St. Bernard was a wonder: 1. Of innocence; 2. Of penitence. Preached on the feast of St. Bernard.
"He hath done wonderful things in his life." (Ecclus 31:9)
By the wonderful things the saints have done in their lives
are generally understood the signs and miracles they wrought. Thus St. Gregory, St. Antony of Padua, and, in our own times, St. Francis Xavier are surnamed thaumaturgs, or workers of miracles. The same title, my dear brethren, could also be given with just reason to our St. Bernard; for where is there a place in Europe where he has not been, and which has not had experience of his wonderful power? The mere fact of approaching Bernard and receiving a blessing from his hands was to the blind the means of regaining sight, to the deaf it brought hearing, to the lame the use of their limbs, to the sick their health, as we may read in detail in the history of his Life; and this can be testified to by the surrounding country, by the city of Treves, by this sacred place in which we are assembled, which he formerly sanctified by his presence, and which still bears his name. But why should I seek for a motive of praising him from things that were done outside of him, and that were the result of gifts bestowed on him by God gratuitously gifts that are common to all the saints? Bernard himself, when I consider his person and mode of life, seems to me the greatest wonder of all. And this thought was suggested to me by his own words, which he often said to others, and wrote, as well: " My monstrous life calls out to you." Bernard, thou didst say that out of humility; yet thou saidst the truth at the same time,, if thou hadst only changed that doubtful word monstrous for another more suitable to thee, and said as I now change instead of thee: My prodigious life calls out to you. Truly, thy wonderful life calls out to us, and will call out as long as the world lasts. Since the whole day would not be long enough for me to relate all the wonders of his life, I will now, my dear brethren, content myself with bringing to your notice two wonders only. I find in him two qualities and effects united which must justly excite the astonishment of every thinking mind, namely:
I find in him the greatest innocence and the most severe penitence. There you have the subject of this panegyric. St. Bernard a wonder of innocence; the first part. St. Bernard a wonder of penance; the second part. Both together: innocence repenting, the greatest wonder; both to his undying fame and to our salutary confusion.
O wonderful St. Bernard, obtain for us, through the hands of
Mary, whose dearest child thou wert always, and of whose praises
thou couldst never speak without shedding the sweetest tears, and uttering words that flowed with honey, obtain for us the grace that, as we cannot imitate thy innocence, we may at least follow thy spirit of penance from a distance. Help us hereto, ye holy angels, who helped Bernard to preserve his innocence,
To begin to strive after virtue and holiness when the mind is
wearied with sin and vice; to live chaste and pure alter having
given a loose rein to the lusts of the flesh; to be temperate and
abstemious after having indulged the palate without restraint; to sigh, weep, be contrite after having committed actions that are worthy of being deplored, is indeed a laudable thing, but not so wonderful as it is necessary in one who hopes to go to heaven. But for one who has lived long on earth, and that in the midst of dangers and occasions of sin, to preserve the first innocence and purity received in baptism, and to bring it untainted and uninjured to the grave and into eternity oh, that is indeed an extraordinary and unusual effect of the mighty grace of God! What a small number of such men there are in the world! I may venture to say even: What a small number there is among the elect in heaven who can with truth boast of having accomplished that feat!