Praises of the Virgin Mother by St Bernard : Homily IV : §2/11

St Bernard, by Juan Correa de Vivar,
c. 1540-45. Museo del Prado.
(Public domain)

The following posts present the text of four homilies by St Bernard (1090-1153) frequently given the title of Missus est but which he himself called Praises of the Virgin Mother.

 

He was the first Cistercian monk to be placed on the calendar of saints and was canonized by Alexander III on the 18th January 1174. Pope Pius VIII bestowed on him the title of Doctor of the Church, “Doctor mellifluus,” on the 20th of August 1830. 

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bernard’s Homilies as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her multitudinous graces and favours, requesting her continued help and protection for the author and his family.

The Latin text and references are based upon De laudibus Virginis Matris (Patrologia latina, vol. 183. J. P. Migne). The English text is based upon the version compiled and translated at St. Mary's Convent, York, and published by Washbourne in 1909.

Homily IV : §2/11

 §2.   “And he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom shall be no end.”[1] 

“We have no king but Caesar.” By James Tissot
(1886–1894). Brooklyn Museum. Public domain.

Here also, if we understand this as referring to the temporal house of Jacob, how can we say that Christ will reign for ever, 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. Did not that very house of Jacob, with wicked harshness, finally disown Him and foolishly reject Him before Pilate when, in answer to his question “Shall I crucify your King?” they shouted back with one voice: “We have no king but Caesar.”[2] Study what the Apostle has to say on this and you will find he points out the difference between him who is a Jew inwardly and him who is only outwardly a Jew; between circumcision of the heart and in the spirit in contrast to circumcision which is only of the flesh; between the spiritual and the carnal Jew, the children of the faith of Abraham and the children according to the flesh[3]. “For all are not Israelites that are of Israel. Neither are all they that are of the seed of Abraham, children.”[4] 

In like manner, we may say that not all who are of Jacob are to be reckoned as belonging to the house of Jacob. For Jacob himself is the same as Israel. Therefore, count only those who are found perfect in the faith of Jacob as belonging to the house of Jacob; or rather, you will come to know that they themselves are to be the spiritual and eternal house of Jacob, in which the Lord Jesus will reign forever. Who among us is there who, in accordance with the meaning of the name “Jacob”[5], supplants the devil from his heart and wrestles with his vices and desires, so that sin may not reign in his mortal body, but Jesus may reign in him – now indeed through grace, and afterwards eternally by glory?

 

 “Remember me when thou shalt come into thy
 kingdom.” James Tissot (1886–1894).
Brooklyn Museum.Public domain.

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. O how glorious is that kingdom in which kings have gathered and come together as one, to praise and glorify Him who is above all the 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[6]. Oh, if only Jesus would also remember me, a sinner, with the favour He shows His people when He comes into His kingdom[7]. When finally He hands over His kingdom to God the Father, if only He would deign to visit me with His salvation, to gaze upon me amidst the prosperity of His chosen ones, rejoicing in the gladness of His people, and accepting even my praises along with all His inheritance! 

Come, Lord Jesus, take away scandals from your kingdom, which is my soul, and reign therein as you alone have the right. For avarice comes to claim a throne within me; boastfulness would rule over me; pride would be my king; wantonness says, “I shall reign”; ambition, detraction, envy, and anger struggle within me for 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; to Him alone I cling as my Lord and my God, saying: I have no King but Lord Jesus. Come, then, O Lord, and in your power disperse these enemies and you will reign in me, for you are my King and my God, who grants salvation to the house of Jacob.

Footnotes

[1] Luke i. 32-33.

[2] John xix. 15. 

[3] Rom. ii. 28-9.

[4] Rom. ix. 6-7.

[5] See St Augustine: Sermons on the New Testament 72. 3. “You that are well instructed in the school of Christ, know that this Jacob is Israel too. They are two names; for they are one man. His first name Jacob, which is by interpretation supplanter, he received when he was born. For when those twins were born, his brother Esau was born first; and the hand of the younger was found on the elder’s foot. He held his brother’s foot who preceded him in his birth, and himself came after. And because of this occurrence, because he held his brother’s heel, he was called Jacob, that is, Supplanter.”

[6] Matt. xiii. 43.

[7] Luke xxiii. 43.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.