On Visitation
XLIII. On visitation
1. O God, Who art an admirable (lit. “good”) visitor!
Visit us with love and fear
so that we may not be sinful.[1]
2. Were God to visit the wicked with fear
as much as He does the virtuous with love,
sinners would not be so plentiful.
3. God visits men with humility
insofar as He causes Himself to be remembered
as having been crucified upon the Cross for our sake.
4. God visits prosperity and honour
upon a virtuous thought,
so that man may be grateful.
5. God visits torments upon man
so that he may be patient
and know God to be almighty.
6. God visits the wealthy man
by way of His friend, the pauper,
so that by means of the latter He may punish the former.
7. God visits good understanding and <good> remembering
upon good love,
so that man may wish to do good.
8. God visits truth upon the faithful man,
which truth constitutes his wealth,
<this wealth possessing> such great goodness that no gold is worth as much.
9. God visits judgement upon man
and does <likewise> with forgiveness,
sighs and tears.
10. Thus, when a virtuous man is in the throes of temptation,
God visits steadfast
abstinence and love (lit. “charity”) upon him.
[1] In this chapter, the transitive verbal use of “to visit” often carries the sense of “to inspire something in someone” in either a positive or a negative way, and can, at times, mean either “to reward/endow” or “to punish/inflict upon”. The verb points strongly, nevertheless, to the divine presence in and agency (influentia) upon man’s thoughts and actions.