Sermon by S. Bernard, Abbot: on S. Benedict's Birthday

Sermon by S. Bernard, Abbot: on S. Benedict's Birthday

YOU must hold fast, and honor with true delight, the most sweet name of our glorious father. Benedict. For he indeed is your Guide, your Master, and our Law-giver. May his holiness, his piety, his righteousness, be your refreshment. Blessed Benedict was a great and fruitful tree, like a tree planted by the water-side. Planted by the water-side he surely was, for he brought forth his fruit in due season. Of his fruits are those three virtues of which I spoke. holiness, piety, and righteousness. His holiness is proved by his miracles, his piety by his teaching, and his righteousness by his life.

BUT how am I to set before you his miracles? To make you desire to perform miracles? Far be it from me. Rather to stir up in you by his miracles a joyful confidence because such a shepherd has charge of you, because you have been counted worthy to have such a patron. Truly, most mighty in heaven is he, who proved so mighty here on earth, raised to a greatness of glory to match the greatness of the grace that was his. For we know that according to the roots the branches shoot forth, and we are told that a tree is adorned with just so many branches as it has roots beneath. Hence, though we perform no miracles ourselves, it is meet that we rejoice in those of our Patron.

HIS teaching instructs and guides our feet into the way of peace. His righteousness strengthens and inspires us. So, the more clearly we see that as he taught so he lived, the more are we forced to live as he taught. Good works are a speech living and active, making the spoken word more easy to hear, and the counsel more easy to practice. Thus, we are strengthened by his holiness, shaped by his piety, stablished by his righteousness. How great was the piety of him who not only aided the men of his time, but also made provision for the ages to come. Not only in its own day did this tree bear fruit, but still to-day its fruit grows and abides.

HE was clearly beloved of God and men. For not of only was his presence a benediction, like many who are beloved Of God alone, because known to God alone, but even now his memory is a benediction. Still to-day he feeds the Lord's flock by this threefold fruit, to confess threefold the love of God; by his life, his teaching, and his prayers. Wherefore, my beloved, ever aided by him, be ye also fruitful, for hereunto were ye appointed, that ye should go and bear fruit.

S. BENEDICTI, ABBATIS

Ad Officium lectionis & ad vesperas: Petrus Venerabilis

Petrus, non minus religione et morum itegritate,  quam scientia,  venerabilis – John Trithemius, Abbot of Spanheim

Inter ætérnas súperum corónas,

quas sacro partas cólimus triúmpho,

émicas celsis méritis corúscus,

  o Benedícte!

Sancta te compsit púerum senéctus,

nil sibi de te rápuit volúptas,

áruit mundi tibi flos, ad alta

  mente leváto.

Hinc fuga lapsus pátriam, paréntes

déseris, fervens némorum colónus;

inde conscríbis documénta vitæ

  pulchra beátæ.

Iam docens omnes pópulos subésse

légibus tandem placitísque Christi,

fac tuis cuncti précibus petámus

  cælica semper.

Cláritas Patri genitæque Proli,

Flámini Sancto decus atque cultus,

grátia quorum tibi tanta laudis

  glória lucet. Amen.

Among the eternal and heavenly crowns imparted, which we celebrate in holy triumph, you glitter brightly with heavenly merits, O Benedict.  The holiness of old age characterized you even as a boy, you stole nothing of pleasure, to you the flowers of the world were dried up, your soul raised on high. Hence it happened that you fled your homeland, deserted your parents, fervent for the company of none; whence you wrote the beautiful rule of a blessed life.  Which teaches  all the people to submit themselves to the great laws and to those things pleasing to Christ. Grant that by your prayers we may all ever seek heavenly things. Glory to the Father and to the begotten Son, to the Holy Spirit  honor and worship, by whose glorious grace shines forth such praise to you. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas: novus

Légifer prudens, veneránde doctor,

qui nites celsis méritis per orbem,

dénuo comple, Benedícte, mundum

  lúmine Christi.

Flóruit per te novus atque miro

géntium nexu sociátus ordo;

iúribus sacris tua vox subégit

  dúlciter omnes.

Líberos Iesu paritérque servos

régula magna statuísti alúmnos,

quos amor fotus précibus revínxit

  et labor unus.

Iamque fratérne, duce te, labórent,

mútuo certent pópuli favóre,

gáudeant pacis refovére semper

  dona beátæ.

Cláritas Patri genitæque Proli,

Flámini Sancto decus atque cultus,

grátia quorum tibi tanta laudis

  glória lucet. Amen.

Wise law-giver and venerable teacher, who shines with heavenly merits throughout the world, fill the world anew with the light of Christ. Through you a new society of nations flourished and was knit together in a wonderful order; your voice sweetly subjected all to holy laws. By the great rule you established, you nourished both free men and servants of Jesus, whom love cherished, prayers conquered, and work united. By your leading may the peoples work and strive in brotherhood and mutual favor, may they rejoice ever and cherish, the gifts of blessed peace.  Glory to the Father and to the begotten Son, to the Holy Spirit honor and worship, by whose glorious grace shines forth such praise to you. Amen.

 

Richard Rolle, The English Writings, The English Psalter and Commentary, translated, edited, and introduced by Rosamund S. Allen, Classics of Western Spirituality.

Rolle wrote two commentaries on the whole 150 psalms . . . one in Latin . . . and an English version much later. For nearly two hundred years Rolle's Psalter was the only authorized translation of the Bible into English; it did not need diocesan permission for its use. The consequent popularity of the work is attested by the twenty or so extant manuscripts

A great fullness of spiritual comfort and joy in God comes into the hearts of those who recite or devoutly intone the psalms as an act of praise to Jesus Christ. They drop sweetness in men's souls and pour delight into their thoughts and kindle their wills with the fire of love, making them hot and burning within, and beautiful and lovely in Christ's eyes. And those who persevere in their devotion he raises up to the life of meditation and, on many occasions, he exalts them to the melody and celebrations of heaven. The song of the psalms chases away devils, stirs up angels to help us; it drives out and (destroys discontent and resentment in the soul and a peace between body and soul; it brings desire of heaven and contempt for earthly things. Indeed, this radiant book is a choice song in God's presence, like a lamp brightening our life, health for a sick heart, honey to a bitter soul, a high mark of honor among spiritual people, a voicing of private virtues, which forces down the proud to humility and makes kings bow in reverence to poor men, nurturing children with gentleness. In the psalms there is such great beauty of meaning and of medicine from the words that this book is called "a garden enclosed, " a sealed fountain, a paradise full of apples. Now see: with wholesome instruction it brings agitated and tempestuous souls into a fair and peaceful way of life, now warning them to repent of sin with tears, now promising joy for the virtuous, now threatening hell for the wicked. The song which gives delight to hearts and instructs the soul has become a sound of singing: with angels whom we cannot hear we mingle words of praising, so that anyone would be right to reckon himself exiled from true life if he does not in this way experience the delightfulness of this gift of wonderful sweetness, which never grows sour with the corruptions of this world, but is everlasting in its own superlative quality, and is always increasing in the grace of purest softness. All the pleasures and delights of earthly loves vanish away and at last disappear to nothing, but the longer this gift persists, the greater it is, and is greatest of all, quite the opposite of cursed human love affairs, when love is most perfected.

14th Sunday: Gelasian Sacramentary: EF: Easter II

Deus, qui in Fílii tui humilitáte iacéntem mundum erexísti: fidélibus tuis perpétuam concéde laetítiam; ut, quos perpétuae mortis eripuísti cásibus, gáudiis fácias pérfrui sempitérnis

O God, who by the humility of your Son, raised a fallen world, grant to your faithful perpetual joy: that those whom you have rescued from servitude to sin, may enjoy eternal gladness.

St. Augustine: Low Sunday

You said: Unless I touch Him, unless I put my finger in, I shall not believe. Come touch Me. Put in your finger and be not unbelieving but believing. [Jn. 20, 26] I knew your wounds. I have kept My wounds for you. Moreover, putting in his hand certainly confirmed the faith of that disciple. For what is the fullness of faith? That Christ be believed to be not merely Man, that Christ be believed to be not only God, but that He be believed to be both Man and God—that is the fullness of faith because the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. [Jn. 1, 14]

Therefore, when the wounds and limbs of His Savior had been presented to him to be touched, the disciple touched them and exclaimed: My Lord and My God! [Jn. 20, 28] He touched a Man; he recognized God. He touched flesh; he looked upon the Word, because the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. This Word suffered His flesh to be hung upon a tree; this Word suffered His flesh to be pierced with a lance; this Word suffered His flesh to be placed in a tomb; this Word raised His flesh to life, presented it to the gaze of His disciples, offered it to be touched by their hands. They touch and they cry out: My Lord and my God! This is the Day which the Lord has made! [Ps. 117, 24]

S. THOMÆ, APOSTOLI

Ad Laudes matutinas: novus

Qui luce splendes órdinis

apostolórum máxima,

Thoma, benígnus áccipe

laudes tibi quas pángimus.

Te lúcidis in sédibus

amóre Christus cóllocat;

amóre promptus éxpetis

tu pro Magístro cómmori.

Te torquet et diléctio

narrántibus cum frátribus

vis certus esse, vísere,

palpáre Iesu vúlnera.

Quantóque cordis gáudio

ipsum misértum cónspicis,

Deúmque dicis crédulus,

fervóre adórans péctoris!

Nobísque qui non vídimus

per te fides fit ácrior,

fit æstus et poténtior

quo Christi amórem quærimus.

Christo sit omnis glória,

qui te rogánte præbeat

nobis fide ambulántibus

ipsum vidére pérpetim. Amen.

O Thomas, you who in the order of the apostles, shine with the greatest light, kindly accept the praises we sing to you. Christ in his love places you among the resplendent thrones; you compelled by love desire to die for your Master. But love also compels you, when your brothers relate the good news, to see for certain, to see and touch the wounds of Jesus. How much joy of heart you have when you see his mercy, and you believing proclaim him God and worship him with a fervent heart. For us, who do not see, through you our faith is made stronger, our fervor is made more powerful by which we seek the love of Christ. To Christ be all glory, that by your intercession he may make us walking by faith to behold him forever. Amen.

A letter of St Oliver Plunkett

The kindness and charity of your lordship are such that you have been pleased to express appreciation of my poor service in cultivating the vineyard of the Lord in this afflicted country and in corresponding with the Holy See, venerated and loved by me with a spiritual affection and reverence, as also with an earthly affection because as a good mother it nourished me for many years in Rome while I lectured there, as well as with other honours too great for my weakness to bear. God knows that I think of nothing else, day and night, than the service of souls, which is the service desired of me by the Sacred Congregation and the Holy See. Political or temporal matters have no part in my life: neither in my mind nor on my lips nor with my pen are they given any place. God knows how I laboured last year, 1670, in visiting six large dioceses, in holding a provincial council and various diocesan synods, and how I laboured this present year in the dioceses of Clogher, Down and Dromore, as well as my own.

  We are in greater fear and trembling here now. In Scotland parliament has decreed that for the future it will be a lèse-majesty to hear Mass. It seems as if the times of Nero, Domitian and Diocletian have come round again. We shall have martyrs’ blood to irrigate and fertilise the Church. These edicts do not at present include Ireland, because it is not named by the King in them, but I am sure that, as usual, we shall not be forgotten.

  Sentence of death was passed against me on the fifteenth. It has not caused me the least terror or deprived me of even a quarter of an hour’s sleep. I am as innocent of all treason as the child born yesterday. As for my character, profession and function, I did own it publicly, and that being also a motive of my death, I die most willingly. And being the first among the Irish, I shall, with God’s grace, give good example to the others not to fear death. I expect daily to be brought to the place of execution where my bowels are to be cut out and burned before my face, and then my head to be cut off. What speech I will have at my death will be sent to you. If I had obtained sufficient time to have brought my witnesses from Ireland, I think I should have defended myself as regards these romances of treason; but it was not granted to me, and I was brought to my trial destitute of all legal ways of defence.