Evenings With Bede is a homily podcast. The episodes are taken from the Sunday solemn Plainsong Evensong services of Saint Paul’s, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., where I am Rector.

SEASON TWO is devoted to understanding the Song of Songs with the Venerable S. Bede as teacher. We will go verse by verse through the entirety of the Song of Songs.

The format is a short passage from the Song of Songs, then comes commentary from the Bede, and finally a reflective homily by yours truly expounding upon both. The audio for all three is found above. The text of the two passages is found below.

A Lesson from the Song of Songs, 2.1

I am a flower of the field and a lily of the valleys; as a lily among thorns, so is my friend among daughters. As an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among sons. I sat down under his shadow, which I desired, and his fruit was sweet in my throat. The King brought me into the wine cellar, He set charity in order in me. Prop me up with flowers, encompass me with apples; for I am faint with love. His left hand is under my head, and His right hand will embrace me.

A Lesson from a Treatise by the Venerable S. Bede

It is our Lord Jesus Who says, “I am a flower of the field and a lily of the valleys; as a lily among thorns, so is my friends among daughters.” It is as if He says, “You do indeed enjoy blooming in repose with secret virtues, O friend, but remember that I am the flower of virtues, from Whom alone all the fruits of the Spirit come forth and in Whom alone you are able to have flowery rest.” And it is as if He also says, “Now I am the flower of the field because I want the charm of My fragrance to be known throughout the whole wide world, which I am by no means able to fill unless you occasionally interrupt the repose that you enjoy and prepare yourself to exercise the office of preaching. And I am a lily of the valleys rather than of the mountain, because I am doubtless accustomed to show and reveal either the brightness of My glorified humanity or the splendor of eternal deity to those who humbly submit themselves to accept the authority of My faith and love, who seek to follow My will rather than their own, who although they enjoy contemplating Me interiorly in repose nevertheless do not refuse to go forth to the labor of preaching in accordance with my command. For,” He continues, “I myself have allowed you to share in My brightness, so that you may be compared to a lily, namely, by appearing luminous in the perfection of your deeds and exquisite in the splendor of your pure heart. But in order that you may not by chance wish to possess the security of repose in this life, know that at present it is necessary for you to live among the wicked of the world and to endure daily the barbs of the wicked, but you should be expecting a rest in the future alone with the elect. For as a lily among thorns, so is my friend among daughters, because not only do you have to suffer evil things from those who are strangers to you in every way, both in thought and in profession, but very often you are also inspired by the shameless charity of those same souls that you rejoiced to have accepted among the number of your daughters through the font of rebirth and through faith and the reception of the heavenly sacraments.”

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