Bernard of Clairvaux

“It was in zeal for [the Lord] that, pitying your error and your unhappiness, I was moved to interfere beyond my custom in order to save you, although you were not mine. Your serious fall and miserable case has moved me thus to presume. For whom of your contemporaries have you seen me reprimand? To whom have I ever addressed even the briefest letter? Not that I regarded them as saints, nor had nothing to blame in them…Your fellow soldiers whom you have deserted by flight are fighting and overcoming; they knock and they enter in, they seize heaven and reign while you scour the streets and squares, sitting upon your ambling courser, and clad in purple and fine linen. These are the ornaments of peace, not the weapons of war. Or do you say, Peace, and there is no peace (”http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.Ezek.13.html” \l “Ezek.13.10″ Ezekiel xiii. 10). The purple tunic does not put to flight lust, and pride, and avarice, nor does it protect against other fiery darts of the enemy. Lastly, it does not ward off from you the fever which you more fear, nor secure you from death. Where are your warlike weapons, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the breast-plate of patience? Why do you tremble? There are more with us than with our enemies. Take your arms, recover your strength while yet the combat lasts; Angels are spectators and helpers, the Lord himself is your aid and your support, who will teach your hands to war and your fingers to fight (”http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.Ps.144.html” \l “Ps.144.1″ Psalm cxliv. 1). Let us come to the help of our brothers, lest if they fight without us they vanquish without us, and without us enter into heaven; lest, last of all, when the door has been shut it be replied from within to us knocking too late, Verily I say unto you, I know you not (”http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.Matt.25.html” \l “Matt.25.12″ S. Matthew xxv. 12). Make yourself known then and seen beforehand, lest you be unknown for glory and known only for punishment. If Christ recognizes you in the strife, He will recognize you in heaven, and as He has promised, will manifest Himself to you (”http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.John.14.html” \l “John.14.21″ S. John xiv. 21). If only you by repenting and returning will show yourself such as to be able to say with confidence, Then shall I know even as also I am known (”http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bible/asv.iCor.13.html” \l “iCor.13.12″ 1 Corinthians xiii. 12).”

Reflection:
Bernard of Clairvaux cares for his former pupil Fulk so much and is so concerned to see Fulk live out his calling, that he decides to write this lengthy letter to Fulk so as to try and convince him of what the better way of living is. Therefore, Bernard encourages Fulk to remember his fellow brothers from the monastery who are actively living for the Lord with everything they have, and compare it with the relative weakness that a life in the world has to offer. To Bernard, living any other way was just a waste of time, and would ultimately wind up costing Fulk everything.

Response:
In the same way, God is calling us again to put off the worldly things of this life and join Him in the work of the Kingdom. Let’s pray that we too would be confident of the calling we have received, so that we are not caught up in the world’s desires and plans for us, but that we would willingly follow God with all of our hearts.

Source: Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, Letter XLV (circa A.D. 1120) To a Youth Named Fulk, Who Afterwards Was Archdeacon of Langres