While the king sits at his table, my perfume sends forth its fragrance.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
We may appropriately understand of them, what was said to the bride in the Canticle of Canticles: “We shall make you likenesses of gold inlaid with silver while the king is reclining at his table,” that is, while Christ is in his secret place, because “your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life shall appear, then you too will appear with him in glory.” - "On the Trinity 1.8.16"
There comes about in our case too what follows: “And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.” In accord with our capacity will the world be filled with the renown of our devotion, by which we prove that we venerate and love God and our neighbors with a simple and pure heart. There is accomplished what the bride glories of in the canticle of love, “While the king was resting [on his couch], my spikenard gave forth its fragrance.” Here it is clearly shown that what Mary did as a type, the entire church and every perfect soul should do always. - "Homilies on the Gospels 2.4"
Abide. Hebrew adds, "all night. "Christ remained nine months in the virgin's womb. (Calmet)
The faithful discover him in both the Testaments, (Haydock) and meditate on his sufferings. Myrrh is a bitter but odoriferous liquor.
Let us hear what the bride says before that the bridegroom comes to earth, suffers, descends to the lower world, and rises again. “We will make for you likenesses of gold with ornaments of silver while the king sits at his table.” Before the Lord rose again and the gospel shone, the bride had not gold but likenesses of gold. As for the silver, however, which she professes to have at the marriage, she not only had silver ornaments, but she had them in variety—in widows, in the continent and in the married. Then the bridegroom makes answer to the bride and teaches her that the shadow of the old law has passed away and the truth of the gospel has come. - "Against Jovinianus 1.30"
