The Second Kiss - The Kiss of the Hands

Once the fear of the Lord, that instills the need for penitence, and the hope, that the mercy of the Lord will prevail over that judgement, have been recognized, the lover of the Lord must find the means to persevere in his conversion. St. Bernard presents the gift of perseverance as “the kiss of the hands”.

from Sermon 3.3-5 The Kiss of the Hands

3. Though you have made a beginning by kissing the feet, you may not presume to rise at once by impulse to the kiss of the mouth; there is a step to be surmounted in between, an intervening kiss on the hand for which I offer the following explanation.

…  I recall that he who healed me said to me as he exercised his mercy: "Now you are well again, be sure not to sin any more, or something worse may happen to you.” Jn. 5:14   He, however, who gave me the grace to repent, must also give me the power to persevere, lest by repeating my sins I should end up by being worse than I was before.  Lk. 11:26 Woe to me then, repentant though I be, if he without whom I can do nothing should suddenly withdraw his supporting hand. I really mean nothing of myself I can achieve neither repentance nor perseverance.

4. I am now able to see what I must seek for and receive before I may hope to attain to a higher and holier state. Mt. 7:8 I do not wish to be suddenly on the heights, my desire is to advance by degrees.

….  It is a long and formidable leap from the foot to the mouth, a manner of approach that is not commendable. Consider for a moment: still tarnished as you are with the dust of sin, would you dare touch those sacred lips? Yesterday you were lifted from the mud, today you wish to encounter the glory of his face? No, his hand must be your guide to that end. First it must cleanse your stains, then it must raise you up. How raise you? By giving you the grace to dare to aspire. You wonder what this may be. I see it as the grace of the beauty of temperance and the fruits that befit repentance, the works of the religious man. These are the instruments that will lift you from the dunghill and cause your hopes to soar. On receiving such a grace then, you must kiss his hand, that is, you must give glory to his name, not to yourself. First of all you must glorify him because he has forgiven your sins, secondly because he has adorned you with virtues.

5. Once you have had this twofold experience of God's benevolence in these two kisses, you need no longer feel abashed in aspiring to a holier intimacy. Growth in grace brings expansion of confidence. You will love with greater ardor, and knock on the door with greater assurance, in order to gain what you perceive to be still wanting to you. ''The one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.”

 CISTERCIAN FATHERS SERIES: NUMBER FOUR - THE WORKS OF BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Volume Two - Song of Songs I

The Three Kisses - The First - The kiss of the feet

Thus says the Lord: The heavens are my throne, the earth, my footstool. Is.66:1

The kiss of the Feet

“However, I must not omit to speak of those spiritual feet of God to which the penitent’s first kiss, understood in a spiritual sense, ought to be directed. … it should not seem unreasonable to us to ascribe the feet to his humanity. Let us call one of these feet mercy, the other judgement. … With these very feet he finds his way into the souls of his lovers, tirelessly enlightening and searching the hearts and the loins of the faithful.” Ser 6:6-7

“Happy is the man then whose soul the Lord Jesus once sets these feet of his. There are two signs by which you may recognize such a one, for he cannot but bear upon him the imprint of these divine footsteps. These signs are fear and hope, the former presenting the imprint of judgement, the latter that of mercy. Truly, the Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, and in them that hope in his mercy, for fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, hope the growth of wisdom. … It is clearly inexpedient to kiss the one without the other; a man who thinks only of the judgement will fall into the pit of despair, another who deceitfully flatters God’s mercy gives birth to a pernicious security.” Ser.6:8

“But you know what a teacher experience is; no longer of judgement alone or mercy alone, but of mercy and judgement I will sing to you, O Lord. I shall never forget your precepts, mercy and judgement will be the theme of my songs in the house of my pilgrimage, until one day when mercy triumphs over judgement, my wretchedness will cease to smart, and my heart, silent no longer, will sing to you. It will be the end of sorrow.” Ser. 6:9

CISTERCIAN FATHERS SERIES: NUMBER FOUR - THE WORKS OF BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Volume Two - Song of Songs I

"Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth," - Song of Songs 1:2

Here follows one of the senses of the "kiss" that St Bernard preachs on. One is struck by the audacity of St. Bernard in his dismissal of the prophets, of all people, Moses. Similar sentiments are echoed in The Imitation of Christ, Book 3.2

St. Bernard's eloquence shines in this passage.

Sermon 2, Paragraph 2 on the Song of Songs

 2. The conscientious man of those days might repeat to himself: "Of what use to me the wordy effusions of the prophets? Rather let him who is the most handsome of the sons of men, 5 let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. No longer am I satisfied to listen to Moses, for he is a slow speaker and not able to speak well. Isaiah is 'a man of unclean lips, 7 Jeremiah does not know how to speak, he is a child; 8 not one of the prophets makes an impact on me with his words. But he, the one whom they proclaim, let him speak to me, ‘let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth.' I have no desire that he should approach me in their person, or address me with their words, for they are 'a watery darkness, a dense cloud';9 rather in his own person 'let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth'; let him whose presence is full of love, from whom exquisite doctrines flow in streams, let him become 'a spring inside me, welling up to eternal life.'10 Shall I not receive a richer infusion of grace from him whom the Father has anointed with the oil of gladness above all his rivals,11 provided that he will bestow on me the kiss of his mouth? For his living, active word12 is to me a kiss, not indeed an adhering of the lips that can sometimes belie a union of hearts, but an unreserved infusion of joys, a revealing of mysteries, a marvelous and indistinguishable mingling of the divine light with the enlightened mind, which, joined in truth to God, is one spirit with him.18 With good reason then I avoid trucking with visions and dreams; I want no part with parables and figures of speech; even the very beauty of the angels can only leave me wearied. For my Jesus utterly surpasses these in his majesty and splendor.14 Therefore I ask of him what I ask of neither man nor angel: that he kiss me with the kiss of his mouth.

 

7. Is 6:5.       8. Jn 1:6.         9. Ps17:12         10. Jn 4:14.     11. Ps 44:8     12 Heb 4:12 

13. 1 Cor 6:17.          14. Ps 44:5

CISTERCIAN FATHERS SERIES: NUMBER FOUR - THE WORKS OF BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Volume Two - Song of Songs I

Bernard of Clairvaux

 St. Bernard has a reputation for eloquence of his writings. Equally compelling as is the rhetoric in the quote that follows is the loftiness of the sentiment:

Sermon 1:11

"But there is that other song, by its unique dignity and sweetness, exceeds all those I have mentioned and any others there might be; hence by every right do I acclaim it as the Song of Songs

. It stands at a point where all the others culminate. Only the touch of the Spirit can inspire a song like this, and only personal experience can unfold its meaning. Let those who are versed in the mystery revel in it; let all others burn with desire rather to attain to this experience than merely to learn about it. For it is not a melody that resounds abroad but the very music of the heart, not a trilling on the lips but an inward pulsing of delight, a harmony not of voices but of wills. It is a tune you will not hear in the streets, these notes do not sound where crowds assemble; only the singer hears it and the one to whom he sings – the lover and the beloved. It is preeminently a marriage song telling of chaste souls in loving embrace, of their wills in sweet accord, of the mutual exchange of the heart's affections."

CISTERCIAN FATHERS SERIES: NUMBER FOUR - THE WORKS OF BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Volume Two - Song of Songs I

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

 Looking for some spiritual readings I came across Mystics, by William Harmless, S.J. Typical of many books on my shelf it is one of those only partially read, left unfinished due to another book capturing my all too fickle attention. Opening to a section on St. Bernard I began to read and was immediately taken by the very spiritual nature of the writings of St. Bernard, highly reminiscent of St. Augustine's Confessions.

In his Confessions St Augustine spoke to the heart of the seeker, in a way that elevated my sense of the transcendent and grew my desire for spiritual growth. St. Bernard writes in the same fashion. 

I'll be posting a series of quotes from St. Bernard's writings. Mostly from his Sermons on the Song of Songs. Here is a start from Sermon 1.2:

...there are two evils that comprise the main enemies of the soul:

a misguided love of the world and an excessive love of self. The two Books [Wisdom and Proverbs] can provide an antidote to these infections. One uproots pernicious habits of mind and body with the hoe of self-control. The other by enlightening reason quickly perceives a delusive tinge in all the world holds glorious, truly distinguishing between it and deeper truth. 

CISTERCIAN FATHERS SERIES: NUMBER FOUR - THE WORKS OF BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Volume Two - Song of Songs I

More to come .......

God’s word is an inexhaustible spring of life

 

From a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem, deacon
God’s word is an inexhaustible spring of life

Lord, who can comprehend even one of your words? We lose more of it than we grasp, like those who drink from a living spring. For God’s word offers different facets according to the capacity of the listener, and the Lord has portrayed his message in many colors, so that whoever gazes upon it can see in it what suits him. Within it he has buried manifold treasures, so that each of us might grow rich in seeking them out.

The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches. It is like that rock which was struck open in the wilderness, from which all were offered spiritual drink. As the Apostle says: They ate spiritual food and they drank spiritual drink.

And so whenever anyone discovers some part of the treasure, he should not think that he has exhausted God’s word. Instead he should feel that this is all that he was able to find of the wealth contained in it. Nor should he say that the word is weak and sterile or look down on it simply because this portion was all that he happened to find. But precisely because he could not capture it all he should give thanks for its riches.

Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring. For if you can satisfy your thirst without exhausting the spring, then when you thirst again you can drink from it once more; but if when your thirst is sated the spring is also dried up, then your victory would turn to your own harm.

Be thankful then for what you have received, and do not be saddened at all that such an abundance still remains. What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage. For what you could not take at one time because of your weakness, you will be able to grasp at another if you only persevere. So do not foolishly try to drain in one draught what cannot be consumed all at once, and do not cease out of faintheartedness from what you will be able to absorb as time goes on.

A Lenten Reflection

The author of this piece of English poetry  is unknown. The pieces of the poem below offer a flavor of its theme. Although we are now in the Easter season it is good to remind ourselves of why we are so elated. The full version can be found online.

exerpts from "The Dream of the Rood", translated by Craig Williamson

Lo, I will tell the dearest of dreams

the sweetest vision that crossed my sleep in the middle of the night

when speech-bearers lay in silent rest.

I seemed to see a wondrous tree

Lifting up in the air wound in light,

The brightest of beams.

…

I was seized with sorrow

tormented by the sight of that beautiful cross.

…

I heard the best of woods begin to speak:

“Many years ago – I still remember the day – I was cut down

at the edge of a forest, severed from my trunk,

removed from my roots.

…

Then I saw the Lord of mankind hasten to me, eager to climb up.

…

With a keen heart and firm purpose.

climbed up on the cross, the tree of shame,

bold in the eyes of many, to redeem mankind.

…

I was seized with sorrow, humbling myself to men’s hands

bowing down with bold courage.

They lifted up almighty God,

raising his body from its burden of woe.

…

A sorrow-song at evening, as they began to depart,

drained by the death of their glorious Prince.

He rested in the tomb with few friends.

But we stood by weeping, unquiet crosses,

when the cries of men had drifted off.

…

Now you have heard, my dear dreamer,

How I have endured such sorrow and strife.

The time is come for all men on earth and throughout creation

to honor me and offer me prayers to the sign of the cross.

The son of God suffered on me for a while –

Now I rise up in heaven a tower of glory,

And I can heal any man who holds me in awe.

…

Now I command you, my dear friend,

to reveal this dream to other men,

disclose to them that the tree of glory was Christ’s cross

where he suffered sorely for the sins of man

and the old deeds of Adam….”

 …

Then I prayed to the cross with an eager heart and a zealous spirit ….

…

Now my life’s great hope is to see again Christ’s cross

And honor it more keenly than other men.

The cross is my hope and my protection.

…

I live each day, longing for the time that I saw before in a wonderous dream

will come back again to carry me to the joys of heaven,

to an everlasting bliss, to the Lord’s table

where the company of Christ feasts together forever and ever,

where I can dwell in glory with the holy saints, sustained in joy.

I pry for God to be my friend, the Savior who suffered sorely

on the gallows tree for the sins of men;

who rose and redeemed us

with everlasting life and a heavenly home.

….