Saturday, June 13, 2020

S. Bernard: Sermon 3 on the Passion: The Sacred Heart: Monastic Breviary




NOW that we have once come to the most sweet Heart of Jesus, and it is good for us to be here, let us not easily suffer ourselves to be separated from him, of whom it is written, they that depart from me shall be written in the earth. But what of those who draw near? Thou thyself hast taught us: Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Let us, then, draw near thee, we will rejoice and be glad in thee, when we remember thine Heart.   O how good and joyful a thing it is to dwell in this Heart! Moreover, I will cast away my all, I will fling away all the thoughts and affections of my own heart, and will cast all my care into the Heart of the Lord Jesus, and he shall nourish me.

TOWARD this temple, toward this Holy of holies, toward this Ark of the covenant, I will worship, and praise the name of the Lord, crying with David, thy servant hath found his heart to pray unto thee, my God. And I have found the Heart of Jesus, of my King, my brother, and my gentle friend. Shall I not, then, worship thee? y Now that I have found this Heart, thine and mine, O most sweet Jesus, I will pray unto my God: O let my prayer enter into thy presence: draw me wholly into thine Heart, O Jesus; in thy grace and in thy beauty fairer than the children of men; wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin: that, purified by thee, in purity I may draw near thee, and may be worthy to dwell in thine Heart all the days of my life, and may be able both to see and to do thy will.
             
FOR this purpose, was thy side pierced, that it might lie open for us to enter in: for this purpose was thine Heart wounded, that in it we might dwell, hidden in thee from outward disturbance. Nevertheless, it was also wounded so that through the wound that we see we might discern the invisible wound of love.

HOW could this ardent love be better shown, than by his permitting, not only his body, but his very Heart, to be wounded by the spear? The bodily wound, therefore, reveals the spiritual one. Who would not love this Heart, so wounded for us? Who would not love in return? Who would not embrace such chaste love? As for us, then, who are still held in the flesh, let us love as much as we can, let us love in return, let us embrace our wounded Love, whose hands and feet, whose side and Heart, the wicked husbandmen have pierced: let us stand waiting, until he vouchsafe to bind with the bond of his love and pierce with the spear of that love, this heart of ours that is still so hard and unrepentant.

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