As you have already heard, the Lord Jesus, having constrained His disciples to enter into the ship, Himself went up into a mountain.1 Let us finish the account, then, of what our Lord did after the miracle of the loaves, because the history is continuous, and the events which are contained in this meditation occurred at the same time. I have, however, divided them, that they may be the better understood, and that their moral teaching may be the more clearly explained. After, then, the disciples had entered into the ship, Christ Himself went up into the mountain, and there He continued in prayer till the fourth watch of the night ; that is, until three-quarters of the night had passed, and the fourth only remained. Whence you see how long our Lord continued in prayer through the night, and it is often recorded that He thus gave Himself to prayer. Behold Him, then, how He prays and humbles Himself before the Father. He searches out solitary places, and goes alone to them ; He afflicts Himself, and keeps long watches. The faithful Shepherd intercedes for His sheep ; for He prays not for Himself, but for us, as our Advocate and Mediator with the Father. He prays, also, to give us an example of prayer. He frequently admonished His disciples about this, and in deeds confirmed His teaching. For He said to them, “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”2 And how importunity in prayer obtains what is asked, He illustrates by the example of the judge and widow, as you find in S. Luke. He exhorted them, when they prayed, to have confidence that they would obtain what they asked, saying, “Ask, and it shall be given to you,” proposing to them another example in the friend who sent the loaves to his friend, on account of the importunity with which he begged, for them, as you will also find in S. Luke.3 And this He said, to commend to us the virtue of prayer. It is, indeed, an inestimable virtue, and has power to obtain all that is good for us, and to remove all that is hurtful If you would patiently bear adversity, be a man of prayer. If you would overcome temptations and trials, be a man of prayer. If you would tread underfoot corrupt affections, be a man of prayer. If you would detect the snares of Satan and avoid them, be a man of prayer. If you would live cheerfully in the work of God, and tread onward in the path of labour and affliction, be a man of prayer. If you would give yourself to a spiritual life, and not be occupied with the desires of the flesh, be a man of prayer. If you would put to flight the swarms of vain thoughts, be a man of prayer. If you would enrich your soul with holy and good thoughts, with desires, fervent aspirations, and devotions, be a man of prayer. If you would stablish your heart with a courageous spirit and with a firm resolve to please God, be a man of prayer. In short, would you root out vices, and be filled with virtues, be a man of prayer. For therein is received the unction of the Holy Spirit, which teaches the soul all things. Would you mount even to contemplation, and enjoy the embraces of the Spouse, be a man of prayer. For to that degree of contemplation and taste of heavenly things prayer alone can conduct us. You see, then, how great is the power and virtue of prayer. In confirmation of what I have said, without adducing the many testimonies of Scripture, it will serve for a convincing proof, the fact that we daily hear and see persons illiterate and simple who have obtained those blessings of which we have spoken, and many more, by the virtue of prayer. Those all ought to lead lives of prayer who desire to imitate Christ, and particularly religious persons, who should have more leisure for this purpose. Wherefore I exhort you, and, had I the power, would mostly enjoin upon you, that you should make prayer the principal business of your life, of course after the proper duties of your state have been discharged. Let prayer be your chief delight ; for nothing else ought to delight you so much as to dwell with your Lord, which you do through prayer. But that you may enjoy the benefit of a better counsellor, hear the honeyed words which flow from S. Bernard on that subject. For he says, “Those who are in the habit of frequent prayer, know experimentally what I say. Oftentimes we approach the altar with lukewarm and dry hearts ; we apply ourselves to prayer, and persevering therein, presently grace is infused, our affections are nourished with richness, a very inundation of devotion pervades our whole being, as if the breasts were distended with such a sweetness, that it could not but overflow to- all around .”4 Again, at the beginning of Lent, S. Bernard says, “As often as I treat of prayer, certain words of human thoughts I seem to hear in my heart For how is it that, though we never cease from prayer, we seem hardly ever, any of us, to experience the fruits of prayer ? As we go to prayer, so we seem to return from it ; and no one answers us a word, no one grants us anything. But follow the judgment of faith, and not of feeling. Faith is true : but feeling, fallacious. What, then, is the truth of faith, but what the Son of God promised, saying, ‘ What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them ’?5 Let none of you, brethren, think lightly of prayer ; for I say unto you, that He to whom we pray does not so regard it. Before it has gone forth from our mouth, He orders it to be inscribed above. And one of two things we can unhesitatingly hope for, that either He will grant what we ask, or what He knows will be more useful to us. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but He has pity on our ignorance, and graciously receiving our prayer, does not grant that which would by no means be profitable for us, or at least would not be so at present. However, our prayer can never be fruitless, if we only do what the Psalmist bids us : ‘ Delight thou in the Lord, and He shall give thee thy heart’s desire.’”6 And a little afterwards, “But consider, that He calls that ‘ the desires of the heart’ which the judgment of reason approves. Nor have you cause to complain, but rather every reason to give thanks with your whole heart, that so great is the care of your God for you, that so often as you ask what is unprofitable to you, He does not grant it, but puts in its stead some better gift. As an earthly father readily gives a child bread when he asks for it ; but if he asks for a knife which the father thinks he had better not have, he does not give it him, but breaks the bread himself. Admit, then, that the desires of the heart may be summed up in these three kinds, nor can I see what else there is which the child of God ought to seek. Two, indeed, concern this present life, namely, the goods of the body, and the goods of the soul ; the third, is the blessedness of eternal life. Do not marvel that I affirm that the goods of the body are to be sought from God ; since bodily goods are as much His as goods of the soul. And, therefore, we should seek and expect to obtain from Him whatever is needful to sustain us in His service. Nevertheless, the necessities of the soul must be more frequently and more fervently prayed for ; that is, for obtaining the grace of God and the virtues of the soul. Thus, too, we must pray most earnestly and with all our hearts for eternal life, when our blessedness will be full and perfect, both of body and soul.” And again, “Let the prayer which is offered for temporal things be confined to what is necessary only. Let the prayer which is for the virtues of the soul be free from all impurity of aim, and intent upon the will of God alone. Let that which is for eternal life be offered with all humility, leaning only on the mercy of God.” 1 Again, “He who would pray aright, must observe not only the place but the time. Holy seasons are certainly the most fitting ; and especially when the profound stillness of night reigns around, then plainly prayer can be breathed forth most free and pure. ‘ Arise/ says Jeremiah, ‘cry out in the night; in the beginning of the watches ; pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord.’ a How securely in the night prayer ascends, God alone beholding, and the Holy Angel who waits to present it at the heavenly altar ! How grateful it is and bright — tinted, as it were, with the hue of bashful modesty ! How quiet and calm is it, disturbed by no noise or sound ! In short, how pure and untainted, sullied by no dust of worldly anxiety, tried by no glance of praise or breath of flattery ! Therefore was it that the spouse withdrew to her secret chamber, and at night, bashfully and prudently, to pray; that is, to seek the Word, for it is one and the same thing. Otherwise, you would not pray aright, if in prayer you sought anything besides the Word, or if you sought it not on His account ; for all things are in Him. In Him are the remedies of our wounds ; in Him, supplies for our necessities ; in Him, the repairs of our defects ; in Him, abundance for our progress ; in Him, in a word, all find whatever is needful for them to have, whatever is becoming or fit It is needless, then, to seek for anything apart from the Word, since He is all. For even these temporal things which at times we seem so familiarly to ask when there is necessity, if we ask them, as indeed is right, for the sake of the Word, we seek not so much them as the Word, on account of Whom we ask them.”7 Thus far S. Bernard. Now you have heard the most beautiful words of S. Bernard, in his highest flights of contemplation, tasting, according to his gift, the sweetness of prayer. Reflect on what he says, that you, too, may taste something of that sweetness; for it is for this purpose I gladly in this little Work insert his words from time to time, because they are not only spiritual and affective, but also full of beauty, and excite us powerfully to the service of God. For he was, indeed, most eloquent, and full of the spirit of wisdom, and eminent in sanctity. May you be drawn to imitate him, and put into practice his advice and sayings, for this is my reason for so often setting him before you.
Notes: Serm. 5 in Quad — Lam. ii. 19.
But let us return to the Lord Jesus. While, then, our Lord was praying on the mountain, the disciples were in great distress and dismay upon the sea ; for the wind was contrary to them, and the ship was tossed by the winds and waves. Behold them, then, with pity, for they are in much anxiety and distress. For the tempest raged against them, and it was night, and they were without their Lord. But in the fourth watch of the night, the Lord came down from the mountain and came near to them, walking on the sea. Behold Him, then, here as your God, and see how, wearied with long watching and long prayer, He comes down the steep and, it may be, rugged mountain, perhaps barefoot, and how He walks upon the sea with firm step as on land. Thus the creature seemed to recognize the Creator. But when He drew near to the ship, the disciples were afraid and cried out, thinking Him to be a spectre; but the gracious Lord, unwilling that they should be any longer terrified, reassured them, saying, “It is I ; be not afraid.”8 Then Peter, confident in the power of the Lord, and at His bidding, began himself to walk on the sea ; but tottering, he soon began to sink, when the Right Hand of the Lord upheld him, and kept him from sinking. On this passage the old commentary says, “The Lord bade him walk upon the sea, that he might manifest His Divine power; He permitted him to sink, lest he should be unmindful of his own weakness, lest he should feel himself to be equal with God and become proud.” But upon the Lord entering the ship the storm ceased, and all became calm. And the disciples reverently received Him, and rejoiced greatly, and remained in perfect tranquillity. Behold Him, then, attentively, and the disciples also, in the circumstances which I have related, for they are beautiful, and afford matter for devout meditation. From this deed, then, you may draw the moral consideration that our Lord acts thus with us daily in a spiritual manner; He suffers and permits His elect to be afflicted in this world, both inwardly and outwardly, for He “scourgeth every son whom He receive th.”9 # For those who are without discipline are not sons, as the Apostle says, but bastards. It is, indeed, good for us to undergo trial and affliction here, for we are thereby taught, and gain virtues, and preserve those we have already acquired, and, what is more, we lay up future and eternal rewards thereby. And, therefore, we ought not to be broken in spirit by tribulations, or become impatient, but rather to love and value them. But because the great use of afflictions is unknown to many, they deem them, therefore, hard and insupportable. That you, however, may be well instructed on this matter, and may bear them patiently, I, as usual, bring forward the words of S. Bernard as an authority. He says, ” Tribulation is useful, for it works out our probation, and leads to glory. ‘I am with him/ says the Psalmist, in trouble /10 etc. Let us, then, give thanks to the Father of mercies, Who is with us in trouble, and ‘ comforteth us in all our tribulation /11 For, I have said, tribulation is a necessary thing, and is converted into glory and changed into joy — joy, indeed, long, which no one may take from usa great joy, a full joy. Tribulation is necessary, and it is a necessity which brings us our crown. Let us not, then, despise it, brethren ; the seed is small, but great are the fruits which spring from it Perhaps it is tasteless, perhaps bitter ; perhaps it is like a grain of mustard seed. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen in it For the things which are seen are temporal, the things which are not seen are eternal .”12 And again, “* I am with him in trouble / 6 saith the Lord, and I will seek for no other merit than tribulation. ‘ It is good for me to hold me fast by God/ But not only so, but also ‘ to put my trust in the Lord God/ 6 for ‘ I will deliver him and bring him to honour; yea, I am with him in trouble. My delights/ he says, ‘are with the sons of men/13 lie came down to earth, that He might be nigh unto those who are of a contrite heart, that He might be with us in our tribulation. But there shall be a time when we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord, provided that, however, we are in the meanwhile careful to have Him with us now. It is good for me, O Lord, to be in trouble, if only Thou Thyself art with me ; rather than to reign without Thee, to feast without Thee, to glory without Thee. ‘The furnace proveth the potter’s vessels, and tribulation tries the just.14 Why do we fear? Why do we hesitate ? Why do we shrink from this furnace ? Does the fire rage ? — but the Lord is with us in tribulation. If God be with us, who can be against us ? If He wills to deliver us, who is there who shall take us out of His hand ? Lastly, if He glorify us, who shall humble us?” Again S. Bernard says, “Not only, then, in hope, but in tribulation we glory. ‘Most gladly, therefore/ says S. Paul, ‘will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ # That infirmity is to be desired which is compensated by the power of Christ, Who will grant me not only to be weak, but to faint and fail as far as myself is concerned, so that I may be strengthened by the power of the Lord of Hosts. For His ‘ strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Lastly, he says, When I am weak, then am I strong.’” 4 Again the same writer says, 4 “It is on this account that the Spouse in the Canticles calls the Beloved not a bundle, but a little bundle,15 because she regards as light everything which is done or suffered for love of Him. Truly, a little bundle ; for unto us a Litde Child 7 is born. Truly, a little bundle ; for ‘ the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For our light affliction/ he says, ‘ which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/16 That, then, shall one day be to us a huge pile of glory, which is now but a little bundle of myrrh. Is not that a little bundle, of which it is said the ‘yoke is easy and burden light’? Not, remember, that it is light in itself, for the bitterness of death is no light trial, but a severe one ; but it is light to him who loves.”17 Again, S. Bernard says on the words, “For the arrow that flieth by day,” “If we are minded to look at the whole body of the Church, we may easily observe that spiritual men are far more fiercely attacked than carnal. This truly is the work of proud and envious malice, which always assails more violently the most perfect, according to these words, ‘ His meat is choice.’18 Nay, it is, in a certain way, a dispensation of Divine Providence, that the imperfect should not be tempted above that they are able to bear, but with the temptation have a way to escape ; and that the perfect should achieve not only more glorious, but more numerous triumphs over the enemy.” And a little further on he says, “With far greater anxiety and redoubled cunning does the enemy strive to wound us on the right side than on the left, for ifis not so much the substance of the body as the life of the soul which he labours to undermine.” And again, below this, he adds, “We must direct all our resistance to those points where the pressure is most urgent, where the whole weight of the war hangs heaviest, where the entire issue of the struggle depends. Here must be decided the question, whether we shall be conquered and reduced to an ignominious slavery, or conquer and be crowned with glory and triumph.” And again, “This is the favour and mercy of God towards His servants, and His regard for His elect, that whilst He feigns for a while to be unmindful of their left wing, He always stands by and protects the right. Hence it is the prophet’s testimony, i I have set God always before me ; for He is on my right hand, therefore I shall not fall.’”19 And again S. Bernard says, “Would that Thou wert always on my right hand, good Jesus; and that Thou didst always hold me by it For I know and am certain that no adversity shall hurt me, if no iniquity reigns over me. Let me be cut and beaten on my left, attacked with violence, covered with reproach, I will willingly endure it ; if only during it I am upheld by Thee, and Thou Thyself art my defence upon my right hand.”20 Again, “It is one thing to be prompted by virtue, another to be governed by reason ; it is one thing to be ruled by virtue, another to be delighted with sweetness. For though wisdom is powerful, and virtue sweet, yet — to use words rightly — power characterizes virtue, and calmness of mind, accompanied with a certain spiritual sweetness, appertains to wisdom. This, I believe, the Apostle meant, when, after much exhortation respecting virtue, he added, that wisdom consists in sweetness in the Holy Ghost.21 To resist, therefore, to meet violence by counter violence, is that which belongs especially to virtue, is an honour, but it is also a toil. For it is not the same thing to defend your honour with labour, and to possess it in peace. It is one thing to be actuated by virtue, another to enjoy the practice of it Whatever virtue acquires by labour, wisdom enjoys ; and what wisdom enjoins and settles, virtue manages and brings to pass. ‘The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure,’ 4 says the Wise Man ; the leisure, therefore, of wisdom promotes business, and the more there is of leisure, the more opportunity there is for business in its proper sphere. On the other hand, virtue shines with a greater lustre the more it is exercised, and the proof of its excellence lies in the amount of toil it can undergo. And if any one should define wisdom to be the love of virtue, I do not think that he would be far off the mark. But where love is, labour is not, but sweetness. And perhaps the word for wisdom in Latin is derived from a word which signifies a relish, 1 implying, as a kind of quality or accidental accompaniment of virtue, a sort of sweetness which is imported into that which otherwise would be insipid or bitter. Neither should I quarrel with any one who defined wisdom a taste for good.” And further on the same writer proceeds, “Therefore it is the part of virtue to bear trials bravely ; of wisdom, to find a joy in them. To wait on the Lord 2 and be of a good courage, belongs to virtue ; to taste and see how gracious the Lord is, # appertains to wisdom. And that both may be the better known by the types of character which are produced by them; modesty of mind is a proof of wisdom ; constancy marks the man of virtue. And well is it that wisdom should come after virtue, for virtue is as it were a firm foundation, upon which wisdom builds for herself a house .” 4
Again, “Happy is the man who accepts the sufferings of his body for righteousness’ sake, and is willing to suffer all for the Son of God ; without repining in his heart, and with thanksgiving and praise upon his lips. He who thus exults, is the one who takes up his bed and goes into his house. Our bed is our body, in which before we lay languishing, serving our desires and lusts. We carry it, when we make it obey the spirit” Again, “Truly manifold is the Spirit, who in such manifold ways inspires the sons of men, that there is no one that is hidden from the heat thereof. He is given to them for use, for miracles, for salvation, for help, for solace, for fervour. For the use of life, indeed, He gives both to good and bad, to unworthy and worthy alike, all benefits abundantly, so that He hardly seems to observe any rule of discrimination. He would be ungrateful, who did not recognize in these things the benefits of the Spirit As to miracles, in signs, wonders, and various mighty works which were wrought by the hands of some, He was present It was He who worked so many miracles in days of old, and who fortifies our faith in the present by memories of the past But because to some even this is bestowed without avail to themselves, He in the third place infuses the grace of salvation, the effect of which is, that we turn with all our heart to the Lord our God. Further, the Spirit is given for help, when He22 helpeth our infirmities ’ in all our struggles. And when the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, that inspiration is for consolation. He is also given for fervour, when in the hearts of the perfect, breathing with more of vehemency, He enkindles a strong flame of charity, so that we not only rejoice in the hope of the glory of the sons of God, but also in tribulations, deeming reproach glory, disgrace joy, contempt exultation. To all of us, lest I am deceived, the Spirit is given for salvation ; but not to all for fervour. For there are but few who are filled with this Spirit, few who strive earnestly to attain spiritual excellence. We are content with our narrowness, neither do we aspire to liberty, nor ever, perhaps, desire it” 1
Notes: i.e. “Sapientia,” from “sapor.” — Ps. xxvii. 16 — Ps. xxiv. 8 — S. Bernard, Serm, de Passione Dom. in Fer., 4 Hebd. Sane.
Thus you have seen, then, with how many and beautiful reasons, and with what surpassing eloquence, S. Bernard proves to us the advantage of trials. Do not marvel, then, if the Lord permits His own disciples, whom He so greatly loved, to be tossed with tempests, seeing the advantage which they would gain thereby. For several times it is related that their boat was violently beaten by waves and contrary winds, but it was never overwhelmed by them. Learn, then, to turn to account these lessons, and so to establish and direct your heart, that in all adverse events, and oppositions of whatever kind, you may bear yourself patiently and joyfully, and so diligently walk in the path of the Spirit, that, being filled with fervour, you may even desire tribulation for the love of the Lord Jesus, who in His own case, and that of His disciples, has held and pointed out this exalted way.
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Footnotes
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S. Mark vi. 45 ; S. John vi. 15 ; S. Matt. xiv. 22. ↩
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S. Luke xviii. i. ↩
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S. Luke xi. 5. ↩
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Serm. 9 in Cant ↩
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S. Mark xi. 24. ↩
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Ps. xxxvii. 4. ↩
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Serm. 86 in Cant. ↩
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S. Matt, xvi. 27. ↩
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Heb. xii. 6. ↩
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Ps. xci. 15. * 2 Cor. i. 4. ↩
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Serm. xvii., Qui habitat. ↩
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Ps. xci. 15. 0 Ps. lxxiii. 27. ↩
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Ps. xcL l$. ↩
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Prov. viii. 31. * 2 Cor. xii. 9. ↩
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Serm. xxv. in Cant ↩
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Serm. xliii. in Cant ↩
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“ Fasciculus.” V. T “Parvulus.” Is. ix. 6. V. ↩
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2 Cor. iv. 17. ↩
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Serm. 43 in Cant ↩
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Hab. i. 16. V* ↩
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Ps. xvi. 9. ↩
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Scrm. 3 in Pent. ↩