Sermon 43 on the Song of Songs — Bernard of Clairvaux
How the Consideration of the Passion and Labors of Christ Causes the Bride, That Is the Soul, to Pass Unharmed through the Prosperity and Adversity of This World
1. "A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me; he shall abide between my breasts" (Song 1:12). Before he was king, now he is beloved; before on the royal couch, now between the breasts of the bride. Great is the power of humility, to which even the majesty of the Godhead so easily inclines itself. Quickly the name of reverence was changed into the word of friendship: and he who was far off was in a short time made near. "A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me." Myrrh, a bitter thing, signifies hard and harsh tribulations. Foreseeing that these threaten her on account of her beloved, she speaks this rejoicingly, confident that she will endure all things manfully. "The disciples went away rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus" (Acts 5:41). Therefore, indeed, she calls her beloved not a bundle but a little bundle, because she considers light for the sake of his love whatever labor and sorrow may threaten. Rightly a little bundle, because "a child is born to us" (Isa 9:6). Rightly a little bundle, because "the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom 8:18). For "that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation," he says, "works for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor 4:17). There shall be therefore for us at some time an immense heap of glory, which is now a little bundle of myrrh. Is it not a little bundle, whose "yoke is sweet and whose burden is light"? (Mt 11:30.) Not because it is light in itself (for neither is the harshness of suffering light, nor the bitterness of death), but light nevertheless to one who loves. And therefore she does not say only: "A bundle of myrrh is my beloved"; but: "To me," she says, who love him, he is a little bundle. Whence she also names him beloved, showing that the force of love overcomes the trouble of all bitternesses, and because "love is strong as death" (Song 8:6). And so that you may know that she glories not in herself but in the Lord, and that she presumes strength not from her own power but from the help of the Lord; she says that he will abide between her breasts, to whom she may securely sing: "Even if I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will not fear evils, because you are with me" (Ps 22:4).
2. I remember that in one of the earlier sermons (Sermon 10, no. 1) I defined the two breasts of the bride as congratulation and compassion, according to the teaching of Paul, who says: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (Rom 12:15). But since, moving amid adversity and prosperity, she knows that dangers are not absent from either side; she wishes to have her beloved in the midst of these breasts of hers, so that, fortified by his continuous protection against both, neither happy things may exalt her nor sad things cast her down. You also, if you are wise, will imitate the prudence of the bride, and will not suffer this little bundle of myrrh, so dear, to be torn away from the center of your breast even for an hour; always retaining in memory and revolving in constant meditation all those bitter things which he endured for you, so that you too may be able to say: "A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me; he shall abide between my breasts."
3. And I, brothers, from the beginning of my conversion, in place of the heap of merits which I knew I lacked, took care to gather this little bundle for myself and to place it between my breasts, collected from all the anxieties and bitternesses of my Lord: first, indeed, from those necessities of his infancy; then from the labors which he endured in preaching, the fatigues in traveling about, the vigils in praying, the temptations in fasting, the tears in showing compassion, the snares in conversing; and lastly, the perils among false brothers, the reproaches, the spittings, the blows, the mockeries, the insults, the nails, and things similar to these, which the forest of the Gospels is known to have brought forth most abundantly for the salvation of our race. Where surely, among so many branches of this fragrant myrrh, I thought that by no means should that myrrh be passed over with which he was given drink upon the cross; but neither that with which he was anointed at his burial. In the first of these he applied to himself the bitterness of my sins; in the second he consecrated the future incorruption of my body. I will pour forth the memory of the abundance of the sweetness of these things as long as I live; I will never forget these mercies for all eternity, because in them I have been given life.
4. These things the holy David of old sought with tears: "Let your mercies come to me," he said, "and I shall live" (Ps 118:77). These also a certain other one of the saints recalled with groaning, saying: "The mercies of the Lord are many. How many kings and prophets wished to see, and did not see. They labored, and I have entered into their labors; I have reaped the myrrh that they planted; for me this saving little bundle has been preserved; no one shall take it from me; it shall abide between my breasts." To meditate on these things I have called wisdom; in these I have established for myself the perfection of righteousness; in these the fullness of knowledge; in these the riches of salvation; in these the abundance of merits. From these comes to me at times a saving drink of bitterness; from these in turn a sweet anointing of consolation. These raise me up in adversity, restrain me in prosperity, and as I walk the royal road amid the joys and sorrows of the present life, they provide safe guidance on both sides, driving away on this side and that the evils that threaten. These reconcile to me the Judge of the world, since they portray as gentle and humble him who is terrible to the powers; since they present as not only appeasable but also imitable him who is inaccessible to principalities, terrible among the kings of the earth. Therefore these things are frequently on my lips, as you know; these always in my heart, as God knows; these are very familiar to my pen, as is plain to see; this is my higher philosophy for the present: to know Jesus, and him crucified. I do not seek, as the bride does, where he lies down at midday (Song 1:6), whom I joyfully embrace as he abides between my breasts. I do not seek where he feeds at midday, whom I gaze upon as Savior on the cross. That is more sublime, this is sweeter; that is bread, this is milk; this nourishes the bowels of little ones, this fills the breasts of mothers: and therefore he shall abide between my breasts.
5. Gather also for yourselves, most beloved, this little bundle so dear; insert it into the depths of the heart; fortify with it the entrance of the breast, so that for you also he may abide between your breasts. Have him always not behind on your shoulders, but before your eyes, lest carrying and not smelling, the burden should press you down while the fragrance does not lift you up. Remember that Simeon received him in his arms (Lk 2:28); Mary bore him in her womb, cherished him in her lap; the bride placed him for herself between her breasts. And, lest I pass over anything, the word came into the hand of Zechariah the prophet, and also of certain others. I think that Joseph too, the husband of Mary, often smiled at him upon his knees. All these had him before them, and none behind. Therefore let them be an example to you, that you also may do likewise. For if you have before your eyes him whom you carry, then certainly, seeing the sufferings of the Lord, you will bear your own more lightly, with the help of him who is the Bridegroom of the Church, who is God blessed above all things forever. Amen.
Translated from the Latin by AI. Source: Migne, Patrologia Latina 183.