ, Which is given to Christians, is the true Manna, of which the other was a type; as it was also of Divine Wisdom, which is the food of souls.

AMBROSE TO IRENAEUS, GREETING.

1. You ask me why the Lord God does not now rain manna as He did on our fathers. If you consider. He does rain manna from heaven on those who serve Him, and that day by day. The earthly manna indeed is to this very day found in many places, but it is not now an event so miraculous because  that which is perfect is come. Now  that which is perfect is the Bread from heaven, the Body born of the Virgin, as to which the Gospel sufficiently instructs us. O how greatly does this excel what went before it! For they who eat that manna or bread, are dead,  but he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 

 2. But there is also a spiritual manna, the dew that is of spiritual Wisdom, which descends from heaven upon those who sincerely seek for it, and which waters the souls of the righteous, and puts sweetness into their mouths. Wherefore he who comprehends this out-pouring of divine wisdom receives pleasure from it, nor requires any other food,  nor lives by bread alone, but by every word of God. He who is more curious, will ask what that is which is sweeter than honey. The servant of God answers him,  This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. And hear further what this bread is,  the word, he says,  which the Lord hath commanded. Now this food so commanded by God nourishes the soul of the wise, imparting light and sweetness, brightened by the beams of truth, and communicating to it the soothing sweetness of divers virtues and the word of wisdom like that of an honey-comb; for  pleasant words, it is written in the Proverbs,  are as an honeycomb. 

3. And now hear the reason why it was small; it was because a grain of mustard-seed which is compared to the kingdom of heaven is also small, and because faith, which is as a grain of mustard-seed, can remove mountains and cast them into the sea. Again,  the kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. Again, Moses ground the head of the golden calf to powder, and cast it into water, and made the people drink of it; for their heart was hardened by the greatness of their perfidy, and he did thus that it might be softened and made refined by faith. Lastly, that woman who grinds meal well and fine shall be taken, but she who grinds ill shall be left.

4. Follow then these examples as regards thy faith, that thou mayest be like that soul which excites in itself the love of Christ, and which, as it ascends aloft, is admired by the host of heaven; that it may rise without impediment, that it may soar above this world with joy and gladness, lifting itself on high like the vine stock and like the smoke, sending forth the fragrance of a holy resurrection, and the sweetness of faith, as it is written,  Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like the stock of vine burned with smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of ointment? 

5. The refined nature of this faith is well expressed by being compared with powder or by the mention of perfume; for we read in Exodus of that prophetic incense which is the prayer of the Saints, as being a subtile perfume and compounded of many things, that it may be set forth in the sight of the Lord, as David also says,  Let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense. And so it is in the Greek also, κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνω–πίον σου  . And in the Revelation of John we read that  an Angel, stood at the Altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense,  it is said,  with the prayers of the Saints, ascended up before God out of the Angel's hand. 

6. Small too is the navel and the belly of that soul which ascends up to Christ, and therefore it is praised by the words of the spouse saying,  Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor, thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies. For it is rounded and polished with all kinds of learning, and is a spiritual drink not failing in fulness, and in the knowledge of heavenly secrets. The belly of the soul is also like the navel, mystical, and not only strong food whereby the heart is strengthened, but also sweet and flowery food whereby it is delighted, is received therein. And perhaps this is what Moses meant, that by many and pious prayers the sacrilege was to be atoned for.

7. In the book of Kings also, when the Lord revealed Himself to holy Elijah, a small still voice was first heard, and then the Lord revealed Himself to him; thereby to teach us that bodily things are solid and gross, but such as are spiritual tender and so fine as not to be perceptible to the eye. In the same way we read in the book of Wisdom that the Spirit of Wisdom is subtile and lively  for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, subtile and lively; and she grinds her words before she speaks, that neither her mode of speech nor her meaning may give offence. Lastly, it shall be said to Babylon herself, when about to be destroyed,  And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee. 

8. The manna then was fine, and was gathered each day, not reserved for the day following; because the extemporaneous inventions of Wisdom please the most; when made at leisure they excite not the same admiration as when struck out at the moment by the spark of genius. Or it may be that future mysteries are revealed herein: the manna kept till the rising of the sun was unfit to be eaten, in other words, after the coming of Christ, it lost its grace. For when the Sun of Righteousness arose, and the more illustrious Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Christ appeared, lower things were to cease, and the people were to take in their stead what was more perfect.

Farewell; love me, for I also love you.

 1219 

1049 EPISTOLA LXIV.

 1219B IRENAEO  roganti cur manna quod olim pluit Israelitis, Christianis non pluat; respondet manna Dominici corporis typum fuisse, ac proinde ubi hoc praesens datum est, illud evanuisse. Addit insuper in eodem exstitisse figuram sapientiae, quae verus animarum cibus est, et cujus subtilitas ex variis Scripturae locis commendatur. 

AMBROSIUS IRENAEO salutem.

1. Quaeris a me cur Dominus Deus manna pluerit populo patrum, et nunc non pluat. Si cognoscis, pluit, et quotidie pluit de coelo manna servientibus sibi. Et corporeum quidem illud (De Consec., dist. 2, cap. Corporeum) manna hodie plerisque in locis invenitur, sed nunc non est tanti res miraculi; quia  1219C venit quod perfectum est. Perfectum autem panis de coelo, corpus ex Virgine, de quo satis Evangelium te docet. Quanto praestantiora haec superioribus? Illud enim manna, hoc est, panem illum qui manducaverunt, mortui sunt: hunc autem panem qui manducaverit, vivet in aeternum (Joan. VI, 5).

2. Sed est spiritale manna, hoc est, pluvia spiritalis sapientiae, quae ingeniosis et quaerentibus de coelo infunditur, et irrorat mentes piorum, et obdulcat fauces eorum. Qui igitur intellexerit infusionem divinae sapientiae, delectatur, nec alium cibum requirit, nec in solo pane vivit, sed in omni verbo Dei (Matth. IV, 4). Qui curiosior fuerit, quaerit quid sit istud quod melle dulcius sit. Respondet illi minister Dei:  Hic est panis, quem  dedit tibi Deus  1219D  manducare (Exod. XVI, 15, 16). Quid sit iste panis, audi:  Sermo, inquit,  quem ordinavit Deus. Haec ergo  1220B ordinatio Dei, haec alimonia alit animam sapientis, et illuminat atque obdulcat, resplendens veritatis corusco, et mulcens tamquam favo quodam, ita diversarum virtutum suavitate et sermone sapientiae:  Favi enim mellis sermones sunt boni, sicut scriptum est in Proverbiis (Prov. XVI, 24).

3. Cur autem minutum sit, causam accipe; 1050 quia et granum sinapis minutum est, quod comparatur regno coelorum (Luc. XIII, 19): et fides quae sicut granum est sinapis, potest montes tollere, et jactare in mare (Luc. XVII, 6). Et  fermento simile est regnum coelorum, quod abscondit mulier in farinae mensuris tribus, donec fermentetur totum (Luc. XIII, 21). Et Moyses caput vituli aurei comminuit sicut pulverem, et misit in aquam, et dedit populo bibere  1220C (Exod. XXXII, 20); incrassatum enim erat eor eorum perfidiae immanitate, ut emolliretur, et fidei sumeret subtilitatem. Denique illa mulier, quae bene emoluerit, assumetur; ea autem quae male emoluerit, derelinquetur.

4. Emole ergo et tu fidem tuam, ut sis sicut illa anima quae Christi in se charitatem excitat, quam mirantur ascendentem virtutes coelorum; quod sine offensione ascendat, et ex hoc mundo ascendat cum laetitia et jucunditate: sicut vitis propago, et sicut fumus se ad superna subrigat, flagrans odorem resurrectionis piae, et suavitatem fidei, sicut habes scriptum:  Quae est haec, quae ascendit a deserto, sicut vitis propago  fumo incensa, odorificata myrrha et thure ab omnibus pulveribus unguenti (Cant. III, 6).

 1220D 5. Pulchre subtilitatem ejus expressit pulveris comparatione et unguenti commemoratione; quia  1221A in Exodo subtile legimus (Exod. XXX, 8), et ex multis compositum thymiama illud esse incensum propheticum, quod est sanctorum oratio; ut dirigatur in conspectu Domini, sicut et David dicit:  Dirigatur oratio mea, sicut incensum in conspectu tuo (Psal. CXL, 2). Denique Graecus Καθευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνωπίον σου dixit. Et in Apocalypsi Joannis legimus quia  stetit angelus ante altare, habens thuribulum aureum, et data sunt ei thymiamata multa de orationibus sanctorum omnium. Et ascendit,  inquit,  fumus thymiamatum orationum sanctorum de manu angeli in conspectu Dei (Apoc. VIII, 3, 4).

6. Et umbilicus animae ac venter subtilis est illius, quae ascendit ad Christum; ideoque laudatur voce sponsi dicentis:  Umbilicus tuus 1051  crater tornatilis,  1221B  non deficiens mixto, venter tuus acervus  tritici minuti inter lilia (Cant. VII, 2). Est enim in omni doctrina tornatus, et potus spiritalis non deficiens plenitudine, et coelestium secretorum cognitione. Venter quoque animae mysticus, sicut umbilicus, quo ventre non solum fortem cibum sumit, quo corda firmantur; sed etiam suavem ac florulentum, quo delectantur. Et fortasse hoc docuit Moyses multis orationibus, et piis illud mitigandum sacrilegium.

7. In libro quoque Regnorum cum se Dominus sancto revelaret Eliae, vox aurae tenuis praecessit, et statim se ei Dominus revelavit (III Reg. XIX, 12); ut cognoscamus ea, quae corporea sunt, crassa esse et pinguia: ea quae spiritalia, mollia et subtilia, ut non  1221C possint comprehendi oculis. Denique et spiritus sapientiae subtilis et mobilis legitur in libro Sapientiae (Sap. VII, 22), quia est in illa spiritus intelligentiae, sanctus, unicus, multiplex, subtilis, et mobilis: qui sermones suos molat prius, ne quid offendat vel in sensu, vel in alloquio. Denique Babyloni illi, cum destruetur, dicetur?  Et vox molae non audietur in te amplius (Apoc. XVIII, 22).

8. Hoc igitur manna subtile erat, et ad diem colligebatur,  1222A in diem alterum non servabatur; eo quod inventa sapientiae in tempore sint gratiora, nec tam miranda quae spatio temporis reperiuntur, quam illa quae praesentis funduntur ingenii vivacitate: sive quia futura revelantur mysteria, eo quod servatum manna usque ad solis exortum, esui jam esse non posset, id est, usque ad Christi adventum habere gratiam: oriente autem justitiae Sole, et splendidioribus Christi corporis et sanguinis sacramentis refulgentibus, cessarent inferiora, perfecta illa sumenda populo forent. Vale, et nos dilige, quia nos quoque te diligimus.