Song of Solomon 5:3

In this night of the world the garment of corporeal life is first to be taken off as the Lord divested himself in his flesh that for you he might triumph over the dominions and powers of this world.

I have stripped off my tunic, etc. As if he openly says, I have abandoned the affairs of weak matters, how can I take them up again? For he who girds himself for the duty of preaching and takes on the care of governing souls, it remains that he should also be vigilant to provide the necessities of temporal aids to those to whom he preaches eternal things. Therefore, the Church in those who prefer to conduct their care in secret rather than be occupied with the hardships of laborious actions, remembers having stripped off their tunic and cannot put it on again: for since the tunic figuratively denotes the occupations of this age, the Lord Himself testifies, when speaking about the coming of His last judgment, and says: And let him who is in the field not return to take his tunic (Matthew 24); mystically admonishing that he who has occupied his hand and mind towards the progress of spiritual fruits should not return to desire the pleasures of the world which he had cast away.

I have washed my feet, etc. Now I have cleansed my thoughts, which once were accustomed to touch the earth, with frequent tears of secret compunction, and, as much as was possible by manners, I have made them worthy of heavenly entry, so that I can say that our feet were standing in your courts, Jerusalem (Psalm 121); that is, although I have not yet deserved to enter the very walls of the heavenly city, nevertheless, I have so purified my thoughts to such an extent that I remember that frequently, by the steadfast gaze of my heart, I have tasted some not insignificant beginnings of those joys, and how can it be that descending from the height of contemplation, I would again be defiled by the filth of the world? For aside from the concern of temporal support that we have spoken of, it is very difficult, even for an excellent teacher, not to be occasionally moved by some fault of vainglory or indeed of anger if, when speaking of divine and heavenly matters, he is heard humbly; vainglory, if by humbly obeying, he gains many flocks of believers for the Lord, anger if he is rebuked; vainglory if his speech is praised. Hence James says: Do not be many teachers, my brothers, because you take up greater judgment; for in many things we all offend (James 3). Hence the Lord himself, upon the return of the disciples from preaching, washed their feet, signifying that even the greatest preachers cannot avoid all sins at least in the thoughts by which they touch the earth; but whatever these sins may be, he himself, being merciful, will wash them away. Therefore, the holy Church delights in the sweet and wholesome studies of a quiet life, in those who have deserved to experience such things; and excuses the duty of preaching, saying in a way with Moses: I pray, Lord, send whom you will send (Exodus 4). But because the Lord especially wants our love for Him to be known in the love for our neighbors, hence He replied to Peter, who professed to love Him three times, three times: Feed my sheep (John 21), it aptly follows: