Feast of St Gabriel Archangel

"Consider that this Angel was not one of lesser rank, even though such are, on one account or another, often sent on embassies to this earth.  That he was an Angel of greater rank is indicated by his name which signifieth: Strength of God : and by the fact that he was sent, not by some Angel perhaps more excellent than he (as is usual), but from God himself.  Therefore for this reason it is said: From God.  Or, it might be for another reason, namely, lest it should be thought that God had discourteously revealed his counsel to any of the blessed spirits, except only the Archangel Gabriel, before he did so to the Virgin.  For Gabriel alone was found so eminent among his compeers as to be held worthy both of such a name and message.


Neither do his name and his message disagree.  For whom did it more behove to announce Christ, who is the Power of God, than him who is honoured by a like name?  For what else is power than strength?  Neither doth it appear to be unbecoming or unseemly that the Lord and his messenger should be known by a like title.  Christ is called the power or strength of God in a very different sense from that in which this appellation is given to the Angel.  In the Angel it is but a name.  In the case of Christ, it is also an eternal attribute."

-- From a homily by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Call upon Mary

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for (your) guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; So long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal."


-- St Bernard of Clairvaux

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

"When the Holy Ghost maketh the Bride to say unto the Bridegroom: Thy Name is as ointment poured forth : he likeneth that Name to the oil of anointing; and his figure of speech is not an idle one. For, verily, oil giveth illumination, nourishment, and unction, in that it doth burn as fire, doth feed the flesh, and doth soothe pain. Thus, as oil is unto us as light, food, and healing, so also is the Name of the Bridegroom. For to preach the Name of Jesus, is to give light; to think on it, is to feed the soul; to call on it, is to win grace and unction. Let us consider this point by point. First, as to illumination, what (thinkest thou) hath made the light of the Faith so suddenly and so brightly to shine throughout the whole world but the preaching of the Name of Jesus? Is it not by the light of this Name that God hath called us into his own marvellous light? For in the light thereof we are enlightened; and in his light we do see the light, of which Paul speaketh, when he so truly saith of us: Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.

This is the Name which the Apostle was commanded to bear before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, the Name which he bore as a light to enlighten his people, crying everywhere: The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light; let us walk honestly as in the day. To all men he pointed out this Name as a candle set upon a candlestick, preaching in every place Jesus and him crucified. Yea, that Name shone forth and dazzled every eye that beheld it. Did it not come like lightning out of the mouth of Peter to give bodily strength to the feet of the lame man, and to clear the sight of many a blind soul? Cast he not fire when he said: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk?

Secondly, the Name of Jesus is not a Name of light only, but is our meat also. Dost thou ever call it to mind, and remain unstrengthened? Is there anything like it to enrich the soul of him that thinketh on it? What is there like it to restore the fagged senses, to fortify strength, to give nurture unto good lives and pure affections? The soul is fed on husks if that whereon it feedeth lack seasoning with this Name, which is the very salt of the earth. If thou writest, thou hast no meaning for me except I read of Jesus there. If thou dost preach, or dispute, thou hast no meaning for me except I hear of Jesus there. The mention of Jesus is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, and gladness in the heart. So far we have been concerned with the Name of Jesus as our spiritual food: now thirdly, let us mention the same as the medicine of our healing. Is any sorrowful among us? Let the thought of Jesus come into his heart, and spring into his mouth. Behold, when the day of that Name beginneth to break, every cloud will flee away, and there will be a great calm. Doth any fall into sin? Doth any draw nigh to a hopeless death? And if he do but call on the life-giving Name of Jesus, will he not draw the breath of a new life again?"

-- From a Sermon by St Bernard the Abbot

Advent: a great mystery is hidden therein

"Do you, therefore, to whom as to little ones God has revealed things hidden from the wise and prudent, turn your thoughts with earnestness to those that are truly desirable, and diligently meditate on this coming of our Lord. Consider Who He is that comes, whence He comes, to whom He comes, for what end He comes, when He comes, and in what manner He comes. This is undoubtedly a most useful and praiseworthy curiosity, for the Church would not so devoutly celebrate the season of Advent if there were not some great mystery hidden therein.

Wherefore, in the first place, let us with the Apostle consider in astonishment and admiration how great He is Who comes. According to the testimony of Gabriel, He is the Son of the Most High, and consequently a coequal with Him. Nor is it lawful to think that the Son of God is other than coequal with His Father. He is coequal in majesty; He is coequal in dignity. Who will deny that the sons of princes are princes, and the sons of kings kings?

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For what end must we believe that He came? This question is the next in order to be examined ; nor will the search demand much labour, for the end and purpose of His coming is proclaimed by His words and His works. To seek after the one sheep of the hundred that had strayed He hastened from the mountains. For our sake He came down from heaven, that His mercies and His wonders might be openly proclaimed to the children of men.

O wonderful condescension of God in this search! O wonderful dignity of man who is thus sought! If he should wish to glory in this dignity, it would not be imputed to him as folly. Not that he need think anything of himself, but let him rejoice that He Who made him should set so high a value on him. For all the riches and glory of the world, all that is desirable therein, is far below this glory nay, can bear no comparison with it. " Lord, what is man that thou should magnify him? and why settest thou thy heart upon him?""

-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

"The Martyrdom of the Virgin is set before us, not only in the prophecy of Simeon, but also in the story itself of the Lord's Passion.  The holy old man said of the Child Jesus: Behold, this Child is set for the fall and the rising again of many  in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea (said he unto Mary), a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also.  Even so, O Blessed Mother!  The sword did indeed pierce through thy soul! for nought could pierce the Body of thy Son, nor pierce thy soul likewise.  Yea, and when this Jesus of thine had given up the ghost, and the bloody spear could torture him no more, thy soul winced as it pierced his dead side―his own Soul might leave him, but thine could not.

The sword of sorrow pierced through thy soul, so that we may truly call thee more than martyr, in whom the love, that made thee suffer along with thy Son, wrung thy heart more bitterly than any pang of bodily pain could do.  Did not that word of his indeed pierce through thy soul, sharper than any two-edged sword, even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit: Woman, behold thy son!  O what a change to thee!  Thou art given John for Jesus, the servant for his Lord, the disciple for his Master, the son of Zebedee for the Son of God, a mere man for Very God.  O how keenly must the hearing of those words have pierced through thy most loving soul, when even our hearts, stony, iron, as they are, are wrung at the memory thereof only!

Marvel not, my brethren, that Mary should be called a Martyr in spirit.  He indeed may marvel who remembereth not what Paul saith, naming the greater sins of the Gentiles, that they were without natural affection.  Far other were the bowels of Mary, and far other may those of her servants be!  But some man perchance will say: Did she not hope that he was soon to rise again?  Yea, she most faithfully hoped it.  And did she still mourn because he was crucified?  Yea, bitterly.  But who art thou, my brother, or whence hast thou such wisdom, to marvel less that the Son of Mary suffered than that Mary suffered with him?  He could die in the Body, and could not she die with him in her heart?  His was the deed of that Love, greater than which hath no man, her's, of a love, like to which hath no man, save he."

-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Solemnity of St Joseph

"Who and what manner of man this blessed Joseph was, we may conjecture from that title which the providential ordering of God bestowed upon him.  He was chosen to the honour of being called, and of being supposed to be, the father of God.  What he was we may also conjecture from the very name Joseph, which is to be interpreted as Increase.  Wherefore let us liken him to that great man after whom he was named, the Patriarch Joseph.  This latter sojourned in Egypt, even as he did.  From this latter he not only inherited a name, but an example of chastity which he more than equalled, so that he was like unto the Patriarch Joseph in grace and innocence. If the Patriarch Joseph (sold by his brethren through envy, and forced into servitude in Egypt) was a type of Christ sold by his brethren and handed over to the Gentiles, the other Joseph (forced through the envy of Herod to flee into Egypt) did in actual fact bring Christ amongst the Egyptian Gentiles.  The first Joseph (keeping faith with his lord) would not carnally know his lord's lady.  The second Joseph (spiritually knowing the Lady who was the Mother of his Lord to be virgin) kept faithfully virgin toward her.  To the first Joseph was given to know dark things in the interpretation of dreams.  To the second Joseph was given in sleep to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

The first Joseph laid by bread, not for himself only, but for all the people.  The second Joseph received into his keeping the Living Bread which came down from heaven, and he kept the same, not for himself only, but for all the world.  Without doubt, good and faithful was this Joseph who espoused the Mother of the Saviour.  Yea, I say unto you, he is that faithful and wise servant whom the Lord hath made ruler over his Household.  For the Lord appointed him to be the comfort of his Mother, the keeper of his own body, and, in a word, the chief and most trusty helper on earth in carrying out the eternal counsels."

-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

** Painting by Guido Reni

Let your passion die within

“It is not enough, I say, to guard one’s tongue from these and similar kinds of nastiness [public insult and abuse, venomous slander in secret]; even slight offenses must be avoided, if anything may be termed slight that is directed against a brother for the purpose of hurting him, since merely to be angry with one’s brother makes one liable to the judgment of God.

So when an offence is committed against you, a thing hard to avoid at times…, do not immediately rush, as a worldly person may do, to retaliate dishonorably against your brother; nor, under the guise of administering correction, should you dare to pierce with sharp and searing words one for whom Christ was pleased to be crucified; nor make grunting, resentful noises at him, nor mutter and murmur complaints, nor adopt a sneering air, nor indulge the loud laugh of contempt, nor knit the brow in menacing anger. Let your passion die within, where it was born; a carrier of death, it must be allowed no exit or it will cause destruction, and then you can say with the Prophet: ‘I was troubled and I spoke not.’”

-- On the Song of Songs by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Jesus

"O Loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy Flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other Wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.
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It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked Our Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and Our Lord answered: 'I had on My Shoulder, while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound, which was more painful than the others and which is not recorded by men. Honor this Wound with thy devotion and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through Its virtue and merit. And in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins and will no longer remember their mortal sins.'"


Imprimatur: Bishop Thomas D. Beaven, Springfield, MA

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

"The sweet Name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. All spiritual food leaves the soul dry, if it contain not that penetrating oil, the Name Jesus. When you take your pen, write the Name Jesus: if you write books, let the Name of Jesus be contained in them, else they will possess no charm or attraction for me; you may speak, or you may reply, but if the Name of Jesus sounds not from your lips, you are without unction and without charm. Jesus is honey in our mouth, light in our eyes, a flame in our heart. This name is the cure for all diseases of the soul. Are you troubled? think but of Jesus, speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds disperse, and peace descends anew from heaven. Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus, and you will soon feel life returning. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name; there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name. Are you surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus, and your fears will vanish.

Never yet was human being in urgent need, and on the point of perishing, who invoked this help-giving Name, and was not powerfully sustained. It was given us for the cure of all our ills; to soften the impetuosity of anger, to quench the fire of concupiscence, to conquer pride, to mitigate the pain of our wounds, to overcome the thirst of avarice, to quiet sensual passions, and the desires of low pleasures. If we call to our minds the Name of Jesus, it brings before us His most meek and humble heart, and gives us a new knowledge of His most loving and tender compassion. The Name of Jesus is the purest, and holiest, the noblest and most indulgent of names, the Name of all blessings and of all virtues; it is the Name of the God-Man, of sanctity itself. To think of Jesus is to think of the great, infinite God Who, having given us His life as an example, has also bestowed the necessary understanding, energy and assistance to enable us to follow and imitate Him, in our thoughts, inclinations, words and actions. If the Name of Jesus reaches the depths of our heart, it leaves heavenly virtue there. We say, therefore, with our great master, St. Paul the Apostle: If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema."
 
-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux 
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** Note: Many dioceses observe the Epiphany today. In my diocese, and those following the traditional (1962) liturgical calendar, we observe the Epiphany on 6 January.

It is delightful to contemplate the manner of His visible coming

"It is delightful to contemplate the manner of His visible coming, for His "ways are beautiful, and all his paths are peace/ 2 "Behold," says the Spouse of the Canticles, "he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills." 3 You see Him coming, O beautiful one, but His previous lying down you could not see, for you said : " Shew me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou liest/ 4 He lay feeding His angels in His endless eternity with the vision of His glorious, unchanging beauty. But know, O beautiful one, that that vision is become wonderful to thee ; it is high, and thou canst not reach it. Nevertheless, behold He hath gone forth from His holy place, and He that had lain feeding His angels hath undertaken to heal us. We shall see Him coming as our food, Whom we were not able to behold while He was feeding His angels in His repose. " Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills." The mountains and hills we may consider to be the Patriarchs and the Prophets, and we may see His leaping and skipping in the book of His genealogy. " Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob," etc. From the mountains came forth the root of Jesse, as you will find from the Prophet Isaias : "There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him." The same prophet speaks yet more plainly : "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God with us." He Who is first styled a flower is afterwards called Emmanuel, and in the rod is named the virgin.""
 
-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Participate always in the divine praises correctly and vigorously

“…I exhort you to participate always in the divine praises correctly and vigorously: vigorously, that you may stand before God with as much zest as reverence, not sluggish, not drowsy, not yawning, not sparing your voices, not leaving words half-said or skipping them, not… in a weak and broken tone, but pronouncing the words of the Holy Spirit with… resonance and affection; and correctly…”

-- On the Song of Songs by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Solemnity of All Saints

"Why should our praise and glorification, or even the celebration of this feast day mean anything to the saints? What do they care about earthly honors when their heavenly Father honors them by fulfilling the faithful promise of the Son? What does our commendation mean to them? The saints have no need of honor from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them. But I tell you, when I think of them, I feel myself inflamed by a tremendous yearning.

Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself. We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets, the council of apostles, the great host of martyrs, the noble company of confessors and the Choir of virgins.

In short, we long to be united in happiness with all the saints. But our dispositions change. The Church of all the first followers of Christ awaits us, but we do nothing about it. The saints want us to be with them, and we are indifferent. The souls of the just await us, and we ignore them.

Come, brothers, let us at length spur ourselves on. We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world which is above and set our mind on the things of heaven. Let us long for those who are longing for us, hasten to those who are waiting for us, and ask those who look for our coming to intercede for us. We should not only want to be with the saints, we should also hope to possess their happiness. While we desire to be in their company, we must also earnestly seek to share in their glory. Do not imagine that there is anything harmful in such an ambition as this; there is no danger in setting our hearts on such glory.

When we commemorate the saints we are inflamed with another yearning: that Christ our life may also appear to us as he appeared to them and that we may one day share in his glory. Until then we see him, not as he is, but as he became for our sake. He is our head, crowned, not with glory, but with the thorns of our sins. As members of that head, crowned with thorns, we should be ashamed to live in luxury; his purple robes are a mockery rather than an honor. When Christ comes again, his death shall no longer be proclaimed, and we shall know that we also have died, and that our life is hidden with him. The glorious Head of the Church will appear and his glorified members will shine in splendor with him, when he forms this lowly body anew into such glory as belongs to himself, its head.

Therefore, we should aim at attaining this glory with a wholehearted and prudent desire. That we may rightly hope and strive for such blessedness, we must above all seek the prayers of the saints. Thus, what is beyond our own powers to obtain will be granted through their intercession."

-- St Bernard of Clairvaux

Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

Today we celebreate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. This devotion has been practised since at least the middle of the 14th century and commemorates the following sorrowful events in the life of Our Lady and Christ:

1. The prophecy of Simeon (Lk 2:34-35);

2. The Flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13-21);

3. The Loss of Jesus for Three Days (Lk 2:41-50);

4. The Ascent to Calvary (Jn 19:17);

5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (Jn 19:18-30);

6. Jesus Taken Down from the Cross (Jn 19:39-40);

7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb (Jn 19:39-42).

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"In the first rank is the Virgin Mary, full of grace, the Mother of the Savior. She, accepting the announcement from on high, the Servant of the Lord, Spouse of the Spirit and Mother of the Eternal Son, manifests her joy before her cousin Elizabeth who celebrates her faith: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...henceforth all generations will call me blessed." She has grasped, better than all other creatures, that God accomplishes wonderful things: His name is holy, He shows His mercy, He raises up the humble, He is faithful to His promises. Not that the apparent course of her life in any way departs from the ordinary, but she meditates on the least signs of God, pondering them in her heart. Not that she is in any way spared sufferings: she stands, the mother of sorrows, at the foot of the cross, associated in an eminent way with the sacrifice of the innocent Servant. But she is also open in an unlimited degree to the joy of the resurrection; and she is also taken up, body and soul, into the glory of heaven. The first of the redeemed, immaculate from the moment of her conception, the incomparable dwelling-place of the Spirit, the pure abode of the Redeemer of mankind, she is at the same time the beloved Daughter of God and, in Christ, the Mother of all. She is the perfect model of the Church both on earth and in glory. What a marvelous echo the prophetic words about the new Jerusalem find in her wonderful existence as the Virgin of Israel: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garment of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."(48) With Christ, she sums up in herself all joys; she lives the perfect joy promised to the Church: Mater plena sanctae laetitiae. And it is with good reason that her children on earth, turning to her who is the mother of hope and of grace, invoke her as the cause of their joy: Causa nostrae laetitiae."

-- Gaudete in Domino by Pope Paul VI

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"[On] the feast of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, I thought it was a little like your own feast, my dear little Mama, so I prayed for you with fervor! You did feel that, didn't you? I placed your soul in that of Our Lady of Sorrows and asked her to console you. At the back of the cloister we have a statue of the Mater Dolorosa, to whom I have a great devotion. Every night I go to speak to her of you; tonight I said my little word to her before coming up to write you. I love those tears of the Virgin so much, I unite them to those my poor Mama sheds when thinking of her Elisabeth. Oh, you see, if you could read my soul, if you saw all the happiness I enjoy in Carmel, happiness so profound that I understand better each day, happiness that God alone knows! Ah! what a beautiful part He has given to His poor little one! If for one instant you could see all that, oh! my little Mama, you would have to rejoice. Since I had to have your 'fiat' to enter this corner of Heaven, thank you again for having pronounced it so courageously. If you knew how God loves you! and how your daughter cherishes you more than ever!"

-- I Have Found God: Complete Works [of] Elizabeth of the Trinity, vol 2

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"Truly, O blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart. For only by passing through your heart could the sword enter the flesh of your Son. Indeed, after your Jesus - who belongs to everyone, but is especially yours - gave up his life, the cruel spear, which was not withheld from his lifeless body, tore open his side. Clearly it did not touch his soul and could not harm him, but it did pierce your heart. For surely his soul was no longer there, but yours could not be torn away. Thus the violence of sorrow has cut through your heart, and we rightly call you more than martyr, since the effect of compassion in you has gone beyond the endurance of physical suffering.

Or were those words, Woman, behold your Son, not more than a word to you, truly piercing your heart, cutting through to the division between soul and spirit? What an exchange! John is given to you in place of Jesus, the servant in place of the Lord, the disciple in place of the master; the son of Zebedee replaces the Son of God, a mere man replaces God himself. How could these words not pierce your most loving heart, when the mere remembrance of them breaks ours, hearts of iron and stone though they are!

Do not be surprised, brothers, that Mary is said to be a martyr in spirit. Let him be surprised who does not remember the words of Paul, that one of the greatest crimes of the Gentiles was that they were without love. That was far from the heart of Mary; let it be far from her servants.

Perhaps someone will say: “Had she not known before that he would not die?” Undoubtedly. “Did she not expect him to rise again at once?” Surely. “And still she grieved over her crucified Son?” Intensely. Who are you and what is the source of your wisdom that you are more surprised at the compassion of Mary than at the passion of Mary’s Son? For if he could die in body, could she not die with him in spirit? He died in body through a love greater than anyone had known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since his."

-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary

"'And the Virgin's name was Mary.' Let us say a few things about this name which, when interpreted, is called 'star of the sea,' and is admirably suitable to the Virgin Mother. She is, in fact,  very appropriately compared to a star without any loss to itself shoots forth its ray, so the Virgin, too, without injury to her virginity gave birth to her Son. And as the ray from the star does not diminish its brilliance, neither did the Son lessen the integrity of His Mother.
  She is, then, that noble star sprung forth from Jacob, whose ray brightens the whole world, whose splendors both shine in heaven and penetrate into hell; spreading, likewise, over the earth and  warming both minds and bodies, it fosters virtue, and purifies from vice. She, I say, is a glorious and most wonderful star, of necessity raised above this great and broad sea, glittering with her merit, and giving light by her example.
  O you, who realize that in the rushing tide of this world you are bobbing about amid storms and tempests rather than walking on land, turn not your eyes away from the light of this star if you  do not wish to be lost in the storm. If the winds of temptations blow up, if you are running over mountains of tribulations, look up to this star; call on Mary! If you are being tossed about on the waves of pride, of ambition, of detraction, of envy, look up to this star; call on Mary! If wrath or avarice or the snare of the flesh shall strike against the ship of the mind, look up to Mary! If, when overwhelmed by the immensity of your crimes, when ashamed by the ugliness of your conscience, when frightened by horror for the Judgment, you begin to sink into the depths of sorrow, into the abyss of despair, think of Mary!
 In dangers, in trials, in matters of doubt, think of Mary; call on Mary! let her not depart from your mouth; let her not leave your heart, and, that you may gain the help of her prayer, do not forsake the example of her life. In following her, you will not stray; praying to her, you will not despair; when thinking of her, you will not be in error. If she holds you, you will not fall; in her protection, you will have no fear; with her as your leader, you will not faint in the way; through her kindness, you will arrive at port; and then you will realize yourself how deservedly it was declared: 'And the Virgin's name was Mary.'

-- From a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

He has given his angels charge over you to guard you

"He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways. Let them thank the Lord for his mercy; his wonderful works are for the children of men. Let them give thanks and say among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them. O Lord, what is man that you have made yourself known to him, or why do you incline your heart to him? And you do incline your heart to him; you show him your care and your concern. Finally, you send your only Son and the grace of your Spirit, and promise him a vision of your countenance. And so, that nothing in heaven should be wanting in your concern for us, you send those blessed spirits to serve us, assigning them as our guardians and our teachers.

He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways. These words should fill you with respect, inspire devotion and instil confidence; respect for the presence of angels, devotion because of their loving service, and confidence because of their protection. And so the angels are here; they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf. They are here to protect you and to serve you. But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our great need.

So let us be devoted and grateful to such great protectors; let us return their love and honour them as much as we can and should. Yet all our love and honor must go to him, for it is from him that they receive all that makes them worthy of our love and respect.

We should then, my brothers, show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our co-heirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father. We are God’s children although it does not seem so, because we are still but small children under guardians and trustees, and for the present little better than slaves.

Even though we are children and have a long, a very long and dangerous way to go, with such protectors what have we to fear? They who keep us in all our ways cannot be overpowered or led astray, much less lead us astray. They are loyal, prudent, powerful. Why then are we afraid? We have only to follow them, stay close to them, and we shall dwell under the protection of God’s heaven."

--Excerpt from Sermo 12 in psalmum Qui habitat, 3. 6-8 by St Bernard of Clairvaux

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St Bernard, known as the "Mellifluos Doctor" because of his eloquence.

Depend upon the star, call upon Mary

"Let us say a few words on this name, Stella Maris, which means star of the sea, and which is appropriately accorded to the Virgin Mother. Fittingly is she compared to the stars, since just as a star gives light without burning itself out, so the virgin gave birth to her son without stain to herself. As a star’s light does not lessen its own brightness, so neither does the Son lessen the Virgin’s wholeness. She is therefore that noble star rising from Jacob which casts light over the whole world; whose splendour sines to the heavens and reaches down into the deep; which crosses the earth, warming spirits rather than bodies; fostering goodness and purging sins.

And so I say that she is that bright and distinguished star to be raised above this vast ocean, sparkling with merit, shining with character. Whoever you may be, grasp that, as this age runs it’s course, you are tossed on the waves by gales and storms more than you walk upon dry land; do not turn your eyes from the beam of this star if you do not wish to be swamped by the storm! If the winds of temptation engulf you, if you are running onto the rocks of adversity, depend upon the star, call upon Mary. If you are thrown about on the waves of pride or ambition, speaking ill of others or jealousy, depend upon the star, call upon Mary. If anger or greed or the cares of the flesh batter your soul’s boat, depend upon Mary. If you are unsettled by the hideousness of your sins, troubled by a bad conscience, terrified by the horror of the final judgment; if you are beginning to be dragged down into the pit of sadness, into the abyss of despair, reflect upon Mary. In danger, in distress, in doubt, reflect upon Mary, call upon Mary. Let her not leave your lips, let her not leave your heart and do not abandon your dealings with her if you wish to gain the object of your prayer.

Following her, you will not stray; praying to her, you will not despair; reflecting upon her, you will not go wrong. With her taking your hand, you will not fall down; with her protecting you, you will not fear; with her leading you, you will not grow weary; with her favour, you will accomplish; and thus you will learn for yourself how truly it is said: And the Virgin’s name was Mary.

But now, having paused for a moment, let us all who are passing through this life gaze upon the brightness of such a light. For in the words of the Apostle, It is good for us to be here, and it is pleasing to contemplate in silence that which many words fail to explain."

-- In praise of the Virgin Mary by St Bernard of Clairvaux