Sermon 57 on the Song of Songs — Bernard of Clairvaux
On Observing the Visitations of the Lord; By What Indications or Signs They May Be Detected.
1. "Behold, my beloved speaks to me" (Song 2:10). See the advances of grace, and mark the degrees of divine condescension. Attend to the devotion and skill of the bride, with what vigilant eye she observes the advent of the bridegroom, and thereafter gazes upon all his movements more diligently. He comes, he hastens, he draws near, he is present, he looks upon her, he speaks to her; and none of these moments escapes the industry of the bride, anticipating each with her awareness. He comes in the angels, he hastens in the patriarchs, he draws near in the prophets, he is present in the flesh, he looks upon her in miracles, he speaks in the apostles. Or thus: He comes with the affection and zeal of showing mercy, he hastens with the eagerness of bringing aid, he draws near by humbling himself, he is present to those of the present time, he looks ahead to those of the future, he speaks teaching and persuading concerning the kingdom of God. Thus therefore is the advent of the bridegroom. Blessings and riches of salvation are with him, and all things that pertain to him overflow with delights, abounding surely in joyful and salutary sacraments. Moreover she who loves, watches and observes. And blessed is she whom the Lord shall find watching. He will not pass her by, nor will he go past her, but he will stand and speak to her, and he will speak words of love: he will speak indeed as a beloved. For thus you have it: "Behold, my beloved speaks to me." Rightly "beloved," who comes to speak words of love, and not of reproach.
2. For she is not of those who are justly reproached by the Lord, that they knew how to discern the face of the sky, but did not at all recognize the time of his coming (Mt 16:4). For this bride, so skillful, and prudent, and well-watchful, both saw him coming from afar, and noticed him leaping on account of his haste, and most vigilantly observed him leaping over the proud, that he might draw near to his humble one through humility; and at last, when he was already standing and hiding himself behind the wall, she nonetheless recognized his presence, and also perceived him looking through the windows and lattices; and now, as a reward for such great devotion and religious solicitude, she hears him speaking. For indeed if he had looked upon her and had not at all spoken, that look could have been suspect, lest perhaps it were of indignation rather than of love. For he looked upon Peter, and did not make a word to him: and therefore Peter perhaps wept (Lk 22:61-62), because he who was looking upon him was silent. But this bride, since after his gaze she also merited his address, not only does not weep, but even glories with joy, crying out: "Behold, my beloved speaks to me." You see that the gaze of the Lord, although it always remains the same in itself, is nevertheless not always of the same efficacy; but it conforms itself to the merits of each one whom he regards, and to some indeed it strikes fear, but to others it rather brings consolation and security. For he looks upon the earth and makes it tremble, whereas on the other hand he looked upon Mary and poured grace into her. "He has regarded," she says, "the humility of his handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed" (Lk 1:48). These are not the words of one weeping or trembling, but of one rejoicing. He looked upon the bride similarly in this place, and she neither trembled nor wept after the manner of Peter, because she did not savor of the earth, as he did; but he gave joy in her heart, testifying by his address with what affection he had regarded her.
3. Hear then the words which he speaks, how they are not of one who is indignant, but of one who loves. There follows: "Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one." Happy the conscience that merits to hear these things of itself! Who, do you think, among us is so watchful and observant of the time of his visitation, and so diligently scrutinizing the bridegroom as he approaches through each of his movements, that when he has come and knocked, he may immediately open to him? For these things are not so related of the Church that we individually, who together are the Church, should not have to participate in these her blessings. For in this we are all generally and without distinction called, that we may possess blessings as an inheritance. Whence also one dared to say to the Lord indeed: "I have acquired your testimonies as an inheritance forever, because they are the exultation of my heart" (Ps 118:111); by that inheritance, I think, by which he presumed himself to be a son of his father, who is in heaven. Moreover if a son, then also an heir; an heir of God, and a co-heir with Christ. He glories that he has acquired a great thing by this inheritance, namely the testimonies of the Lord. Would that I had merited to hold even one testimony of the Lord concerning myself! because he exults not in one, but in many testimonies. For he says again: "In the way of your testimonies I have delighted, as in all riches" (Ps 118:14). And truly what are the riches of salvation, what are the delights of the heart, what is the true and prudent security of the soul, if not the attestations of the Lord? "For it is not he who commends himself," he says, "who is approved, but he whom God commends" (2 Cor 10:18).
4. Why are we hitherto still defrauded of these divine commendations and attestations, and deprived of our paternal inheritance? As if he had not willingly begotten us also by the word of truth, so we remember ourselves commended by him in no such way, nor to have obtained any testimonies of his concerning ourselves. Where is what the Apostle says, that "the Spirit of God himself gives testimony to our spirit, that we are sons of God" (Rom 8:16)? How are we sons, if we are without share in the inheritance? Our very poverty itself convicts us surely of negligence and carelessness. For if any one of us, wholly and perfectly, according to the word of the Wise man, would give his heart to watching at dawn for the Lord who made him, and would pray in the sight of the Most High (Sir 39:6), and at the same time with all his desires would strive, according to Isaiah the prophet, to prepare the ways of the Lord, to make straight the paths of his God (Is 40:3), so that it would be his to say with the Prophet: "My eyes are always toward the Lord" (Ps 24:15); and "I foresaw the Lord in my sight always" (Ps 15:8): would not this man receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from the God of his salvation? (Ps 23:5). He would be visited frequently indeed, nor would he ever be ignorant of the time of his visitation, however secretly and furtively he who visits in spirit may come, as being a bashful lover. Therefore while he is still far off, the well-watchful soul will discern him with a sober mind, and thereafter will discover all those things which we have shown the bride to have noticed so skillfully and so distinctly in the advent of the beloved, because he himself says: "Those who watch for me in the morning shall find me" (Prov 8:17). For she will also recognize the desire of the one hastening; and when he is near, and when he is already at hand, she will immediately perceive; and also the eye of the one looking upon her, entering like a ray of the sun through windows and cracks of the wall, she will behold with a blessed eye: and at last she will hear voices of exultation and love, being called love, dove, beautiful one.
5. Who is wise and will understand these things, so as to be able also worthily to distinguish them from one another, and to designate each one, and to define them for the understanding of others? If that is expected of me, I would prefer to hear these things from one experienced, and one who is accustomed and exercised in such matters. But since everyone who is of this kind modestly chooses rather to conceal in silence what he perceives in silence, and to keep his secret to himself, judging that safer for himself: I say, I whose office it is to speak, and to whom silence is not permitted, whatever it is that I hold of such matters either from my own or from another's experience, and what many can easily experience, leaving aside indeed the higher things for those who are able to grasp them. If therefore I shall have been admonished, either outwardly by a man or inwardly by the Spirit, concerning the guarding of justice and the keeping of equity; such a salutary persuasion will be for me indeed a herald of the imminent coming of the bridegroom, and a certain preparation for worthily receiving the heavenly visitor, the Prophet indicating this to me by saying that "justice shall walk before him" (Ps 84:14); and likewise he speaks to God thus: "Justice and judgment," he says, "are the preparation of your seat" (Ps 88:15). No less indeed will the same hope smile upon me, if a word has sounded concerning humility or patience, or even concerning fraternal charity and obedience to be rendered to superiors; but especially concerning the pursuit of holiness and peace, and the seeking of purity of heart, since indeed Scripture says: "Holiness befits the house of the Lord" (Ps 92:5); and: "His place has been made in peace" (Ps 75:3); and: "The pure in heart shall see God" (Mt 5:8). Whatever therefore, whether concerning these or any other virtues, shall have been suggested to the mind, it will be a sign, as I have said, that the visitation of the Lord of hosts is imminent for my soul.
6. But also if a just man shall correct me in mercy, and rebuke me, I shall feel the same thing, knowing that the zeal and benevolence of the just man make a way for him who ascends above the west (Ps 67:5). A good setting, when at the correction of the just man the man stands firm, and the vice falls, and the Lord ascends above it, trampling it underfoot and crushing it lest it rise again. Therefore the rebuke of the just man is not to be despised, for it is the ruin of sin, the health of the heart, and moreover the way of God to the soul. But neither is any word at all which builds up toward piety, toward virtues, toward the best conduct, to be heard negligently; since in that too is "the way by which the salvation of God is shown" (Ps 49:23). But if the word comes welcome and pleasing [or, gentle], so that, with disgust driven away, it is heard with desire, then the Bridegroom is to be believed not only to come, but also to hasten, that is, to come with desire. For his desire creates your desire; and the reason you hasten to admit his word is that he himself hastens to enter; for "it was not we who loved him, but he himself," it says, "first loved us" (1 Jn 4:10). Now if you also feel the word to be fiery, and your conscience to be burned by it in the remembrance of sin; remember then of whom the Scripture says that "a fire shall go before him" (Ps 95:3), and do not doubt that he himself is near. For "the Lord is near to those who are of a troubled heart" (Ps 33:19).
7. But if in that word you are not only pricked with compunction, but also turned wholly to the Lord, swearing and resolving to keep the judgments of his justice, know that he is also already present, especially if you feel yourself burning with love of him. For you read both of him, that a fire indeed precedes him, and that he himself is no less a fire. For Moses says of him that "he is a consuming fire" (Deut 4:24). But they differ, in that the fire which is sent before has burning heat, but not love: it singes, but does not refine; it stirs, but does not advance. It is sent ahead only to arouse and prepare, and at the same time to remind you of what you are of yourself, so that what you will shortly be of God may taste all the sweeter afterward. But the fire which is God indeed consumes, but does not afflict; it burns sweetly, it lays waste blessedly. For it is truly a desolating coal, but one which so exercises the power of fire upon vices, that in the soul it performs the office of anointing. Therefore in the power by which you are changed, and in the love by which you are inflamed, understand the Lord to be present. For "the right hand of the Lord works power" (Ps 117:16). Moreover this change "of the right hand of the Most High" (Ps 76:11) does not happen except in fervor of spirit, and in charity unfeigned, so that he who is of this kind may say: "My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire shall burn" (Ps 38:4).
8. Moreover, when by this fire every stain of sin, and the rust of vices, has been consumed, if upon a cleansed and serene conscience there follows a certain sudden and unwonted enlargement of the mind, and an infusion of light illuminating the understanding either for the knowledge of the Scriptures, or for the awareness of mysteries, of which I believe the one is given for our delight, the other for the edification of our neighbors; that is without doubt the eye of the one looking upon you, bringing forth "as the light your justice, and your judgment as the noonday," according to that word of the prophet Isaiah: "Your light shall arise," he says, "as the sun" (Is 58:10), etc. But assuredly not through open doors, but through narrow openings, will this ray of such great brightness pour itself in, while this ruinous wall of the body still stands. You err if you hope otherwise, to whatever degree of purity of heart you may advance, since that preeminent contemplator says: "We see now through a mirror and in an enigma, but then face to face" (1 Cor 13:12).
9. After this regard of such great condescension and mercy, there follows a voice gently and softly insinuating the divine will, which is nothing other than love itself, which cannot be idle, urging and persuading concerning the things that are of God. For the bride hears that she should arise and hasten, without doubt for the winning of souls. For this is what true and chaste contemplation has, that the mind which it has vehemently kindled with divine fire, it sometimes so fills with zeal and desire for winning for God those who would similarly love him, that it most willingly interrupts the leisure of contemplation for the zeal of preaching; and again, having obtained its desires, it returns all the more ardently to the same, inasmuch as it remembers itself to have interrupted more fruitfully; and in turn, having tasted contemplation, it runs back with greater strength and accustomed eagerness to pursue its gains. But amid these alternations the mind often fluctuates, fearing, and vehemently burning with anxiety, lest perhaps it cling to one of these more than is just, while it is pulled in different directions by its affections on this side and that; and so in either one deviate even slightly from the divine will. And perhaps holy Job was suffering something of this kind, when he said: "If I sleep, I say, when shall I arise? and again I shall wait for the evening" (Job 7:4): that is: Both at rest, I accuse myself of neglected work; and occupied, I accuse myself no less of disturbed rest. You see the holy man gravely distressed between the fruit of work and the sleep of contemplation: and although always engaged in good things, yet always as if doing penance for evils, and seeking the will of God with groaning at every moment. For the sole remedy and refuge in such matters is prayer, and frequent groaning to God; that he may deign continually to show us what, when, and to what extent he wills us to do. You have, as I think, these three things, that is, preaching, prayer, and contemplation, commended and designated in three words. For rightly is she called "love," who zealously and faithfully seeks the gains of the bridegroom by preaching, counseling, and ministering. Rightly "dove," who no less, groaning and supplicating in prayer for her own faults, does not cease to reconcile divine mercy to herself. Rightly also "beautiful one," who, shining with heavenly desire, puts on the beauty of supernal contemplation, at those hours, at least, when she can do so conveniently and opportunely.
10. But see also whether this can be fitted to this threefold good of one soul; concerning those three persons, namely, dwelling together in one house, friends surely of the Savior, and exceedingly familiar to him. I speak of Martha serving, and Mary at leisure, and Lazarus as if groaning under the stone, and pleading for the grace of resurrection (Lk 10:38-42; Jn 11). These things have been said on account of the fact that the bride is described as so skillful and watchful in observing the paths of the bridegroom, that it can in no way be hidden from her when, and with how great haste, he comes to her; but also when he is far, and when near, and when present, she cannot be taken by surprise so as to be unaware: and that for this reason she merited, not only to be looked upon mercifully, but also to be graciously gladdened by voices of love, and to rejoice with joy on account of the voice of the bridegroom.
11. We also have added to these things, though boldly, that any soul among us also, if it watches similarly, will similarly be greeted as a love, consoled as a dove, and embraced as a beautiful one. Everyone will be considered perfect in whose soul these three things are seen to come together fittingly and opportunely, so that he both knows how to groan for himself, and to exult in God, and at the same time is capable of serving the needs of his neighbors; pleasing to God, watchful over himself, useful to his own. But for these things who is sufficient? Would that these things themselves in all of us, if not all in each individual, yet at least each one in different persons, as they seem to be held today, may be preserved for a long time! For we have Martha, as a friend of the Savior, in those who faithfully administer external affairs. We have also Lazarus, as a groaning dove, namely the novices, who, having recently died to sins, still labor in their groaning under recent wounds with fear of judgment; and as the wounded sleeping in the tombs, of whom no one is mindful any longer, so they do not think themselves regarded, until at Christ's command, with the weight of fear removed, as if the burden of a pressing stone, they can breathe again into the hope of pardon. We have also Mary contemplating, in those who, by the progress of a longer time, with the grace of God cooperating, have been able to advance to something better and more joyful; when now, presuming upon forgiveness, they are not so anxious to turn over within themselves the sad image of their sins, as they are insatiably delighted to meditate in the law of God day and night; sometimes also with unveiled face beholding the glory of the bridegroom with ineffable joy, they are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor 3:18). Now to what end the bridegroom urges the bride to arise and hasten, he who a little before seemed to have defended her lest she be awakened while sleeping, we shall see in another sermon. May he himself be present, that he may deign to open for us the meaning of this mystery also, the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is over all things God blessed forever. Amen.
Translated from the Latin by AI. Source: Migne, Patrologia Latina 183.