Meditations on the Song of Songs
Last week we spoke about the words of the Virgin of the Song: “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I found him not.” And today we continue on the same topic, with her saying also: “I will rise now and go about the city; in the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loves? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loves; I held him and would not let him go…” (Song of Solomon 3:1–4).
“I will rise and go about…”
The longing for God
“By night, on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves.”
This shows that a person—no matter how far he strays from God—still has within him a longing for this God, even if he enters the night and lies on his bed!
There still remains in his heart a yearning for God. Within us is a divine breath; within us is a spirit made in the image and likeness of God, which causes man by nature to long for God.
The longing for God is part of human nature and instinct.
If we say that love for one’s father and mother is something natural in man, flowing in his blood, then it is even more natural to love and long for God.
The love of the world is something foreign to man, not part of his original nature. But the love of God is man’s original nature.
Therefore, no matter how far man drifts from God, he must eventually return and yearn for Him—like the compass needle that must point north; no matter how far it turns, it returns to its direction.
For this reason, no one should despair, for his nature is inclined toward God.
At night, on my bed, my longing for Him returned—like the prodigal son who went to a far country, then returned and longed for his father. Or like Augustine, who after a long wandering in pleasure and philosophy, said to the Lord: “Late have I loved You, O Beauty so ancient and so new.”
Every human being, no matter how lost or distant, has within his depths the love of God.
Do not think that pastors, preachers, guides, or apostles are the ones who place the love of God into your hearts! No—the love of God is already in your hearts. All they do is uncover it and stir it.
“By night, on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves.”
There are moments that pass by a person—he does not know when, how, or where—when he finds himself longing for God. We cannot schedule this longing, for Scripture says: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation…” and “The wind blows where it wishes.”
You do not know when your heart will move toward the Lord. But at some moment, you will hear a voice calling you from within, moving you toward God—no matter how sinful or far you are. It is a visitation of grace that comes to stir the old love within.
The lack of feeling God’s presence
It is strange that this bride says, “I sought him, but I found him not,” while He is within her—the very One who stirred her heart to seek Him.
Without Him, she could not—while on her bed—have desired Him. He stretched out His hand through the opening, and her heart was moved. But why does she say, despite His presence, “I found him not”?
Sometimes the Lord is within us, and we do not feel Him—like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: the Lord walked with them, yet they did not know Him. Or as Scripture says of Christ’s incarnation: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” Or as Augustine said: “You were with me, but because of my wretchedness, I was not with You.”
Abraham, the father of fathers, saw the Lord with two angels, yet he did not realize it was the Lord, otherwise he would not have brought Him meat and milk. Thus Scripture says: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels unawares.”
Sometimes God is with you, but you do not perceive His presence. You may think He has abandoned you, while what is lacking is your spiritual awareness. You may say, “How long, O Lord, will You forget me? Forever?” Yet the Lord has not forgotten you—for even if a mother forgets her nursing child, He will not forget you. It is you who have lost the sense of His presence.
By faith, you can realize His presence with you, as David said: “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” And as Elijah said: “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand.”
Seeking God
Sometimes God hides Himself from you so that you may seek Him. He does not allow you to see Him so that you may long to see Him. He appears and disappears—like the star of the Magi—to move your heart to seek and to ask.
God does not want love from one side only—Him loving, and you lying passively on your bed. He wants you to love Him as He loves you, to seek Him.
So we see that when the bride did not find Him, she immediately said: “I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the broad ways; I will seek him whom my soul loves.”
Notice she did not say “I will rise,” but “I will rise now”—as a sign of determination and insistence in seeking. Thus her laziness vanished when she felt His withdrawal, even if temporary.
Oh, that each of you would leave the meeting with this phrase: “I will rise and go about; I will seek him whom my soul loves.”
In the markets and streets
Go and buy oil so that your lamp may not go out: “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed” (Revelation 3:18).
“And he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.”
Go to the markets, pay the price, and seek the Lord there.
Walk through the streets—search for where you may find God: is it in the churches, the monasteries, the houses of retreat, the places of service? The important thing is to move, to seek, not to remain lying on your bed.
Look for the path that leads you to God and walk in it—whether it be the path of repentance, prayer, contemplation, service, reading, or fellowship.
There are many roads leading to God; what matters is which suits you.
The word “I will rise” gives a beautiful meaning: salvation is the work of God alone, yet you must participate—you must seek and search for Him. “I will arise and go to my father.” “I will arise and restore fourfold to everyone I wronged.”
Indeed, we sometimes say, “Arise, O Lord God, let Your enemies be scattered.” And the Lord Himself says: “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise.”
Yet even so, we must rise with Christ, work with the Lord—roll away the stone so that He may raise Lazarus; offer the five loaves and two fish so that He may feed the multitudes; cast the net, and the Lord will bring the fish; we plant and water, and the Lord gives the increase. We work together with God.
When I do something, I prove my love for the Lord and my desire for good. God will not compel me to do good, but I will rise on my own.
On my bed I may dream of the Lord, but I will not find Him unless I rise.
Be assured: the angels rejoice in heaven when they see a soul rise and go about the city and the streets seeking the Lord.
There are those who, when reading in the liturgy “He taught us the ways of salvation,” prefer to change it to the singular “way,” thinking there is only one. Yet in Coptic it is plural (“hanmwit”)—for from the human side, there are many ways.
Monasticism is a way to God; service is a way; marriage is a way. Gentleness is a way to God, and so is firmness. What matters is the way that suits your nature.
As St. Isaac said:
“Because human natures differ in knowing God, He did not make one single way leading to salvation, lest those unable to walk in it should fail; instead, He set before man many paths, so that if one is too hard, he may walk another that is easier.”
And since there are many ways—never despair. If you find no inclination for prayer, then read. If you cannot read, sing hymns. If you cannot sing, go out and serve. But never despair—seek in the streets, the roads, and the markets.
Therefore, we do not want the father confessor to make his children a copy of himself, for the way he walked may not suit them.
And you too—if a certain path pleases you, do not urge everyone to walk it; what suits you may not suit another.
This bride went through the streets and still did not find the Lord. Yet she did not excuse herself and return—she met the watchmen.
These are the guardians of principles and values, whom the Lord set over His law. Notice they said nothing to her, nor guided her—but no sooner had she passed them a little, than she found Him whom her soul loves.
Some people only need to speak of their problem; they do not need an answer. Merely mentioning it brings relief—what matters is the prayer and blessing of those they confide in, not necessarily the advice.
Finally, note that this bride struggled greatly before finding Him whom her soul loves. She did not find Him at the first asking, nor the first search. This is divine wisdom—so that she may hold fast to what she labored for.
St. Basil said that things which come easily are easily lost; therefore, God sometimes delays His response.
Because this bride labored much before finding Him whom her soul loves, when she found Him she said: “I held Him and would not let Him go.”
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Article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – El-Keraza Magazine, Sixth Year (Issue No. 43), 24 October 1975.
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