Revelations of St. Bridget/Chapter 10. On the Flight into Egypt
CHAPTER X.
ON THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.
Jesus saith: Why did I flee into Egypt? I answer: Before the fall, there was one way to heaven, broad and clear: broad in the abundance of virtues, clear in the divine wisdom and the obedience of a good will. Then the will being changed, there were two ways, one leading to heaven, the other from it; obedience led to heaven, disobedience seduced. As the choice of good and evil, obedience and disobedience, because he wished otherwise than God wished him to wish. To save man, it was right and just, that one should come who might redeem him, and be possessed of perfect obedience and charity; and in whom those who wish might show charity, and those who wished, malice. But no angel could be sent to redeem man, because I, God, gave not my glory to another, nor was a man found who could appease me for himself, still less for others. Hence I, sole just God, came to justify all.
By my flight to Egypt, I showed the infirmities of my humanity, and fulfilled the prophecies; I gave, too, an example to my disciples, that sometimes persecution is to be avoided for the greater future glory of God. That I was not found by my pursuers, the counsel of my Deity prevailed over man’s counsel, for it is not easy to fight against God. That the innocents were slain, was a sign of my future passion, a mystery of those to be called, and of divine charity; for though the innocents did not bear testimony unto me by voice and mouth, yet they did by their death, as agreed with my childhood; because it was foreseen, that even in the blood of innocents, praise should be perfected to God. For though the malice of the unjust unjustly afflicted them, yet my divine permission, ever just and benignant, exposed them only justly, to show the malice of men and the incomprehensible counsel and piety of my divinity. Therefore, when unjust malice wreaked itself on the children, there justly superabounded merit and grace; and where the confession of the tongue and age were wanting, there the blood shed accumulated the most perfect good. — Lib. v., inter, xii., sol. 4.