Book of Ruth, page 379

of Naomi into Bethlehem, which can look to the double coming of the Blessed Virgin, either her coming into the world through the nativity, or the coming when she came into Bethlehem to give birth: This is that Naomi. This is she in whom there is not even the stain of venial sin, who carries in her womb the white and ruddy one. But what follows looks to the state of Christ's passion. She said to them: Do not call me Naomi, that is, beautiful, but call me now, in the passion of my Son, Mara, that is, bitter, because the Almighty has filled me very much with bitterness, namely the Lord who filled me in the annunciation with joy and gladness, but in the passion with grief and sadness. I went out full, in the annunciation, when it was said to me, Luke I, 28: Hail, full of grace. And the Lord has brought me back empty, since returning alone I left my Son in the tomb. Why therefore do you call me Naomi, whom the Lord has humbled, and the Almighty has afflicted? Therefore the pains that I had escaped in the nativity I now paid in full in the passion of my Son, as Damascene was saying ¹.

2. Likewise, she is the handmaid of election and operation. Ruth II, 2 and following: Ruth, which is interpreted seeing, hastening, unfailing, said: I shall go into the field, namely of the Church, and gather ears, that is, the poor, the blind, and the lame, in the manner of my Son, who gladly gathers such persons, which have fled from the hands of the reapers, namely of the world and the devil. The devil had gathered almost the whole earth, sending his sickle into another's harvest; hence also boasting he says, Isaiah X, 14: I have gathered the whole earth. But the handmaid of God gathers in the field of the Church humbly, because the ears remain; faithfully, because she follows the tracks of the reapers, so that what others cast aside she may take. Hence, Psalm XXVI, 10: For my father and my mother have abandoned me, but the Lord has taken me up. Perseveringly, because until the end of the world she gathers the faithful to herself. Hence it follows, verse 7: From morning until now she stands in the field, and not even for a moment has she returned home. Likewise, Boaz, that is, God, said: Let no one rebuke her as she gathers, namely Mary, who gathers whom she wishes. Likewise, she gathers wisely; hence it follows, verses 17 and 18: Beating with a rod, namely of tribulation, and shaking out what she had gathered, she found three measures of barley, namely Married Persons, Widows, and Virgins. Carrying them in the bosom of mercy and on the back of patience, she returned into the city, namely the heavenly Jerusalem.

3. Likewise, she is the one who clothed herself and us, and covered and wrapped us with the cloak of divinity, as is said of Christ in the Preface: "That he might grant us to be sharers of his divinity." Ruth III, 9 and following: Ruth said to Boaz, that is, to God: I am Ruth, your handmaid; spread your cloak over your servant, because you are near kin. And he said: Blessed are you by the Lord, daughter.... Therefore do not fear; but whatever you shall say to me, I will do for you; for all the people who dwell within the gates of my city know that you are a woman of virtue. Nor do I deny that I am near kin, etc.