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| From 13th c MS. Public Domain. |
Born in 1090, at Fontaines, near Dijon, France; died at Clairvaux, 21 August, 1153. His parents both belonged to the highest nobility of Burgundy. Bernard was the third of a family of seven children, six of whom were sons.
As a diligent schoolboy and student, he acquired a great taste for literature and devoted himself for some time to poetry. Bernard's great desire, however, was to excel in the study of Sacred Scripture.
He had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and it is said there is no one who speaks more sublimely of the Queen of Heaven.
He joined the newly established and very austere Cistercian Order, of which he was destined to become the greatest ornament. He founded a new monastery, which afterward became known as the celebrated Abbey of Clairvaux. St. Bernard was at once appointed Abbot and began that active life which has rendered him the most conspicuous figure in the history of the 12th century. He founded numerous other monasteries, composed a number of works and undertook many journeys for the honour of God. Several Bishoprics were offered him, but he refused them all. The reputation of St. Bernard spread far and wide; even the Popes were governed by his advice. He was commissioned by Pope Eugene III to preach the second Crusade. In obedience to the Sovereign Pontiff he traveled through France and Germany, and aroused the greatest enthusiasm for the holy war among the masses of the population. The failure of the expedition raised a great storm against the saint, but he attributed it to the sins of the Crusaders. St. Bernard was eminently endowed with the gift of miracles. He died on August 20, 1153. His feast day is August 20.
Bernard's writings
Our starting point with St Bernard's writings will be his 'Praises of the Virgin Mother'. opening with 'Missus est angelus Gabriel'. I have included the Latin text for those who would like to savour the saint's mastery of this, the language of the Catholic, European heritage. The English translation has benefited from work published in 1909, compiled and translated at St. Mary s Convent from the 1508 Edition in black-letter of St. Bernard's Sermons and Letters. I have included notes on the Latin text.
«De laudibus Virginis Matris» - Super verba Evangelii: «Missus est angelus Gabriel» etc. — Bernardus Claraevallensis
On the Praises of the Virgin Mother. On the words of the Gospel: the angel Gabriel was sent etc.Bernard of ClairvauxPRAEFATIO
Scribere me aliquid et devotio jubet, et prohibet occupatio. Verumtamen quia praepediente corporali modestia, fratrum ad praesens non valeo sectari conventum; id tantillum otii, quod vel mihi de somno fraudans in noctibus intercipere sinor, non sinam otiosum.
Libet ergo tentare id potissimum aggredi, quod saepe animum pulsavit; loqui videlicet aliquid in laudibus Virginis matris, super illa lectione evangelica, in qua, Luca referente, Dominicae Annuntiationis continetur historia.
Ad quod sane opus faciendum etsi nulla fratrum (quorum me profectibus deservire necesse est) vel necessitas urgeat, vel utilitas moveat [alias moneat]; dum tamen ex hoc non impediar, quo ad quaeque ipsorum necessaria minus paratus inveniar, non arbitror eos debere gravari, si propriae satisfacio devotioni.
Latin notes
aggredior (ad-g-) gressus, ī, dep. ad + gradior, to approach: aliquo
fraudō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to deprive of wrongfully; cheat, defraud (w. abl. of the thing)
gravor ātus, ārī, dep.pass.of gravo, to be burdened, feel incommoded, be vexed, take amiss, bear with reluctance, regard as a burden, hesitate, do unwillingly
inter-cĭpĭo, cēpi, ceptum, 3, v. a. capio, lit., to take away between. To take away, rob, steal:
libet , uit or libitum est, 2: (impers.), it pleases, is agreeable to, is one's pleasure, will, mind.
ōtĭōsus, a, um, adj. otium, at leisure, unoccupied, disengaged, unemployed, idle
potis , e: (adj.), able. Sup.: pŏtissĭmus, a, um, the chief, principal, most prominent, most important.
ōtium, iī, n.: leisure, idleness, peace, quiet, retirement, inaction
praepĕdĭo, īvi, ĭi, ītum, 4, v. a. praepes, to entangle the feet or other parts of the body; to shackle, bind, fetter
sectari: to go behind, follow, or accompany
sinam: 1st pers sing fut indic act, from
sinō, sīvī, situs, 3, a.: to allow, permit, suffer,
tantillus, a, um,adj. dim. [tantulus], so little, so small; in neutr. subst., so little a thing, such a little thing. Subst.: tan-tillum, i, n., so little, such a trifle:
valeō, uī, itus, 2, n.: to be strong physically; to be well, vigorous, powerful; to excel, 5.67; to have power, be able;
PREFACE
Devotion compels me to write somewhat but my occupations hinder me. Nevertheless, as sickness prevents me at present from following the community exercises with my brethren, I will not spend uselessly that little leisure which I contrive to find by shortening my night’s rest.
It is accordingly a pleasure for me to attempt what I have frequently had in mind—namely, to give expression to something in praise of the Virgin Mother, referring to the story of the Annunciation as set out in St. Luke’s Gospel.
And while I devote myself to this work, so long as the brethren over whom I am placed, and whom it is my duty to serve, do not find me less ready to minister either to their pressing needs, or even to their reasonable demands, I do not think they will object if I satisfy my devotion in this way.
HOMILIA I
Missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae, cui nomen Nazareth, ad Virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Joseph, de domo David: et nomen Virginis Maria (Luc. I, 26, 27).
1. Quid sibi voluit evangelista, tot propria nomina rerum in hoc loco tam signanter exprimere? Credo quia noluit nos negligenter audire, quod tam diligenter studuit enarrare. Nominat siquidem nuntium qui mittitur, Dominum a quo mittitur, Virginem ad quam mittitur, sponsum quoque virginis: amborumque genus, civitatem ac regionem propriis designat nominibus.
Utquid hoc? Putasne aliquid horum supervacue positum sit? Nequaquam. Si enim nec folium de arbore sine causa, nec unus ex passeribus sine Patre coelesti cadit super terram [1]; putem ego de ore sancti Evangelistae superfluum difluere verbum, praesertim in sacra historia Verbi? Non puto.
Plena quippe sunt omnia supernis mysteriis, ac coelesti singula dulcedine redundantia; si tamen diligentem habeant inspectorem, qui noverit sugere mel de petra, oleumque de saxo durissimo[2]. Nempe in illa die stillarunt montes dulcedinem, et colles fluxerunt lac et mel [3], quando rorantibus coelis desuper, nubibusque pluentibus justum, aperta est terra laeta germinans Salvatorem [4] : quando Domino dante benignitatem, et terra nostra reddente fructum suum, super illum montem montium, montem coagulatum et pinguem misericordia et veritas obviaverunt sibi, justitia et pax osculatae sunt [5].
Illo quoque in tempore unus iste inter caeteros montes non modicus, beatus hic videlicet evangelista, dum desideratum nobis nostrae salutis exordium suo mellifluo commendavit eloquio, veluti perflante austro, atque e vicino sole radiante justitiae, quaedam ex eo spiritualia profluxerunt aromata.
Utinam et nunc Deus emittat verbum suum, et liquefaciat ea nobis; perflet spiritus ejus, et fiant nobis intelligibilia verba evangelica: fiant in cordibus nostris desiderabilia super aurum et lapidem pretiosum multum, fiant et dulciora super mel et favum!
Latin notes
auster, tri, m. Sanscr. ush-, to burn; the burning, hot wind, the south wind
aliquid: from ălĭquis, aliquid; plur. aliqui [alius-quis; cf. Engl.somebody or other] something
exōrdium, iī, n.: a beginning; origin, 7.40; opening, beginning, of discourse
mŏdĭcus, a, um, adj. modus, having or keeping a proper measure, moderate; middling, ordinary, mean,
nempe: indeed, certainly, without doubt, to be sure, assuredly
perflō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to blew through or over; sweep over
prō-flŭo, xi, xum, 3, v. n., to flow forth or along
quippe : (conj. and adv.), because indeed, for indeed, for; because forsooth
rĕdundantĭa, ae, f. redundans, an overflowing, superfluity, excess.
signanter: adv from signo, avi, atum; meaningfully, significantly, in particular
siquidem: adv. since indeed, since, since that
supervacue: adv, from sŭper-văcŭus, a, um, adj.,useless, needless, unnecessary, superfluous, redundant
velut (velutī) (velutī): (adv.), even as, like, as it were, as, just as, as if
vīcīnus, a, um, adj. vicus, near, neighboring, in the neighborhood or vicinity.nearly resembling in quality or nature, like, similar, kindred, allied
References
[1][29] Nonne duo passeres asse veneunt? et unus ex illis non cadet super terram sine Patre vestro.[Matth. X]
[29] Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.
[2][13] constituit eum super excelsam terram, ut comederet fructus agrorum : ut sugeret mel de petra, oleumque de saxo durissimo;
[13] He set him upon high land: that he might eat the fruits of the fields, that he might suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the hardest stone
[3] [18] Et erit in die illa : stillabunt montes dulcedinem, et colles fluent lacte, et per omnes rivos Juda ibunt aquae; et fons de domo Domini egredietur, et irrigabit torrentem spinarum.
[18] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweetness, and the hills shall flow with milk: and waters shall flow through all the rivers of Juda: and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the torrent of thorns.
[4] [8] Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum; aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem, et justitia oriatur simul : ego Dominus creavi eum. [Isa. XLV]
[8] Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a saviour: and let justice spring up together: I the Lord have created him.
[5] [11] Misericordia et veritas obviaverunt sibi; justitia et pax osculatae sunt. [Psal. LXXXIV]
[11] Mercy and truth have met each other: justice and peace have kissed.
HOMILY 1
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David ; and the virgin s name was Mary." [St. Luke i. 26, 27]
1. What did the Evangelist particularly intend by mentioning at this point so many proper names ? I believe he did not want us to listen carelessly to what he had studied diligently to narrate. He names the messenger sent forth, the Lord by Whom he is sent, the Virgin to whom he is sent, as well as the spouse of the Virgin, with the family of each. He also gives the name of their city and country.
And why all these details? Do you think any of these are superfluous ? By no means. If not a leaf from a
tree, nor a single sparrow falls to the ground without a cause and the knowledge of our heavenly Father, am I to suppose that any superfluous word would flow from the mouth of the holy Evangelist, especially when he is giving the history of the Word Incarnate ? I do not think so.
All the words are indeed full of supernal mysteries, overflowing with singular, celestial sweetness ; to him, that is, who studies them diligently and knows how to draw honey from the rock and oil from the hardest stone. For in that day indeed the mountains dropped down sweetness, and the hills flowed with milk and honey.
When the heavens dropped down dew and the clouds rained the Just One, then the joyous earth was opened and budded forth a Saviour, then the Lord gave goodness and our earth yielded forth her fruit. On that mountain of mountains heaped up and fat, mercy and truth met each other, justice and peace kissed.
In that day, too, one mountain was especially blessed among mountains namely, the Evangelist himself, when, with mellifluous eloquence, he made known to us the beginning of our long-desired salvation, like the hot south wind, breathing forth delicious spiritual perfumes from the nearby Sun of justice.
Would that God would now also send forth his words and let them melt into our hearts; may His Spirit, through His breath, make intelligible for us the Evangelist's words us ; may they become to our hearts more desirable than gold and precious stones; may they be sweeter to us than honey and the honeycomb.
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