Feast of St. Bernard

                                                                                                                        Sr. Kathleen

Normally I don’t start chapter talks with something on “why I chose this topic” but this time I do need to say something. On the feast of SS Peter and Paul Grace tied her reflection on the two great apostles to the theme of the year of faith, and it occurred to me that it might be nice to do the same with Bernard. Of course, “St Bernard on faith” is a huge topic (though probably small in comparison with “St Paul on faith”), so I will limit this talk to just two elements. The first is a look at one of his sermons in which faith is a major theme - Sermon 28 on the Song; and second, Bernard as an example and inspirer of faith.

Sermon 28 is the last of Bernard’s 4 sermons commenting on the 4^th verse of chapter 1 of the Song (so note, it took him 24 sermons to get through the title and the first 3 verses of the Song). The text Bernard is commenting on here is “I am black but beautiful”. It was understood even in antiquity that this verse is being spoken by the Bride, and that’s how Bernard treats it in Sermons 25-27. He starts sermon 28 in the same vein, but very soon does a remarkable twist and the next thing you know it’s no longer the Bride but the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, he’s describing as “black but beautiful,” and then we get a whole sermon devoted to the difference between what’s visible on the exterior, perceived by the senses, and what is the deeper reality, perceived by faith.

Basically, St Bernard interprets “black” to mean the absence of light, that is, the absence of the manifestation of divine glory, and so “black” stands in for the humanity of Christ. And particularly, for that humanity at the point when the divine glory is most dimmed to human sight, namely, on the cross. This is the supreme point where Jesus may be described as “black but beautiful.” Precisely because death by crucifixion is so ignominious, because Jesus was an object not only of abuse but also of scorn, because the cross is the point of supreme shame, this is the moment when the divine glory is most deeply concealed. And yet, as we know, it’s also the point at which, to those who believe, the divine glory is most superbly revealed.

So how is it that we are able to perceive the true beauty and glory of Jesus when he is visually unpleasant, even repulsive to look at? Bernard naturally looks to Scripture for a solution to this riddle, and he notices that the centurion at the cross, who had never seen Jesus before and meets him only when he is no photo-op, makes a declaration of faith, “Surely this was God’s Son.” What leads him to this act of faith? Well, we need to look carefully at the text. The centurion “saw that he thus cried out and breathed his last” – this is what prompts his confession. So Bernard concludes that somehow the sound of Jesus’ voice is what penetrated this man’s heart and gave him faith: “It was the sound of his voice that inspired his belief, it was by the voice that he recognized the Son of God, and not by the face…The hearing succeeded where the sight failed. Appearances deceived the eye, but truth poured itself into the ear…to the ear the Son of God revealed himself, to the ear he made his beauty known.”

Faith is certainly a way of seeing, a way of knowing, as Bernard will make plain in numerous places; but it is only a partial way of seeing, to prepare us for the full vision. And of course he rolls out St Paul’s famous word to the Romans, “Faith comes by hearing.” This is Bernard’s basic conception of faith. It comes to us by hearing, and especially by hearing the Word of God; and then by obeying what we hear, which is really part of hearing.

Bernard sees a congruence between the loss and the recovery of our ability to see God. We lost this ability also by hearing – that is, by heeding the voice of the evil serpent. So our return to God must be by the same route, that is, by inner hearing and following. We all long to see God, that is, to have the full knowledge and revelation of the love and majesty of Jesus Christ that we were created for. The preparation for this seeing, Bernard says, is hearing. “How I wish the Lord would open my ear, that the word of his truth would enter into my heart, cleanse my eye and make it ready for that joyful vision…That even I, along with his other obedient followers, should hear from God: ‘You are clean by the word which I have spoken to you.’ Not all who hear are cleansed, but only those who obey, the blessed ones are those who both hear and keep the word. This is the hearing he asks for…and this is the response that such a person makes: ‘Let me hear what God the Lord will speak within me.’” Apparently the version of Ps 84 known to Bernard translates the line we know as “I will hear what the Lord God has to say” as “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak within me,” which encapsulates Bernard’s teaching on how we may grow in faith – by listening to the voice of God within, hearing it, and obeying.

How is Bernard himself an exemplar of faith? Where do we see him listening to the Word of God and obeying, and gaining clearer sight from this listening?

One perhaps obvious example in his life is his decision to enter Citeaux. Bernard had lots of ecclesiastical choices in front of him, but he was drawn to this new monastery, one of many following the Rule of St Benedict, one of a number experimenting with ways to live the Rule more fervently, but perhaps distinguished from the rest by the seriousness of its reform enterprise, a clarity of vision regarding dis-entanglement from the worldly structures of the time, and perhaps above all the visionary genius of its third abbot, St Stephen Harding. An inner voice not only told Bernard that this was his way to sanctity, but filled him with conviction that it was the best way available at the time of seriously living the Gospel. This conviction was so strong in Bernard, and he was able to articulate it so well, that its effect on his whole extended family was a powerful movement of conversion among them all.

So, Bernard heard what Jesus was calling him to, and obeyed so whole-heartedly that God did give him a clearer vision, one that he was able over the course of a lifetime to communicate effectively to others. This was possible only because he continued to listen. Another sign of Bernard’s listening is of course his brilliant use of Scripture. To know Scripture very well indeed was not particularly unusual in 12^th century monastic circles; but his ability to weave various Scriptures in truly creative ways shows how thoroughly he prayed and assimilated the depths of the Word of God.

One part of Bernard’s biography that has always struck me as somewhat singular was his steadfast refusal to become a bishop. The move from abbot to bishop was not uncommon, and Bernard could easily have made the step. In the 12^th century it wouldn’t even have meant abandoning a monastic lifestyle; on the contrary, monks who became bishops were expected to keep to their monastic regime in many respects – far more so than today. So why didn’t Bernard make the move? My own guess is that, above all, it was because he knew it was God’s will for him to remain in the monastery. There were also lots of good reasons: certainly he had plenty of power and prestige just as Bernard of Clairvaux; he was able to do plenty of work for the church all over Europe without being a bishop; perhaps there were even advantages to being part of a universal, rather than diocesan, organization. Maybe, too, as a charismatic figure he mistrusted his own inclinations (if he had them) for the kind of power that would have come with, say, a major ecclesiastical appointment. It’s hard to know, and it’s one of the things I want to ask him when I meet him! But surely, underlying all these, is his utter faith in the Lord Jesus and in his plan for Bernard. And like many saints who clearly hear and obey the Lord regularly, he was quite clear in his own mind that as abbot of Clairvaux he was exactly where God wanted him to be; and he trusted Christ would use him well right there.

But probably Bernard’s most important contribution to the faith of the Christian community was the way God used him to be his voice to the church of his time. When Bernard spoke, people lit up with the fire of the Holy Spirit, were filled with joy and conviction and desire and indeed the grace to change their lives. This means Bernard was not just a gifted orator. There’s an anecdote about two of the great Greek orators, Pericles and Demosthenes. Pericles ruled Athens in its golden age; Demosthenes came on the scene later, when the glory days were passing and the free Greek states were about to be swallowed up by Philip and Alexander of Macedon. The anecdote goes like this: “When Pericles speaks, the people say, ‘how well he speaks!’ But when Demosthenes speaks, the people say ‘Let us march!’”

Like Demosthenes, Bernard got people marching. Yes, he was a consummate artist with words. But far more than that, he reflected on and understood on a profound level the needs and aspirations of his time (which were really the deepest needs and aspirations of all people at all times) – and indeed he shared those aspirations. His voice brought spiritual clarity and purpose and strength to thousands of people, because his heart shared the same desires and his faith understood the roots of these desires and how they found their answer in the love of Jesus.

We thank God for our father and ask his blessings on us, that we too may hear, obey, understand, and love Jesus greatly. We ask his blessing on our Order, that we too may be a great blessing to all whose lives we touch. And ask his blessing above all on the Church in our time, that we too may be so on fire with the Holy Spirit that the world may come to know how all it hopes for and needs is found in Jesus of Nazareth.

Feast of the Transfiguration

Rule of Benedict reflection

M. Rebecca

Aug 6:  Vs 23-24: “Let us, however, ask the Lord with the prophet, and say to him: ‘Lord who will dwell in your tent?  Who will find rest on your holy mountain?  After this question, brothers, let us listen to the Lord answering, showing us the road to his tent.”

            Earlier when we commented on these verses we distinguished b/w ‘dwelling in the tent’ and resting on the mountain’:  The ‘tent’ was seen as our temporary dwelling since we are pilgrims on earth and the ‘mountain’ as our permanent, eternal dwelling in heaven.  So when the Lord says he will show us the road to His tent…it seems a mistake.  Shouldn’t it be to His mountain?  That is the road we desire; the road that leads to eternal life! 

            But let’s stick to our original interpretation and recall how our Early Church Fathers also referred to this temporal tent as ‘contemplation’ – the ‘tent of meeting’, of encountering God in this earthly life.  With that understanding, St Benedict is saying the Lord will show us the way to contemplation, to encounter God in this earthly life, not just in heaven but in this life, in this tent.  Jesus’ whole life can show us this way of encountering and dwelling with God.  However, the most profound contemplative or mystical experience mentioned in Scripture is the feast we celebrate today, the Transfiguration. 

            St Mark opens with “Jesus led them up on a high mountain by themselves.”   In a sermon by Anastasius who was a 7th century hermit as well as abbot of St Catherine’s Monastery on Mt Sinai, he comments:  Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven…let us share in this radiance; let Him renew our spiritual nature and transform us into his own likeness…raising us to heights as yet undreamed of.  He continues: Let us run with confidence and joy to enter the cloud like Moses and Elijah, like James and John.  Let us detach ourselves from creatures and turn to our Creator…let us deny ourselves so our mind and heart can rise to God. 

            So this is the road Jesus shows us.  It is demanding work that takes desire, determination, and discipline.  In Mark’s account, I think it is significant that in the verses prior to this ascent, Jesus tells the apostles “if you wish to come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.”   As Anastasius said, it is only when we let go of things and creatures, even our self (!), that we can ascend to our Creator.  So we understand better why the Lord is showing us his tent, to this contemplation on earth…so that we too may receive the grace of transfiguration and transformation. 

            My favorite line in the Transfiguration event is the last line:  “When they had lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus alone.”  This is a wonderful definition of contemplation – not only in the moment of prayer but in its lingering fruits.  As we pick up our tent to move along the way, we begin to see “Jesus alone”.  Everything begins to reveal Jesus Christ.  We begin to realize we cannot judge a day as bad, or prayer, or a person because Jesus is there in all things and events and people.  This is when mysticism begins.  Not when we see dazzling garments, lights, and clouds, but when all we see is “Jesus alone”.  We will be told in a few verses later of the Rule that this seeing is done with the heart!

            In the OT there is another ascent up a mountain to encounter God, Moses on Sinai.  What surprises me in the Exodus story of Moses’ ascent up the mountain that the people don’t want to go up with him.  They are afraid and they tell Moses, you go and tell us what God said…and “they stood afar off”.  They said they were afraid if God spoke to them they would die.  This brings us back to the verses right before the Transfiguration story in Mark’s gospel:  “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it.  But whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”  They did not follow the way to his holy mountain because they were afraid to die!......They were afraid to deny themselves and take up their cross…so they stood afar off!

So here is a question for reflection today:  Is there anything keeping me from following the road Jesus shows us?  Is there something I am afraid to die to?  Is there something that I need to die to?  Is there something that I desire to die to?...for Jesus alone.  Let us listen with the ear of our hearts because He desires to show us the way!

Diamonds Everywhere!

                                                                                                                                                                                                M. Rebecca

July 27, 2014 

Mt 13:44-52

            Traditionally Christians interpret this hidden treasure and pearl of great price in Matthew’s gospel as Christ.  However, Celine once wrote to her sister, St Therese, saying “Look at the merchants, how much trouble they go to in order to earn money, and we can gather treasures for heaven at each moment w/o giving ourselves any trouble; we have only to gather diamonds with a RAKE.”  This is how she saw her monastic life…piles of diamonds surrounding her everywhere because she was able to see Christ in every moment and activity of her day.  Is that how we see our monastic life?  Do we find hidden pearls in our liturgy, in our workplace, in our interruptions, in our encounters with each and all our sisters? 

            The criteria for and the purpose of our monastic vocation is “to seek God”…and to find him – everywhere and anywhere!  So this field can be interpreted as the whole of our monastic journey.  What makes these things diamonds and pearls is the inner vision of the heart.  This is why some people can pass by the field ignorant and unaware, while others long to sell all they possess to obtain what lies buried in the hidden soil.

            Once I was talking to a priest from the Congo and he told that in the collection basket he gets quite a few diamonds.  He said that the parishioners do not have money but they do find diamonds and so they offer those instead.  I was shocked because diamonds seem more valuable than money and I did not really understand why they did not sell them for cash and then give a portion of it to the collection basket.   (You can see how my Western mind works!)  But the symbolism hit me.  These people gave what they had; they gave what they could.   It is like what St Mark said in his gospel about the widow with her mite:  “She gave from her want, all that she had to live on”.  (Mk12) This is a challenge to us!  We don’t have possessions as such, but how much do we hold on to what we do possess: our time.  Quite a few sisters in our community give away their time so freely to serve others as needs arise.  Ironically, it is the sisters who are most available that seem to be most free.   Can we really say that we desire to “sell all” yet clutch and protect our own time?  I was impressed during our jubilee celebrations how so many in community reached out to all our guests to make them feel so welcomed and how so many sisters who were tired would sit with our Sr Regina rather than sleep. 

            But let’s get back to the field which we were calling our monastery and our monastic life.  I remember reading an article entitled, “How to make our Troubles our Treasures”.  Again it was about finding treasures hidden in the troubles and tribulations of our lives.  It is in our troubles and trials that we draw closest to God.  It is there we learn the compassion, forgiveness, charity, and wisdom of Jesus Christ.  It is there we learn to see with the heart…this is a call to conversion, something we vow to do all of our monastic life.  The article pointed out some examples of the hidden treasures in unexpected places, detected only by a pure heart unclouded by self-absorption, angers, or fears.  When the adulterer was faced with an angry mod and the death penalty, there appears Jesus to show her mercy and gentleness in an unobtrusive way.  When Peter in fear denied the Lord and Thomas doubted, relying only on physical sight, both were brought to a deeper faith, understanding, and love.  It was Bartimaeus’ blindness that made him cry out to Jesus in a crowd that didn’t realize they should do the same.  Jesus stops and calls Bartimaeus near to him giving him vision.   Even the good thief found Jesus in the strangest of circumstances.   For him the cross was the field that laid the hidden treasure.  St Paul repeated over and over in his words and actions how he desired to carry the sufferings of Christ so that he may be molded into Him and have eternal life.  This was St Paul’s treasure and it was “all he wanted”.   At Vigil’s we are reading Job.  Again we will see Job’s crosses and curses become blessings and bliss.  These are people who learned to make their troubles their treasures!

            So where do our troubles, trials, and pains lead us?  This past month we had watched with our Sr Regina as she waited for death.  In a profound and tangible way she showed us the way to die with joy.  She knew that her troubles and pains were leading her to God.  Her hope, faith, and graciousness revealed to us that she had found that pearl of great price in her monastery, in her community, and in her vocation.  Regina taught us the strongest lesson in her weakest moments.  

            Is there anything that keeps us from picking up the shovel and begin digging deeper into the soil of our heart?  Or as Celine said – all we need to do is pick up the rake and gather!   To the pure of heart, there is no hidden treasure…because it is everywhere!  All we need to do is put on the mind of Christ – to see as He sees…for it is the pure of heart who shall see God.  So let today’s gospel challenge us to reflect and be attentive to the pearl of great price that we possess and that we long for… Jesus Christ everywhere among us!

July 27, 2014

Corpus Christi in Our Jubilee Year!

Corpus Christi in Jubilee Year (June 22, 2014)

                                                                                                                                                M. Rebecca

            This morning we will be receiving the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  This is an incredible statement and takes a life-time of prayer and reflection to even slightly pierce this Mystery.  St John tells us in his gospel that this teaching of Jesus was a tipping point in his ministry and He lost many followers because of it.  But there is another group of Jesus’ disciples that may be just as disappointing.  The first are those who could not accept the Eucharist as gift and left.  But another are those who take the Eucharist for granted.  Does this miracle of God’s self-giving love at the altar each day create in us awe? Or humility? Or energetic zeal? Or a burning desire for God?  Or selfless charity?  Do I remember each day at the receiving of Christ’s Body and Blood to even say “thank you”!?   This Consecration happens thousands of times a day all around the world and to keep this sacrament from becoming too commonplace we need to keep our reverence, joy and thanksgiving alive through meditation and prayer. 

            We all know what it is like to have given someone a gift that wasn’t appreciated. ..Perhaps, embarrassing to say, we even wish we could have taken it back!   Yet one of the beauties the Eucharist teaches us is that Christ desires to give Himself totally regardless of our response or receptivity. He continues to give Himself over and over, not just at the altar, but every moment of our day.   We are called to imitate Christ in this self-donation without conditions – freely, w/o refunds or regrets! 

            We have all heard the phrase that we are called to be “Eucharistic people” but what does that look like?  Do we think it is to give to others while still remaining in control?  Or to give from my surplus which makes me feel good but doesn’t cost me much?  Obviously that isn’t what Jesus taught us at the Last Supper.   I see the Triduum, which begins with the celebration of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday,  as a sort of running commentary or description of what the Eucharist is or looks like – a definition by pure example.

Faith AND Good Works

                                                                                                                    Wednesday Rule of St. Benedict Reflection  M. Rebecca

Rule of St. Benedict Vs21:   “Therefore, with our loins girded with faith and the observance of good works, let us set out on his journeys with the gospel for our guide, so that we may be worthy to see the one who has called us into his kingdom.”

We all have the same destination; however our destiny is played out in as numerous ways as there are people.  Paradoxically, each of us has a unique path on this One Way.  This could cause confusion since none of us are on the exact same route, except for the fact that we have a map, the gospel for our guide.  And as Cistercians we have “this little rule set before us” as well. 

When I was reflecting on this verse, the line that came to me from our guidebook, the Scriptures, was from Ps 118, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” [Ps 118:105].   Our daily contact with the word, our lectio divina, gives light on our path.  I think this “light” can also be referred to as our faith “for we walk not by sight but by faith” - and this light shines bright by the fuel of love.  This is why Benedict says we need to gird ourselves with faith and good works – for as we hear in Galatians:  “faith makes itself felt through love”.    St James says quite bluntly, “faith w/o good works is dead.”  And St Frances De Sales adds that when faith is dead it can only be revived by love.  Love enlivens faith and w/o it faith is dead.    In other words, if we find ourselves weary in faith or dragging along the road, we can be revitalized by doing acts of love.  By performing good deeds we move out of ourselves.  So often we get weary on the journey because we are carrying around too much of our self!  If this goes on too long, it can press down on us and “de-press” us.   In our last reflection we spoke of “girding” our loins, needing to let go of all the excess clothing loosely bound to us as we walk this path towards God more freely.

We also read in “our guidebook” from Luke Ch 12:  “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.  Blessed are the servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.”  (Lk 12:35+)  Doesn’t this sound a lot like Luke’s version of Matthew’s parable of the 10 Wise and Foolish Virgins?  I remember Fr Simeon explaining that fidelity was not the issue with the foolish 5…nor was it desire.  They, too, were there waiting expectantly.  Rather, Fr Simeon said what they were lacking in their vigilance was wisdom…a wisdom that took faith and put it into concrete practices of love.  They did not follow through with their vocation by letting it become concrete and practical.  In other words, wisdom takes fidelity and puts it into good deeds. 

But Luke ends this story with a surprising twist, “Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.”   In this life we are called to be vigilant, to wait in faith, and to translate that faith into good works through the wisdom given to us…like that German sister who wanted to be “used up” completely in this life because in the next she will be at rest, reclining at the table of the Lord. 

So let us remain vigilant with our lamps’ burning - which is done by fidelity to our lectio – for the Word is the lamp for our feet and the light for our path.   And let us keep our lamps burning with the oil of good deeds for it is love that enlivens and increases faith.   And let us remember that this vigilance is filled with hope because “one day we shall be worthy to see the one who has called us into His kingdom”.