About the Book
Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon, France. He joined the fifteen-year-old monastery of Citeaux in 1113. In 1115 he became the founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey, whence his name, Bernard of Clairvaux. Saint Bernard was a gifted and prolific writer of theological treatises, Scriptural commentaries, letters, and many sermons. The sermons in the collection published here, styled Sermones de diversis (Sermons about Various Topics), lack the specific point of departure that characterizes his other sermons. That is, whereas the sermons on the Song of Songs are a verse-by-verse commentary on that biblical book and his Sermons for the Year follow the liturgical calendar, this collection of sermons deals with his various pastoral concerns. Since Scripture is always Bernard's point of departure and inspiration, the sermons often read like a Scripture study, but what comes through equally is the voice of an understanding spiritual father who is a masterful student of Scripture, biblical language, and the needs of his monks.
Table of Contents:
Contents
Editor’s Note xi
Introduction xiii
Michael Casey, OCSO
List of Abbreviations xli
The Sermons
S 1: On the Deceptions of This Life 3
S 2: On Obedience, Patience, and Wisdom 12
S 3: The Song of Hezekiah 20
S 4: On Seeking God, and the Triple Bonds by Which We Cling to God 30
S 5: On the Words of Habakkuk 2:1: I will stand upon my watch 35
S 6: On the Skin, Flesh, and Bones of the Soul 40
S 7: Concerning the Triple Glory 44
S 8: On the Various Affections or States by which the Soul Is under God 49
S 9: Concerning Romans 1:20: The invisible things of God are clearly seen
Concerning Psalm 84:9: I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me 58
S 10: Discerning the Soul’s Life from the Five Senses of the Soul 62
S 11: Concerning the Double Baptism 67
S 12: Concerning First Beginnings, Current Days, and One’s Last End in Sirach 7:40: Be mindful of your last end 70
S 13: Concerning the Triple Mercy 75
S 14: Concerning the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit against the Seven Faults 78
S 15: On Seeking Wisdom 83
S 16: On the Day of Saint Andrew: Three Types of Good, and Vigilance over Thoughts 87
S 17: Concerning the Triple Custody of the Hand, the Tongue, and the Heart 95
S 18: Concerning Spiritual Joy, or Concerning Romans 14:17: The Kingdom of God is not food and drink 103
S 19: Concerning Romans 14:17: The Kingdom of God is not food and drink 107
S 20: Concerning Luke 14:11: Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and one who humbles himself shall be exalted 113
S 21: Concerning Wisdom 10:10 117
S 22: Concerning the Quadruple Debt 120
S 23: Concerning the Discernment of Spirits; Concerning the Seven Spirits 129
S 24: Concerning the Versatile Usefulness of God’s Word 135
S 25: Concerning Four Types of Prayer 139
S 26: How One’s Will Ought to Be Subject to God’s Will 147
S 27: Against the Most Wicked Vice of Ingratitude 151
S 28: Concerning Job 5:19: In six tribulations he shall deliver you, and in the seventh evil shall not touch you 159
S 29: Concerning the Triple Love of God and the Necessity of Loving God 166
S 30: Concerning Wood, Hay, and Stubble 171
S 31: Custody of Thoughts 174
S 32: Concerning Three Types of Judgment 177
S 33: Concerning Psalm 23:3: Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? 181
S 34: Concerning a Teaching of Origen on Leviticus 10:9 189
S 35: To the Abbots. How Noah, Daniel, and Job crossed the sea, each in his own way: on a ship, by a bridge, by the shallows 196
S 36: On the Occasion of the Preceding Sermon: The Heart’s Loftiness and Baseness 197
S 37: On The Time of Harvest: Sermon 3. This is the generation of those who seek the Lord, of those who seek the face of the God of Jacob 198
S 38: On The Time of Harvest: Sermon 1. How a Twofold Evil Works for Good 199
S 39: On The Time of Harvest: Sermon 2. Of the Two Harvests 200
S 40: Concerning Seven Steps of Confession 201
S 41: Concerning the Seven Steps of Obedience 213
S 42: Concerning Five Businesses and Five Regions 226
S 43: The Lord’s Ascension: Sermon 5. Courage, forbearance, and concord 234
S 44: On the Resurrection of the Lord: Sermon 4. On the days of the resurrection: How Christ has not yet been born for some 235
S 45: Concerning the Divine and the Human Trinities 236
S 46: On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Sermon 6. To establish “full of grace” in Mary in three ways 241
S 47: Concerning a Quadruple Pride 242
S 48: Concerning Voluntary Poverty 244
S 49: Concerning the Triple Word 245
S 50: Concerning Rightly Ordered Affections 247
S 51: Concerning the Purification of Mary and Circumcision of Christ 250
S 52 Concerning the Home of Divine Wisdom; Concerning the Virgin Mary 252
S 53: Concerning Names of the Savior 256
S 54: Concerning the Appearance of Christ 258
S 55: Concerning Six Spiritual Water Pots 260
S 56: Concerning the Sacred Water Pots that Are to Be Filled with a Threefold Fear 264
S 57: Concerning Seven Seals 267
S 58: Concerning the Three Women at the Tomb 269
S 59: Concerning Three Loaves 271
S 60: Concerning Christ’s Descent and Ascent 273
S 61: Concerning Four Mountains to Be Ascended 277
S 62: Concerning John 12:26 279
S 63: Concerning Matthew 16:24 281
S 64: Concerning Psalm 15:15 282
S 65: Concerning Matthew 13:44: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field 284
S 66: For the Feast of All Saints: The Beatitudes as Remedies for Sins 286
S 67: Concerning the Twofold Precepts of the Law, Moral and Figurative 289
S 68: A Duplicate of Sermon 32 291
S 69: Concerning the Triple Renewal of Triple Oldness 292
S 70: Concerning Reflection 294
S 71: Concerning the Entrance of the Sons of Israel into the Land of Egypt 296
S 72: Concerning Psalm 1 298
S 73: Concerning Psalm 13:1 303
S 74: Concerning Psalm 13:1 304
S 75: Concerning Those Who Sin in the Hope of Confession in Extremis 306
S 76: Concerning God’s Triple Grace 307
S 77: Concerning Psalm 17:45: A people that I knew not 309
S 78: Concerning Three Tabernacles 311
S 79: Concerning a Double Preparation of One’s Heart 312
S 80: Concerning the Variety and Utility of Unity 313
S 81: Concerning Praise of Christ 315
S 82: Concerning Custody of One’s Heart 316
S 83: Concerning Avoidance of Praise 318
S 84: Concerning Higher and Lower Positions of the Soul 320
S 85: Concerning the Fall of a Tree or Death of a Person 322
S 86: The Difference between Creature and Creator 324
S 87: Concerning Three Kisses 326
S 88: Concerning Four Ways the Holy Spirit Works in Us 331
S 89: Concerning the Holy Spirit’s Kiss 333
S 90: Concerning the Lord’s Two Figurative Feet and Three Mystical Ointments 335
S 91: Concerning Three Types of Shoots 340
S 92: Concerning Three Introductions 346
S 93: Concerning the Qualities of Teeth 350
S 94: Concerning the Flight of Elijah from Jezebel 353
S 95: Concerning Bitterness in Teaching that Should Be Tempered by Preachers 356
S 96: Concerning Four Fountains of the Savior 359
S 97: Concerning Milk and Honey 367
S 98: Concerning the Triple Peace and the Square Stone 371
S 99: Concerning the Four Types of People who Possess the Kingdom of God 373
S 100: Concerning the Manner of a Shepherd and a Flock 375
S 101: Concerning Four Ways of Love 376
S 102: Concerning the Triple Fall of the Human Being and the Triple Return 378
S 103: Concerning Four Progressions of the Chosen 380
S 104: Concerning Four Impediments to Confession 384
S 105: Concerning Remedies of Souls 387
S 106: Concerning Three States of a Soul 389
S 107: Ways of Praying to God 391
S 108: Concerning Bloodletting 394
S 109: Concerning the Lamps of the Virgins in the Gospel 396
S 110: Concerning a Person’s Misfortune 397
S 111: In Paschal Time, Concerning the Lord’s Testimonies 399
S 112: Concerning the Fourfold Conscience 405
S 113: Concerning Three Secrets 406
S 114: Concerning Peace 407
S 115: Concerning the Threefold Heart 408
S 116: Concerning the Twofold Death and Resurrection 409
S 117: Concerning Four Spiritual Springs 411
S 118: Concerning the Seven Steps of Ascension 413
S 119: Concerning Three Aspects of the Incarnation that One Must Consider 414
S 120: Concerning a Threefold Ministry 415
S 121: Concerning Doctrines of Fear and of Charity 416
S 122: Concerning Two Vices to Be Avoided during Fasting 418
S 123: Concerning the Vision of Isaiah 419
S 124: Concerning Four Steps of Good Will 422
S 125: On the Necessity of Giving Glory to God’s Wisdom 425
Scriptural Index 429
Subject Index 451
About the Author :
Daniel Griggs has an MA in medieval studies and a PhD in Byzantine theology, both from the University of Leeds. He teaches Latin at Butte College near Chico, California, and translates medieval texts from Greek and Latin. He is currently translating Aelred of Rievaulx's sermons from the Reading collection, from Gaetano Raciti's critical edition in Corpus Christianorum, Continuatio Mediaevalis 2C. Michael Casey, OCSO, has been a monk of Tarrawarra Abbey (Australia) since 1960. After completing a degree in Scripture at Leuven, he received his doctorate from Melbourne College of Divinity for a study of desire for God in the writings of Bernard of Clairvaux. For the past decades he has been engaged in exploring different aspects of monastic spirituality, writing, and giving conferences throughout the English-speaking monastic world. His books include The Road to Eternal Life: Reflections on the Prologue of Benedict's Rule (Liturgical Press, 2011), Strangers to the City (Paraclete Press, 2005), and A Guide to Living in the Truth (Liguori, 2001).
Review :
"Monastic Sermons reveals Bernard, who was well-studied in literature and poetry, as a clear and lively writer with an unimpeachable knowledge of Scripture. Although written originally for monks, Bernard's use of Scripture, the wealth of his knowledge, and the clarity of his thought and language as presented in Grigg's excellent translations makes this collection an excellent source of spiritual reading for any Christian, and a superior example of the art of writing sermons for clergy seeking to learn or hone their own skills."Rev. Kevin Bezner, The Christian Review
"This volume will be of interest to many readers, those who are interested in St. Bernard's thought and writing, and also to monastics who wish to learn from his spiritual teaching."The Downside Review
