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Chapter 122

“That man is my mortal enemy, for he mocks me with derision. He satisfies his every wish and desire as best he can. He is like someone lying on a narrow bridge with a great abyss to his left. Anyone falling into it cannot climb out of it again. To his right there is a ship. If he leaps onto it and makes some effort to escape, he still has some hope of survival. This bridge stands for his lamentable, brief life. He does not stand on it like a contender or even like a pilgrim, making daily progress and advancing on his way. Instead, he lies there lazily, longing to drink the waters of sensuality. Two fates await him if he gets up off the bridge. Either he will fall into the abyss, that is, into deepest hell, if he turns to his left, that is, to deeds of carnality. Or, if he leaps onto the ship, he will escape with an effort in the sense that, if he accepts the discipline and ordinances of the Holy Church, it will take him some effort but he will save himself by doing so. So, may he turn himself around quickly, before the enemy casts him headlong off the bridge, for then, indeed, he will cry out without being heard and will be punished in eternity.”

ADDITION
When this man saw that the king was unmoved and did not attend to him in his customary manner, he felt ill will toward Lady Bridget. When she was passing through a narrow street, he poured water on her from a window above. However, she said to the bystanders, ”May the Lord forgive him and not requite him for it in the next life.” Christ appeared then to the lady at mass, saying: ”The man who poured water on you from the window out of ill will thirsts for blood. He has shed blood. He longs for the earth and not for me. He speaks out boldly against me. He worships his own flesh instead of me, his God. He has shut me out of himself and out of his heart. Let him beware lest he die in his blood.”

The man lived for a short time after this, and then died with blood flowing out of his nose, just as she had foretold.

Christ defends his bride, Bridget, that is, a soul converted from worldliness to the spiritual life, whom her father and mother, sister and brother tried to dissuade from his love and from chastity in marriage.

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