Ludolph of Saxony

Illiteracy was widespread in Medieval Europe among peasants and nobility alike. Monasteries were one of the few places where reading was taught and flourished. The mass of society depended on learned priests and monks to read the Bible for them and explain its meaning. Ludolph of Saxony (1295-1379) adopted a distinctive narrative writing style that appealed to the masses. He invited listeners to enter the gospel stories by feeling the drama, sensing the mood, and joining the controversy. The Life of Christ was a series of 86 stories from Jesus’ life that Ludolph wrote in narrative fashion. Take the story of Jesus’ anointing told in all four gospels. Ludolph begins with Martha, given that it’s likely her house and she’s the host for the meal. The table has been thoughtfully prepared yet not lavish, as her honored guest would like it. Considerable attention is given to brother Lazarus. The sight of him taking refreshment proves that Jesus’ magnanimous gesture of raising him from the dead wasn’t imaginary. Most of the attention is lavished on Mary, who approaches Jesus as she would be “a fountain of mercy that washes away our infirmities.” The oil used in the anointing is reviewed for texture and aroma. Mary starts by anointing Jesus’ head as Master and proceeds to his feet, her rightful place as his servant. The whole house is filled with its aroma. “Harken to the Apostle,” Ludolph writes, “We are the good odor of Christ.” Augustine and Bede are cited to remind us, like Mary, to offer God things most important to us. Ludolph’s unique narrative writing had considerable influence on subsequent church leaders, most notably St. Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercises. Each gospel story in Ludolph’s collection concludes with prayer. His prayer effectively draws us back into the story: