Draw Me After You

Oleum effusum nomen tuum; ideo adolescentulae dilexerunt te. Trahe me, post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Allegorice: Adolesentulae sunt quasi novellae, quia baptisma et gratiam Spiritus sancti renovatae. Dicit ergo Ecclesia sponso, id est Chriso: Trahe me post te. Per gratiam imitandum dicunt adolescentulae, id est Ecclesiae ejus filiae, Curremus, et nos fide et dilectione, in odore unguentorum tuorum, id est in consideratione miraculorum tuorum vel in fama operum tuorum, vel in fide aeternorum bonorum. Tropologice: fidelis anima, bonum volens, et per se non valens, clamat Christo: Trahe me post te. Hoc est, da gratiam ut post tua vestigia ad te, qui es via, veritas et vita. Nullus enim homo ad poenitentiam convertitur, nisi per gratiam trahatur. Anagogice: Ecclesia peregrinans, superna appetens, et per se assequi non valens, clamat: Trahe me post te. De hoc mundo ad coelestem gloriam, ut te in illa face ad faciem videam, quia nullus per se ad illam pervenitre poterit, nisi gratia et dextera Dei illum traxerit. Honorius Augustodunensis, Expositio in Cantica Canticorum, Caput I Source: Migne PL 172.365d-366a

Your name is oil poured out, therefore the young maidens love you. Draw me after you, and we shall run after you in the fragrance of our ointments. 1 Allegorically the young maids are the new plantings who have been renewed through baptism and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Church says to the bridegroom, that is, Christ, 'Draw me after you.' Through grace they are portrayed as young maids, that is, the daughters of His Church,. 'We shall run,' even us in faith and love, 'in the fragrance of your ointments,' that is, in the remembrance of your miracles and in the fame of your works, and in the faith of eternal goods. Tropologically the faithful soul, wishing for the good and unable to come to it itself, cries out to Christ, 'Draw me after you.' That is, give me grace so that in your footsteps I might come to you, who are the way and the truth and the life. 2 For no man turns to penance unless he is drawn by grace. Anagogically the pilgrim Church, desiring heavenly things, and by itself unable to attain it, cries out, 'Draw me after you.' From this world to heavenly glory, so that I might see you face to face, 3 because no one is able to come there by himself, unless grace and the right hand of God should draw him. Honorius of Autun, Commentary on The Song of Songs, Chapter 1 1 Song 1.2-3 2 Jn 14.6 3 1 Cor 13.12