Bernard's Day

Bernard

I had a cousin from my mother’s side of the family, named Bernard. He was born two days before my mother, his aunt, in 1912. He married my aunt Mildred from my father’s side. One day when I went to visit their son, Monte, who was both a first cousin and second cousin, depending on which branch of the family tree you were swinging, my aunt Mildred said, “Monte, I hope you grow up sometime, because your father never will.” That pretty well described my cousin Bernard or “Cy,” as he was known. With good reason we much younger cousins enjoyed being around him.

The Bernard the church remembers today is not my cousin, at least that I know of, and he died in 1153. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux was a man of great spiritual depth. He was born in 1090 to an affluent Burgundy family. At age 22 he entered the monastery at Citeaux and two years later started a new monastery at Clairvaux. He was known for his charity work and political ability. But his preaching and hymn writing are what make him particularly memorable.

Two hymns in LSB are attributed to him, “O Jesus King Most Wonderful” and “O Sacred Head Now Wounded,” are attributed to him. ”Jesus, the very thought of Thee,” possibly another of his hymns is found in TLH.

He devoted much of his writing to the humanity of Christ. His sermon on the Song of Solomon treats that Old Testament book as an allegory of Christ’s love for humanity. (Personally, I think Song of Solomon is about what it is about.)

This coming Sunday I’m preaching on Ephesians 5:7-14.

Two stanzas of “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful” are fitting for this text.

When once You visit darkened hearts,

Then truth begins to shine,

Then earthly vanity departs,

Then kindles love divine.

O Jesus light of all below,

The fount of life and fire,

Surpassing all the joys we know,

All that we can desire.