Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermones in Cantica canticorum, sermo LXXXIII

SERMON LXXXIII.

How the soul, however much corrupted by vices, can still, through chaste and holy love, return to the likeness of the bridegroom, that is, of Christ.

1. As much indeed as the appointed hour allowed, which we have set aside for speaking, three days [or, two days] have now been spent in showing the kinship of the Word and the soul. What profit is there in all this labour? This, surely. We have taught that every soul, though burdened with sins, entangled in vices, taken captive by allurements, a captive in exile, imprisoned in the body, clinging to mud, fixed in mire, fastened to [its] members, pierced through with cares, stretched out by business, contracted by fears, afflicted with sorrows, wandering through errors, anxious with worries, disquieted with suspicions, and finally a stranger in the land of enemies, according to the prophet's word, defiled among the dead, reckoned with those who are in hell (Bar. 3:11); though, I say, so condemned, and so given over to despair, we have nonetheless taught that this [soul] can perceive in itself not only whence it may take breath in hope of pardon, in hope of mercy, but even whence it may dare to aspire to marriage with the Word, so that it does not tremble to enter into a covenant of fellowship with God, does not fear to draw the sweet yoke of love together with the King of angels. For what may it not safely dare in the presence of Him, by Whose image it perceives itself marked, by Whose likeness

it knows itself illustrious? What, I ask, should it fear from His majesty, since from its very origin confidence is granted it? Its only concern should be to preserve, by an honourable life, the nobility of its nature — nay rather, to strive to adorn and set off with certain becoming colours of character and affection that heavenly beauty which is inborn in it from its origin.

2. For why should industry lie dormant? Great indeed is this gift of nature in us: for if it should perform its own part too little, would not the whole of what remains of nature in us be thrown into confusion, would not the whole be overspread, as it were, with some rust of age? That indeed would be an injury to its Author. And indeed for this very purpose the Author Himself, God, willed that the mark of divine nobility should be perpetually preserved in the soul, so that this [soul] might always have within itself from the Word that whereby it may always be admonished either to stand fast with the Word, or to return, if it has been moved [away]. Not moved as though changing place, or walking on feet, but moved (as indeed it belongs to a spiritual substance to be moved) with its own affections, or rather its defections, [whereby] it goes in a certain manner from itself towards the worse, when by the depravity of its life and character it makes itself unlike itself, [and] renders itself degenerate — which unlikeness, however, is not the abolition of nature, but is a vice, exalting the good of nature itself by comparison with itself just as much as it defiles it by its conjunction. But now the soul's return, its conversion to the Word, [consists in] being reformed by Him, being conformed to Him. In what? In charity. For he says: Be imitators of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also loved you (Eph. 5:1, 2).

3. Such conformity weds the soul to the Word, when, namely, being like Him by nature, it shows itself nonetheless like Him by will also, loving even as it is loved. Therefore, if it loves perfectly, it has been wedded. What is more delightful than this conformity? what more to be desired than charity, by which it comes about that, not content with human instruction, you, O soul, may of yourself confidently draw near to the Word, cling constantly to the Word, question the Word familiarly, and take counsel about every matter, as bold in desire as you are capable in understanding? Truly spiritual, and of a holy marriage, is this contract. I have said too little, "contract": it is an embrace. An embrace indeed, where the same willing, and the same not willing, makes one spirit out of two. Nor need it be feared that any disparity of persons should make the agreement [or, connivance] of wills falter in any respect, since love knows no reverence. For "love" is named from loving, not from honouring. Let him indeed do honour who shudders, who is stupefied, who fears, who marvels: all these have no place with one who loves. Love is sufficient to itself; love, wherever it comes, draws all the other affections into itself and holds them captive. Therefore she who loves, loves, and knows nothing else. He Himself, though by right an object of honour, is by merit an object of astonishment and of wonder: yet He loves more to be loved. Bridegroom and bride they are. What other bond or connection do you seek between spouses, besides to be loved, and to love? This tie surpasses even that which nature bound more closely, the bond of parents to children. Finally, for this reason, He says, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his bride (Matt. 19:5). You see how this

affection, in spouses, is more powerful not only than the other affections, but even than itself.

4. Add that this bridegroom is not only loving, but is love. Is He honour? Let someone contend that He is: I have not read it. But I have read that God is charity (1 John 4:16); and I have not read that He is honour, or dignity. Not that God does not wish for honour, He Who says: If I am a father, where is my honour? But that [is said as] Father. But if He should show Himself as bridegroom, I think He will change His utterance, and will say: If I am a bridegroom, where is my love? For before also He spoke thus: If I am Lord, where is my fear? (Mal. 1:6) God therefore requires to be feared as Lord, to be honoured as father, and to be loved as bridegroom. Which of these excels, which is pre-eminent? Love, surely. Without it both fear has punishment, and honour has no grace. Fear is servile so long as it is not set free by love. And honour that does not come from love is not honour, but flattery. And indeed to God alone be honour and glory: but God will accept neither of these, if they have not been seasoned with the honey of love. Love suffices of itself, it pleases of itself and for its own sake. It is itself its own merit, itself its own reward. Love requires no cause beyond itself, no fruit. Its fruit is its use. I love because I love; I love that I may love. A great thing is love, provided only that it run back to its own beginning, that, returned to its origin, poured back into its source, it ever draw from there whence it may flow unceasingly. Of all the movements, senses and affections of the soul, love alone is the one in which the creature can answer its author, even if not as an equal, or repay Him in like kind. For example, if God is angry with me, shall I be angry with Him in return? Surely not, but I shall be afraid, I shall tremble, I shall beg for pardon. So if He accuses me, He will not be accused by me in return, but will rather be justified by me. Nor, if He judges me, shall I judge Him, but I shall adore Him: and He Who saves me does not Himself seek to be saved by me, nor does He Who sets all free need in turn to be set free by anyone. If He is Lord, it behoves me to serve; if He commands, it behoves me to obey, and not in turn to require either service or compliance from the Lord. See now how otherwise it is with love. For when God loves, He wishes nothing else than to be loved: since He loves for no other end than that He may be loved, knowing that by love itself those who love Him are blessed.

5. A great thing is love; but there are degrees in it. The bride stands at the summit. For sons also love, but they think of the inheritance: and while they fear in any way to lose it, they revere more, [and] love less, the very one from whom the inheritance is awaited. Suspect to me is the love which the hope of obtaining something else seems to support. It is weak, since if perhaps the hope is withdrawn, it is either extinguished or diminished. It is impure, which desires something else also. Pure love is not mercenary. Pure love does not draw its strength from hope, nor yet does it feel the losses of distrust. This is the bride's [love], because the bride is this, whatever she is. The bride's substance and hope is love alone. In this the bride abounds, with this the bridegroom too is content. Neither does He seek anything else, nor has she anything else. Hence He is bridegroom, and she is bride. This [love] is proper to spouses, [a love] which no other attains, not even a son. Finally, to sons He cries:

Where is my honour? and He does not say, Where is my love; keeping for the bride her prerogative. So too a man is commanded to honour his father and his mother (Deut. 5:16), and of love nothing is said: not because parents are not to be loved by their children, but because many children are disposed to honour their parents rather than to love them. Granted that the honour of the king loves judgement: but the love of the bridegroom, nay rather the Bridegroom Who is Love, requires only love in return, and faithfulness. Let it be allowed, therefore, to the beloved to love in return. Why should the bride not love, and she the bride of Love? Why should Love not be loved?

6. Rightly, renouncing all other affections, she devotes herself solely and wholly to love, she who has [it in her] to answer Love itself by rendering love in return. For even when she has poured herself out wholly into love, what is this compared with the perennial outflow of that fountain? Plainly the lover and Love, the soul and the Word, the bride and the Bridegroom, the Creator and the creature, do not flow with equal abundance, any more than the thirsty man and the fountain. What then? Shall the vow of her who is to be wedded perish on this account, and be wholly made void, the longing of her who sighs, the ardour of her who loves, the confidence of her who presumes, because she is not able to run on equal terms with a giant, to contend in sweetness with honey, in gentleness with the lamb, in whiteness with the lily, in brightness with the sun, in charity with Him Who is charity? No. For although the creature loves less, because it is less, yet if it loves with its whole self, nothing is lacking where the whole is. Therefore, as I have said, so to love is to have been wedded: since she cannot so love and be little loved, so that in the consent of the two the marriage stands whole and perfect. Unless anyone should doubt that the soul is loved by the Word both first and more. Assuredly she is both anticipated in loving, and surpassed. Happy she who has deserved to be anticipated in the blessing of so great a sweetness! Happy she to whom it has been granted to experience the embrace of so great a delight! which is nothing else than love holy and chaste, love sweet and delightful; love of as great serenity as sincerity; love mutual, inmost, and strong, which joins two not in one flesh, but plainly in one spirit, [and] makes two no longer two, but one, as Paul says: He who cleaves to God is one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). And now let us rather hear her upon these things, whom both the anointing, itself a teacher, and frequent experience have easily made a teacher concerning all things. Unless perhaps we keep this better for another beginning of a sermon, lest we cramp a good matter within the narrow limits of this one, which is now almost at its end. And if you approve, I make an end even before the end, that hungry we may assemble in good time tomorrow for the delights of the holy soul, which, blessed, she is found worthy to enjoy with the Word and from the Word, her Bridegroom indeed, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is over all things God blessed for ever. Amen.