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| Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
*SERMONS OF ST. BERNARD ON ADVENT & CHRISTMAS
Compiled and translated at St. Mary s Convent. R. & T. WASHBOURNE, LTD., LONDON MANCHESTER, GLASGOW, NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO 1909
Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt. Tecum tutus semper sum.
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
“And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom shall have no end”
Here also, if we understand the temporal house of Jacob, how can we say that Christ will reign eternally, since that house is not eternal? We have therefore yet to find the eternal house of Jacob in which He shall reign eternally, whose kingdom shall have no end. Question the Apostle, and he will point out to you the difference between him who is a Jew inwardly and him who is only outwardly a Jew; between the circumcision of the spirit and the circumcision which is only of the flesh—that is, between the spiritual and the carnal Jew, the children of the faith of Abraham and the children according to the flesh. “For all are not Israelites that are of Israel. Neither are all they that are of the seed of Abraham, children.”[1]
In like manner we may look upon those alone who are found perfect in the faith of Jacob, or Israel, as constituting the spiritual and eternal house of Jacob in which the Lord Jesus shall reign eternally. Who is there amongst us who, according to the interpretation of the name Jacob[2], makes Jesus Christ supplant the devil in his heart? Who is there that struggles with his vices and concupiscences that sin may not reign in his mortal body, but that in him Jesus may reign, now, indeed, by grace, afterwards eternally by glory? Blessed are they in whom Jesus shall reign eternally, for they also shall reign with Him, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Oh, how glorious is that kingdom in which Kings have assembled, and have agreed together to praise and glorify Him Who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; in the glorious contemplation of Whom the just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father! Oh, may our Lord Jesus deign to be mindful of me, a sinner, when He cometh in His kingdom.[3]
In that day when He shall give up His kingdom into the hands of God and the Father, may He graciously visit me in His saving mercy, may He look on me in goodness as one of His elect, may He rejoice me with the joy of His chosen people, and be praised even by me with all His inheritance!
Come, Lord Jesus, take away scandals from Thy kingdom, which is my soul, and reign therein, Thou Who alone hast the right. For avarice comes to claim a throne within me; haughtiness and self-assertion would rule over me; pride would be my king; luxury says, “I will reign”[4]; ambition, detraction, envy, and anger struggle within me for the mastery. I resist as far as I am able; I struggle according as help is given me; I call on my Lord Jesus; for His sake I defend myself, since I acknowledge myself as wholly His possession. He is my God; Him alone I cling to, Him I proclaim my Lord; I have no other King than my Lord Jesus Christ. Come, then, O Lord, and disperse these enemies in Thy power, and Thou shalt reign in me, for Thou Thyself art my King and my God, Who givest salvation to Thy chosen ones.
[1] Paul's concern for the Jews. God's election is free and not confined to their nation.
[6] Not as though the word of God hath miscarried. For all are not Israelites that are of Israel:
Non autem quod exciderit verbum Dei. Non enim omnes qui ex Israel sunt, ii sunt Israelitae :
[7] Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
neque qui semen sunt Abrahae, omnes filii : sed in Isaac vocabitur tibi semen :
[8] That is to say, not they that are the children of the flesh, are the children of God; but they, that are the children of the promise, are accounted for the seed.
id est, non qui filii carnis, hi filii Dei : sed qui filii sunt promissionis, aestimantur in semine.[Romans 9]
[2] His name-- possibly an abbreviation of Jacob-El (Babylonian: Ya kub-ilu), with which compare Israel, Ismael etc. — means "supplanter", and refers to a well-known circumstance of his birth:
[21] And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive.
Deprecatusque est Isaac Dominum pro uxore sua, eo quod esset sterilis : qui exaudivit eum, et dedit conceptum Rebeccae.[22]
But the children struggled in her womb: and she said: If it were to be so with me, what need was there to conceive? And she went to consult the Lord.
Sed collidebantur in utero ejus parvuli; quae ait : Si sic mihi futurum erat, quid necesse fuit concipere? perrexitque ut consuleret Dominum.
[23] And he answering said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.
Qui respondens ait : Duae gentes sunt in utero tuo, et duo populi ex ventre tuo dividentur, populusque populum superabit, et major serviet minori. [Genesis 25]
[3] [42] And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom.
Et dicebat ad Jesum : Domine, memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum.
[43] And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Et dixit illi Jesus : Amen dico tibi : Hodie mecum eris in paradiso. [Luke 23]
[4] [12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, who didst rise in the morning? how art thou fallen to the earth, that didst wound the nations?
Quomodo cecidisti de caelo, Lucifer, qui mane oriebaris? corruisti in terram, qui vulnerabas gentes?
[13] And thou saidst in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit in the mountain of the covenant, in the sides of the north.
Qui dicebas in corde tuo : In caelum conscendam, super astra Dei exaltabo solium meum; sedebo in monte testamenti, in lateribus aquilonis;
[14] I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the most High.
ascendam super altitudinem nubium, similis ero Altissimo?
[15] But yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, into the depth of the pit.
Verumtamen ad infernum detraheris, in profundum laci. [Isaiah 14]
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