St. Bernard: Poetry as Prose - Prose as Poetry

 At times the writings of St. Bernard can be dense with theological significance. When reading the English translations of his work there is a sense that even the translator is uncertain of the meanings St. Bernard wished to convey. At other times the prose, translated to English, flows so well one can easily appreciate its poetic qualities. One such example is in his book, The Steps of Humility and Pride, Section VIII:21*. When reading the prose it cannot be helped but to notice the lyrical and musical phrasing. 

At the risk of exposing my lack of poetic acumen, I've taken the liberty to versify a portion of this paragraph. The footnotes to the text have been omitted for clarity, but the last stanza exudes the ambiance of the Song of Songs. 

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The Son of God, the Word and Wisdom of the Father, 

Mercifully assumed to himself human reason, the first of our powers.

He found it oppressed by the flesh, Held captive by sin, blinded by ignorance.

Distracted by outward things. He raised it by his might, taught it by his wisdom,

Drew it to things interior.

 

More wonderfully still, he delegated to it His own power of Judge.

To judge is the proper act of Truth and in this it shared, 

When out of reverence for the Word to which it is joined

It became accuser, witness and judge against itself.

 

Humility had been born from the union of the Word with human reason.

Then the Holy Spirit lovingly visited the second power, the will;

He found it rotten with the infection of the flesh,

But already judged by reason.

 

Gently he cleansed it, made it burn with affection,

Made it merciful until, like a skin made pliable by oil

It would spread abroad the heavenly oil of love even to its enemies.

The union of the Holy Spirit with the human will give[s] birth to charity.

 

See how this perfect soul, its two powers, The reason and the will,

Without spot and wrinkle, the reason instructed by the Word of Truth,

The will inflamed by Truth’s Spirit; sprinkled with the hyssop of humility,

Fired with the flame of charity; cleansed from spot by humility,

smoothed of wrinkle by charity; the reason never shrinking from the truth,

the will never striving against reason.

 

And this blessed soul the Father binds to himself as his own glorious bride.  

Now reason is no longer preoccupied with itself  and the will is no longer concerned with other men;

For this blessed soul all is lost in one delight: “The King has led me into his chamber.”

She learned humility in the school of the Son; she was led by the Holy Spirit

From the school of humility to the storehouse of charity.

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*THE STEPS OF HUMILITY AND PRIDE, CISTERTIAN PUBLICATIONS INC., 1973

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Oh, how we like to have it all laid out for us. In order to (insert objective here) step one is ....

This stepwise means to attain a goal is nothing new. St. Bernard uses the method frequently.

The following is from his short book, The Steps of Humility & Pride.*

p. 34.6

There are three degrees in the perception of truth…. We must look for truth in ourselves: in our neighbors; in itself. We look for truth in ourselves when we judge ourselves;[50] in our neighbors when we have sympathy for their sufferings;[51] in itself when we contemplate it with a clean heart.[52]

p.47.19

These are the three steps of truth. We climb to the first through the toil of humility, to the second by a deep feeling of compassion, and to the third by the ecstasy of contemplation. On the first step we experience the severity of truth, on the second its tenderness, on the third its purity. Reason brings us to the first as we judge ourselves; compassion brings us to the second when we have mercy on others; on the third the purity of truth sweeps us up to the sight of things invisible.

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[50] 1 Cor 11:31   [51] 1 Cor 12:26   [52] Mt 5:7-8

*THE STEPS OF HUMILITY AND PRIDE, CISTERTIAN PUBLICATIONS INC., 1973

“The Steps of Humility and Pride” Bernard of Clairvaux

 

The text I've shown in bold below is my emphasis and it describes one of the reasons why I take such gratification in reading the works of St. Bernard. The term "Black Monks" references the Order of St. Benedict, called such because of the color of their robes.

From “The Steps of Humility and Pride” Bernard of Clairvaux, ISBN 978-0-87907-115-8

Introduction, pp. 23-24

"The reason for this popularity is within the treatise itself. As we have seen, it is rich in humor; everyone can enjoy a bit of satire. It is perhaps the work of Bernard that is easiest to read. Again, every man can find himself within it. It stoops down to the lowest sinner. But it not only stoops down, it points him toward the most sublime heights. There is hope for all.

Its attractiveness for many though, most fundamentally, lies in the fact that the author truly exemplifies what he teaches and with extraordinary literary skill conveys this effectively to the reader. The reader senses that Bernard has looked deeply into himself, knows himself and approaches the reader, his fellow man, with deep understanding and true compassion. The young Bernard has already come to love all men and in the sublime vision of man which he has seen in God he has a deeper respect and a greater appreciation for the greatness of each than most men have for themselves. As Bernard meets each on the rung of misery and pride on which he is presently lodged he does not fail to assure the poor wretch that he is not alone and that he has every reason to hope for great things. Every degree of pride has its corresponding degree of humility. If Bernard's satire is at times a bit stinging, and here we perhaps perceive some of the yet un-mellowed zeal of youth, there is such good humor in it that we can enjoy it, just as the Black Monks of his time so enjoyed the Apologia.  Although he may not naturally use Bernard's terminology every man finds within himself some of the experiences Bernard so graphically depicts. What is more, he quickly identifies his own deepest longings in Bernard's description of the goal: the freedom of truth, universal love, the experience of the Transcendent God. Bernard's straight forward assurance, his calm witness that God really cares, is personally involved in man's strivings and fulfillment is like a cool mountain breeze wafted across a placid lake into a city of feverish activity. It is immensely refreshing and offers one life and hope; it lifts eyes to the mountains and draws one out beyond the hustle to serene heights where he can perceive deeper meanings and experience true hope. Bernard very effectively communicates to his reader the invitation to glory in his infirmities for therein lies true strength and the hope of unending glory, meaning, fulfillment.

Enough has been said by way of introduction. Let the reader now proceed to the text and enjoy it to the full. For it offers him not only passing enjoyment, but, if he would have it, a way to a fuller—the fullest possible life and happiness."

M. Basil Pennington ocso

St Joseph's Abbey

Spencer, Massachusetts