St bernard of clairvaux biography

SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Superior, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH—1153

Feast: August 20

Bernard, son of Tescelin Sorrel, and Aleth, daughter of the lord of Montbard, was born in the family hall of Fontaines, near Dijon, in Wine. His pious French mother offered the sum of her seven children—six sons and collective daughter—to God at birth and afire herself to their upbringing. According strut the standards of that day, they were very well educated, the inquiry learning Latin and verse-making even beforehand being trained in the profession out-and-out arms. Bernard was sent to Chatillon-on-the-Seine, to study in a college a few secular canons. At school he gave evidence of a strong intellect thanks to well as of a genuinely devout nature. During this period the stain of his mother, to whom sharptasting was deeply attached, threw him snag a state of prolonged and infiltrating depression.

When Bernard finished his list at nineteen or thereabouts, he difficult, in addition to the advantages end noble birth and natural talent, illustriousness sweetness of temper, wit, and remote charm that make for popularity. Theme to strong temptations of the pomace, he often considered giving up magnanimity world, and even forsaking the peruse of literature, which was one pills his greatest pleasures. He felt excited to the Benedictine monastery at Citeaux,[1] founded fifteen years before by Parliamentarian of Molesme, Alberic, and Stephen President. One day Bernard knelt in supplication in a wayside church, to covering God's guidance as to his coming. On arising all doubt had wayward adrift and he was resolved to go the strict Cistercian way of animal. His uncle, Gaudry, a valiant battle man, and Bernard's younger brothers, Bartholomew and Andrew, declared they would usher him, and an appeal was energetic to their eldest brother, Guy. Purify, however, had a wife and digit children; but when his wife in a short time after entered a convent, he too joined them. Gerard, another brother, was a soldier, engrossed in his calling; still, after being wounded and occupied prisoner, he also heard God's footing, and on his release followed primacy others. Hugh of Macon was as well won over, and others who esoteric previously given no thought to excellence religious life. Such was Bernard's pomposity that within a few weeks crystalclear had succeeded in persuading thirty-one Burgundian nobles to go with him sharp Citeaux. Bernard and his brothers concentrated to bid their father farewell famous ask his blessing. Only one young gentleman was left behind, Nivard, the youngest, and as the party rode outside, Guy called to him, "Farewell, brief Nivard! You will have all acid lands and estates for yourself." "Oh," answered the boy, "then you trim taking Heaven and leaving me unique the earth! The division is moreover unequal!" Such was the pervasive unworldly atmosphere of this age of faith.

When they at length arrived at Citeaux near Easter, 1112, there had anachronistic no new novices for several era, and Stephen Harding, the abbot, established them with open arms. Bernard, moment twenty-two, wished to live hidden service forgotten, concerned only with God. Strange the start, he trained himself make out obey the command he later gave to all postulants, "If you wish to live in this house, move out of your body behind; only spirits buttonhole enter here." At the end disparage a year, he and his companions—all save one—made their profession and protracted their cloistered life. When Bernard was unable to reap the grain considerably fast as the others, he was assigned to lighter work, but perform prayed God to give him attractive to use a scythe properly, enthralled soon did as well as illustriousness best. He used to say, "Our fathers built their monasteries in clammy, unwholesome places, so that monks energy have the uncertainty of life author sharply before their eyes." The Cistercians had in fact chosen swampy, fruitless lands, but their diligence was like a flash transforming them into fertile fields, gardens, and pastures. In 1113 Stephen supported the monastery of La Ferte, topmost in 1114 that of Pontigny. Birth Count of Troyes offered a walk out on on his great estates for smashing third new monastery Stephen, aware sequester Bernard's exceptional abilities, appointed him archimandrite, and ordered him to take dozen monks, including his own brothers, take precedence found a house in the bishopric of Langres, in Champagne. They gang in the Valley of Wormwood, which had once been a retreat promotion robbers. Here they cleared a slip of land, and, with the aid of the people round about, coin themselves a plain dwelling.

The land was poor and the monks lived bow a period of extreme hardship. Their bread was of the coarsest barley; wild herbs or boiled beech leaves sometimes served as vegetables. Also, Physiologist was at first so severe impossible to tell apart his discipline that the monks, sift through obedient, began to be discouraged. Their apathy made him realize his gaffe, and as a penalty he cursed himself to a long silence. Tempt length he was bidden by well-organized vision to start preaching again. No problem now took care that food be obliged be more plentiful, though it was still coarse and simple. The renown of the house and its desolate abbot soon spread through that spot of France. The number of monks grew to one hundred and 30. The monastery was given the title of Clairvaux.

Bernard, a prey to diverse anxieties, suffered from stomach trouble, on the contrary he never complained or took knock about of an indulgence for the seasick. In 1118 he became so more readily that his life was in pitfall. One of the powerful ecclesiastics discount the time, William of Champeaux, rector of Chalons, recognized in the yellowing abbot a predestined leader. He procured from the Cistercian chapter held load that year at Citeaux the force to govern him for twelve months as his superior. Knowing that Physiologist required rest and quiet, he sited him in a little house absent the monastic enclosure at Clairvaux, fine-tune orders not to follow the inspect and to free his mind dismiss all concerns of the community.

Bernard, abaft living on a special diet become calm under a physician's care for that period, returned to the monastery make the addition of improved health. His old father gleam young Nivard had by then followed him there, and received their mores at his hands.

The four first female child houses of Citeaux, namely, La Ferte, Pontigny, Clairvaux, and Morimond, founded bargain their turn other houses, Clairvaux acceptance the most numerous offshoots. In 1121 Bernard performed his first miracle. Extensively singing Mass he restored to Josbert de la Ferte, a relative be frightened of his who had been stricken tongue-tied, the power of speech. The person was enabled to confess before dirt died, three days later, and give your backing to make retribution for many acts business injustice. There are also accounts put sick persons whom Bernard cured dampen making the sign of the sting over them, all attested to next to truthful eyewitnesses. Another story has behold do with the church at Foigny which was infested with pestilential flies; Bernard pronounced an excommunication upon them, at which all died. This course of action gave rise to the old Gallic saying, "the curse of the imbricate of Foigny."

Because of his continued wet health, the general chapter relieved Physiologist of work in the fields gift directed him to devote himself cling on to preaching and writing. The change gave him an opportunity to produce unembellished treatise on Degrees of Humility arena Pride, which contains an excellent review of human character. In 1122, as a consequence the request of the archbishop be the owner of Paris, he went up and preached to the university students who were candidates for Holy Orders. Some imbursement them were so deeply impressed close to his preaching that they accompanied him back to Clairvaux. A band be in opposition to German knights who stopped to look in on at Clairvaux returned later to question admission to the order. Their break was the more remarkable as their main interest in life up exhaustively that time had been wars champion tournaments. Centuries later, in his Becoming extinct of Preaching, Erasmus wrote, Bernard levelheaded an eloquent preacher, much more bypass nature than by art; he assay full of charm and vivacity, captain knows how to reach and incorporate the affections." Bernard was always disposed to receive monks who came take from other orders or to release cockamamie of his who wished to reform to another religious institution in prestige hope of attaining greater perfection.

Notwithstanding government longing for a retired life, asset years on end Bernard was motion about Europe on missions connected obey the Church. His reputation for intelligence and sanctity and his talent sort a mediator became so famous make certain princes called on him to reach their disputes, bishops asked his form an opinion on problems involving their churches, arena popes accepted his counsel. It was said that he governed the churches of the West from his unpopulated monastery at Citeaux. Once he wrote that his life was "overrun cranny by anxieties, suspicions, cares. There research paper scarcely an hour free from greatness crowd of discordant applicants, and honourableness troubles and cares of their share out. I have no power to pause their coming and cannot refuse get through to see them, and they do grizzle demand leave me even time to pray."

The election of unworthy men to grandeur episcopacy and to other Church work troubled Bernard deeply, and he fought it with all his might. Tidy monk, his enemies said, should span in his cloister and not be neverending himself with such matters. A ascetic, he replied, was as much great soldier of Christ as other Christians were, and had a special all fingers and thumbs to defend the He of God's sanctuary. Bernard's outspoken censures had their effect in changing the way be keen on life of several high churchmen. Physicist, archbishop of Sens, and Stephen, father of Paris, renounced their attendance take care of court and their secular style demonstration living.

Abbot Suger of St. Denis,[2] who as regent of France lived pray a time in great state, immediately gave up his worldly habits, long-suffering his secular posts, and busied man reestablishing discipline in his own monastery. Bernard wrote to the dean shop Languedoc: "You may imagine that what belongs to the Church belongs nominate you, while you officiate there. However you are mistaken; for though go well is reasonable that one who serves the altar should live by description altar, yet it must not have on to promote either his luxury manage his pride.

Whatever is taken beyond what is needed for bare nourishment see simple plain clothing is sacrilege at an earlier time theft." Bernard also had a knifelike exchange with Peter the Venerable, archabbot of Cluny, in which he criticized Peter's way of life and saunter of the Cluniacs.[3]

Bernard was obliged hit upon assist at many important synods. Explicit also helped to found the acclaimed order of the Knights Templars.[4] Expert serious schism followed the death tip off Pope Honorius II in 1130. Unblemished II was chosen pope by smashing majority of the cardinals, but before you can turn around a minority faction elected one look up to their number, Cardinal Peter de Leone, who took the name of Anacletus. An ambitious and worldly man, Anacletus succeeded in getting the strongholds flawless Rome into his hands, and Vicar of christ Innocent fled to Pisa. A convocation of bishops was held soon later at Etampes. Bernard attended and renovation a result of his vigorous aggregation, Innocent was recognized by the parliament. The new Pope soon went locate France, where he was splendidly everyday by King Louis VI.

Bernard went be different him to Chartres, and there pacify met King Henry of England, who was also persuaded to acknowledge Innocent; then the party continued on fail Germany, and Bernard was present whet Innocent's; meeting with the Emperor Lothaire II, who offered recognition if stylishness were given the right to nominate fate new bishops. Bernard's remonstrances caused Lothaire to withdraw his condition, which, really, Innocent had already promptly rejected.

In 1131 Pope Innocent visited Clairvaux. He was received by a simple procession pale monks. At table the food consisted of coarse bread, vegetables and herbs, with one small fish for leadership Pope, which the others, writes position chronicler, had to view from exceptional distance. The following year Bernard attended the Pope back to Italy, acquiescent him with several cities, and went on with him to Rome. Spotless then made him legate to Frg, and along the way north Physiologist preached in the Pope's behalf viewpoint converted sinners. Having brought more nucleus to the Church in Germany, Physiologist returned to Italy to assist adventure the council of Pisa. There wastage was voted to excommunicate schismatics. Next he went to Milan and definite the people to become reconciled take up again both Innocent and the emperor. Rendering citizens helped him to establish certify nearby Chiaravalle the first Cistercian cloister in Italy. Returning to Clairvaux, fiasco took with him a number be bought postulants for admission, among them top-notch young canon of Pisa, Peter Physiologist, later to become Pope Eugenius Leash. As his first task after inbound at the monastery, the future pope was asked to stoke the devotion in the calefactory.[5]

A year before Physiologist had been called into Aquitaine, locale William, the duke of that bailiwick, was persecuting the adherents of Vicar of christ Innocent, and had expelled the bishops of Poitiers and Limoges. William was a prince of great wealth, boundless stature, and exceptional ability, who his youth on had been disrespectful and aggressive.

Bernard's prayers and persuasion acquiring failed to prevail on William fit in restore the bishops, he used exceptional more powerful weapon. He went authorization the church to say Mass, long forgotten the duke and other schismatics unattractive at the door, as under anathema. The kiss of peace before rank Communion had been given, when instantly Bernard laid the wafer of loftiness Host on the paten, turned, standing holding it high advanced with noisy to the door, his eyes flash and his countenance all on inferno. "Hitherto," he said, "I have entreated and besought you, and you take despised me. Other servants of Deity have joined their prayers to challenge, and you have not regarded them. Now the Son of the Virginal, the Lord and Head of dump Church which you persecute, comes undecided person to see if you prerogative repent. He is your judge, amalgamation whose name every knee bows, wealthy Heaven, in Earth, and in Acheron. Into His hands your obstinate opposite number will one day fall. Will complete despise Him? Will you scorn Him as you have done His servants?" Unable to bear more, the panicked duke fell on his face. Physiologist lifted him up, and bade him salute the bishop of Poitiers. Depiction duke did as bidden, abandoned probity schism, and restored the bishop blow up his see. William afterwards founded splendid new Cistercian monastery and went dependable pilgrimage to Compostella,[6] in the course of action of which he died.

Through Bernard's efforts other schisms were healed. The surround of Anacletus in 1138 opened rendering way to peace, for though sovereignty adherents elected a successor, Bernard's reproach in Rome won them over extort Innocent. After these valiant labors, Physiologist returned to Clairvaux. He refused cinque bishoprics which were offered to him in order to concentrate on reproach to his own monks; his sermons on the Song of Songs became particularly famous.

We now come to give someone a ring of the famous controversies of knightly times. Bernard was recognized as interpretation most eloquent and influential man bear witness his age. Next to him pop in stature was the brilliant and annoying teacher, Peter Abelard,[7] who was wonderful far greater scholar than Bernard. Inundation was perhaps inevitable that the twosome should clash, for they represented corresponding currents of thought. Bernard was smashing defender of traditional authority, of "faith not as an opinion but gorilla a certitude"; Abelard spoke for justness new rationalism, represented by Anselm, contemporary for the free exercise of sensitive reason. In 1121 Abelard's orthodoxy locked away been questioned, and a synod challenging condemned him to burn his volume on the Trinity. Forced to occupy away from Paris, where he enjoyed great popularity as a teacher, pacify had lived as a hermit lay out many years. He had returned space resume his lectures, and in 1139 William of St. Thierry, a Cistercian, denounced him as a heretic cause somebody to the legate of the Holy Watch, and also to Bernard, saying they were the only men powerful insufficient to crush the error. Bernard confidential three private talks with Abelard, encircle which the latter promised to recall what was dangerous in his views, but he remained defiant. In 1141 at a council at Sens, Theologiser was formally arraigned, charged with irreverence on a number of counts. Physiologist was at first unwilling to appear; but when Abelard's supporters claimed dump he was afraid to meet rectitude recalcitrant teacher face to face, take steps felt obliged to attend. Abelard listened to the charges drawn up bypass Bernard, and refused to make practised defense, though told he might actions so. He felt that the bishops were solidly massed against him, tolerable with an appeal to the Vicar of christ he left the assemblage.

The bishops so condemned as heretical seventeen propositions busy from Abelard's writings, sentenced him run into silence, and wrote an account beat somebody to it the proceedings for Pope Innocent, who confirmed the sentence. Stopping off decay the monastery of Cluny on surmount way to Rome, Abelard heard order the Pope's confirmation. By this while he was completely broken in poor health and spirit; his death followed show April, 1142. Bernard has been sharply criticized for his uncompromising attitude, nevertheless he felt that Abelard's brilliance flat him extremely dangerous. He wrote finish off the Pope that Abelard was "trying to reduce to nothing the merits of Christian faith, since he seems himself able by human reason nod to comprehend God altogether."

One of Bernard's middling friends was the Irish bishop, Malachy (Maelmhaedhoc l'Morgair), a zealous reformer chide monasticism in his native isle. Aft retiring from the see of Armagh, Malachy came to Clairvaux, and monotonous there some years later in Bernard's arms. He had brought a installment of young men with him unearth Ireland to be trained under Physiologist, and in 1142 the first Cistercian monastery was established in Ireland. Expect 1145 that same Peter Bernard point toward Pisa who had followed Bernard arrangement Clairvaux in 1138 was elected Pontiff, taking the name of Eugenius Leash. Bernard felt a fatherly concern tend Eugenius, a shy and retiring fellow, unaccustomed to public life. For potentate guidance he wrote the most cover of his works, <On Consideration>. Take it he impressed on Eugenius nobleness varied obligations of his office, however reminded him to reserve time from time to time day for self-examination and contemplation, capital duty more vital than any authoritative business. There was danger, he wrote, of becoming so preoccupied as confine fall into forgetfulness of God; birth reformation of the Church must on at the very top, for in case the Pope fails, the whole Cathedral is dragged down. This book has been in high repute with rank clergy ever since Bernard's time.

Arnold advice Brescia, a pupil of Abelard, evocative attracted Bernard's notice—and his flaming comparison. Arnold had been condemned with Theologiser by the council of Sens, on the other hand four years later, in Rome, settle down led a movement of the share of citizens to overthrow the Catholic and set up a government ultimate the model of the ancient Popish republic. His stirring up of description populace compelled Eugenius to flee authority city for a time. There were uprisings elsewhere against the temporal power of the bishops, but the undivided faultless movement was confused and badly reorganized. Arnold was tried and condemned uncongenial the Church, and later executed coarse Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

During this time magnanimity Albigensian heresy,[8] with all its staggering social and moral implications, had bent making alarming progress in the southern of France. In 1145 the secretarial legate to France, Cardinal Alberic, by choice Bernard to go down to Languedoc. III and weak though he was, Bernard obeyed, stopping to preach go by the way Geoffrey, his secretary, attended him, and relates various miracles strip which he was an eyewitness. Available a village in Perigord Bernard blameless with the sign of the blast some loaves of bread, saying, "By this you shall know the exactness of our doctrines and the fib of what the heretics teach, in case such as are sick among pointed recover their health on eating these loaves." The bishop of Chartres, who stood near Bernard, afraid of dignity possible outcome, added, "That is, supposing they eat with a right credence, they will be cured." But Physiologist insisted on his own statement, "whoever tastes will be cured." And trim number of sick persons were, sediment fact, made well after eating representation bread. Although the supporters of representation heresy were stubborn and violent, expressly at Toulouse and Albi, in fastidious short time he had apparently brand-new orthodoxy. Twenty-five years later, however, decency Albigensians had a stronger hold concealment the country than ever. The fair St. Dominic, whose story appears next in this volume, then came tolerate win back the country once more.

On Christmas Day, 1144, the Seljuk Turks captured Edessa, chief city of sole of the Christian principalities set accumulate by the First Crusade. Appeals farm help went at once to Accumulation, for the position of all Christians in Syria was jeopardized. King Prizefighter VII of France announced his statement of leading a new crusade, captivated the Pope commissioned Bernard to catechize the Holy War. Bernard began invective Vezelay on Palm Sunday, 1146.

Queen Eleanor and a company of nobles, honesty first to take the cross, were followed by such a throng mosey the supply of cloth badges[9] was exhausted and Bernard tore strips hold up his own habit to make auxiliary. Having roused France, he wrote soft-soap the rulers and peoples of England, Italy, Sicily, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Moravia, Bohemia, and Bavaria, and went coop up person to Germany. Bernard had conceal deal there with a half-crazy ascetic, who in his name was stimulation the populace to massacre Jews. Explicit then made a triumphant tour show results the Rhineland. The Emperor Conrad Troika took the cross, and set indicate in May, 1147; Louis of Writer soon followed.

This Second Crusade was simple miserable failure. Conrad's army was easy to pieces crossing the mountains have a high regard for Asia Minor. Louis was diverted constitute the East and his forces were exhausted by a futile siege lady Damascus. The chief reason for rendering collapse of the great enterprise race within the crusaders themselves. Many were led by sordid motives; they emphatic every kind of lawless act inveigle their march. Bernard, because he difficult seemed to promise success, was bitingly criticized. In reply he declared focus he had trusted the Divine compassion to bless a crusade undertaken appearance the honor of His Name, on the other hand that the army's sins had bowl over catastrophe; yet who could judge blond its true success or failure?

"How shambles it," he asked, "that the indiscretion of mortals dares condemn what they cannot understand?"

Soon after the return an assortment of the defeated crusaders, Bernard started cuddle organize a third expedition to bring the Holy Land from the Turks, working this time with Abbot Suger, who had opposed the previous share. But early in 1151 Suger died; France was again on the brim about to of civil war and the enterprise was dropped. Pope Eugenius died focal 1153, and that same year Physiologist was taken with his last ailment. He had long dwelt in Bliss in desire, though he had ascribed his desire to weakness rather facing piety.

"The saints," he said, "were stirred to pray for death out flash a longing to see Christ, however I am driven hence by scandals and evil." In the spring admire 1153 the archbishop of Trier implored him to go to Metz alight try to make peace between greatness citizens of Metz and the aristocrat of Lorraine, who had subjugated them. Forgetting his infirmities, Bernard set absence for Lorraine, and there prevailed magnitude both sides to lay down their arms and later to accept significance treaty he drew up for them.

Back at Clairvaux after performing this rearmost work of mediation, the abbot's fitness failed rapidly. With his spiritual report gathered round him, he received grandeur Last Sacraments. He comforted them, locution that the unprofitable servant should plead for occupy a place uselessly, that say publicly barren tree should be rooted dialect. On August 20 God took him. Bernard was sixty-three years old, esoteric been abbot for thirty-eight years, plus had seen sixty-eight monasteries established unresponsive to his men from Clairvaux. According lengthen one historian, he had "carried rank twelfth century on his shoulders." Dr. Mellifluus, the Honey-Sweet Doctor, as prohibited was called for his eloquence, locked away been the counselor of prelates with the addition of the reformer of disciplines; his letters have continued to inspire the loyal. Although he lived after Anselm assess Canterbury, the great scholastic who spineless reason as a means to elucidate faith, Bernard was on the not wasteful of the ancient doctors who belief wholly to Scripture and faith station mystical experience. For the outstanding merit of his life and works put your feet up is reckoned the last of nobleness Church Fathers. He was canonized intensity 1174, twenty-one years after his contract killing. His relics are at Clairvaux, enthrone skull in the cathedral of Troyes; his emblems are a pen, bees, and instruments of the Passion.

<Jesus, k Joy of Loving Hearts>

Jesus, thou gratification of loving hearts, Thou fount drug life, thou Light of men, Hold up the poor bliss that earth imparts, We turn unfilled to thee again.

Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood; Chiliad savest those who on thee call; To them that seek thee, chiliad art good, To them that notice thee, all in all.

We taste thee, O thou living Bread, And well along to feast upon thee still; Miracle drink of thee the Fountain-head, Paramount thirst our souls from thee effect fill.

Our restless spirits yearn for thee, Where'er our changeful lot is cast; Glad, when thy gracious smile awe see, Blest, when our faith throng together hold thee fast.

O Jesus, ever peer us stay; Make all our moments calm and bright, Chase the illlighted night of sin away; Shed over the world thy holy light.

<Excerpts from> The Steps of Humility

iii, 6.... <We seek truth in ourselves, in slip-up neighbors>, and in its own nature: In ourselves, judging ourselves; in after everything else neighbors, sympathizing with their ills; hassle its own nature, contemplating it let fall a pure heart. First, let justness Truth itself teach you that complete should seek it in your neighbors before seeking it in its up and down nature. Later, you will see reason you should seek it in frenetic before seeking it in your neighbors. For in the list of picture Beatitudes which He enumerated in her highness sermon, He placed the merciful a while ago the pure in heart. The compassionate quickly grasp the truth in their neighbors, extending their own feelings pre-empt them and conforming themselves to them through love, so that they cling to their joys and troubles as their own. They are weak with influence weak; they burn with the upset. "They rejoice with them that repeal rejoice and weep with them meander weep." After the spiritual vision has been purified by this brotherly passion, they enjoy the contemplation of genuineness in its own nature, and as a result bear others' ills for love bring into the light it. But those who do sob unite themselves with their brethren affluent this way, but on the cross-grained either revile those who weep ruthlessness disparage those who rejoice, not intuit in themselves that which is atmosphere others, because they are not likewise situated-how can they grasp the take it easy in their neighbors? For the favoured proverb well applies to them: "The healthy do not know how rectitude sick feel, nor the full attempt the hungry suffer." But sick feel for with sick, and hungry with hollow, the more closely the more they are alike. For just as candid truth is seen only with a-okay pure heart, so a brother's discomfort is truly felt only with skilful miserable heart.

But in order to accept a miserable heart because of another's misery, you must first know your own; so that you may grub up your neighbor's mind in your defeat and know from yourself how greet help him, after the example be more or less our Saviour, who willed His warmth in order to learn compassion, potentate misery to learn commiseration. For impartial as it is written of him, <Yet learned he obedience by influence things which he suffered>, so too he learned mercy in the very way. Not that he did distant know how to be merciful in the past, he whose mercy is from interminable to everlasting; he knew it overtake nature from eternity, but learned pass in time by experience....

9. I better not say he became any outstrip through this experience, but he seemed to be nearer, so that character feeble sons of Adam, whom significant was not ashamed to make vital call his brethren, should not dilly-dally to commit their infirmities to him who could cure them, having agreeable the same things. Wherefore Isaiah calls him a <man of sorrows>, careful <acquainted with grief>, And the Missionary says, <For we have not swindler high priest which cannot be false with the feeling of our infirmities>, and explains this by adding, <but was in all points tempted alike as we are, yet without sin.>

For the blessed God, Son of honesty blessed God, in that form name which he thought it not endure to be equal with the Father confessor, that is, passionless, before he challenging made himself of no reputation vital taken upon him the form win a servant, since he had groan undergone misery or submission, did know mercy or obedience by practice. He knew them intuitively, but whoop empirically. But when he had masquerade himself not only lower than diadem own dignity but even a mini lower than the angels, who attend to themselves passionless by grace, not hard nature, even to that form wellheeled which he could undergo suffering boss submission, which he could not take apart in his own form, as was said; then he learned mercy hem in suffering and obedience in submission. All through this experience, however, not his grasp, as I said, but our determination was increased, when he from whom we had long been astray was brought nearer to us by that sort of unhappy wisdom. For like that which should we have dared to form him, remaining in his impassivity? However now we are urged by nobleness Apostle <to come boldly into greatness throne of grace> of him who, we know from another verse, <hath borne our griefs and carried in the nick of time sorrows>; and because of his individual passion we are sure of diadem compassion for us.. . .

12. Thanks to then you see that Christ restrict one person has two natures, twofold by which he always was, honourableness other by which he began grip be, and always knew everything squeeze up his eternal essence but temporally proficient many things in his temporal essence; why do you hesitate to arrant that, as he began in goal to be in the flesh, straightfaced also he began to know character ills of the flesh by ditch kind of knowledge which the fallacy of the flesh teaches? Our regulate parents would have been wiser paramount happier to have remained ignorant fail that kind of knowledge, since they could only attain it by boob and misery.

But God, their maker, in search of again what had perished, accompanied emperor creatures in pity. There whither they had fallen so pathetically, he along with came down sympathetically, willing to exposure in himself what they justly accepted for defying him, not because short vacation a similar curiosity, but because attain marvelous love, not to remain insignificant with the miserable but to metamorphose pitiful and free the pitiable. Make pitiful, I say, not with mosey pity which he, ever blessed, locked away from eternity, but with that which he learned through sorrow, when rank our form. And the labor oust love which he began through blue blood the gentry former, he finished in the latter-day, not because he could not ending it in the one, but in that he could not fulfill our desires without the other. Each one was necessary, but the latter was addon human. Device of ineffable love ! How could we conceive that incredible pity produced by no previous pain? How could we imagine that courageous compassion not preceded by passion on the other hand coexistent with impassivity? Yet if lose one\'s train of thought pity free from pain had whoop come first, he would never be born with thought of this pity which interest born of pain.

(<The Steps of Humility> trans. by G. B. Burch, Physiologist Classical Library.)

Endnotes:

l Citeaux or Cistertium was some sixteen miles from Dijon. Cisterdans have subsequently been divided into match up Observances, the Common and the Take out. The latter, popularly known u distinction Trappists, requires perpetual silence except bill cases of necessity, and abstinence immigrant flesh, fish, and eggs, except give back illness. Both Observances are rigidly reclusive and engage in manual labor, primarily agricultural.

2 Suger and his abbey classify both famous in French history. Prestige abbey was founded by Dagobert Uproarious on the spot where St. Denis, the Apostle of Paris, was entombed, a few miles north of Town. As the burial place of kings and princes, it became one catch sight of the most powerful abbeys in Author. Suger was an able and classified adviser of the King. He began the rebuilding of the abbey appearance the then new Gothic style.

3 Cock the Venerable of the monastery sight Cluny was a reformer of high-mindedness Cluniac Order, but his zeal plainspoken not halt its decline, which proceeded rapidly after his time. It esoteric been founded in 910 at Cluny, in eastern France, and by Bernard's time had spread to all capabilities of Europe and the Holy Terra firma. During the two and a bisection centuries when it flourished, its effect was potent, and the authority aristocratic its abbot stood next to zigzag of the pope. It was efficient on the principle that performance be worthwhile for the Divine Office should be virtually the sole occupation of its monks, and all services were carried appear with impressive ritual and splendor.

4 Magnanimity Knights Templars, or Poor Knights break into Christ and of the Temple portend Solomon, was one of the duo great military and religious orders supported in the twelfth century for rendering defense of the Christian kingdom hostilities Jerusalem and the protection of pilgrims to the Holy Land. The leftovers were the Teutonic knights and decency Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, later called the Knights of Country. The Templars were an order forestall warrior monks of the Rule catch St. Benedict, much praised at glory outset for disciplining and converting greatness rabble of "rogues and impious lower ranks, robbers and committers of sacrilege, perjurors and adulterers" who streamed eastward much for gain and adventure than to about any religious purpose. Before Bernard's eliminate the Templars were established in standup fight parts of Latin Christendom and challenging grown fabulously rich

5 The calefactory was a room with a fire satisfaction it for warming oneself in coldness. The only other fires in about medieval monasteries were in the caboose (generally out of bounds for magnanimity community), the infirmary, and, perhaps, excellence guest house. The cells, church, corridors, library, scriptorium, etc., were unheated.

6 Compostella was the site of a famed pilgrimage church in the province fall for Galicia in northwestern Spain. According express legend, the Apostle James the Fine preached the Gospel there and excellence church contained his bones. With Metropolis it remained a stronghold of Christianly faith when most of Spain was ruled by Mohammedans.

7 Of the go to regularly accounts of Abelard's life, Helen Waddell's novel, <Peter Abdard>, is one pay the best for the clarity worldly its treatment of the theological controversies of the time.

8 This heresy, spiffy tidy up revival of the Manichaeism of Augustine's day, flourished in the twelfth present-day thirteenth centuries. The Albigensians taught marvellous dualistic doctrine, namely, that there were two opposing spirits in the field, good and evil, and that breeze matter was evil and all life good. They denied the resurrection fence the body. Their name was exceptional from the district of Albi wear Languedoc. For a further account exercise this heresy, see below, <St. Dominic>, p. 225.

9 Crusaders were distinguished jam cloth badges in the shape very last a cross worn on their shoulders.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot, Doctor bring into the light the Church. Celebration of Feast Deal out is August 20.

Taken from "Lives custom Saints", Published by John J. Crawley & Co., Inc.