St. Bernard of Clairvaux

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Tuesday, 20 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard the clear message from the Scripture passages reminding each and every one of us that we must always be humble in all things, and we must not let the temptations of our human pride, ego, ambition, greed and all the things that often afflict us, be stumbling blocks that prevent us from reaching towards the Lord and His salvation. We should always remind ourselves that all the glory and riches of this world are ultimately fleeting in nature, and there is nothing that is in this world which will truly satisfy us, no matter what. This world itself will not last forever, and therefore, as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, we should always strive to do what is right and just according to His will, and to what He has taught us to do. We should always commit ourselves to the Lord, and put Him at the centre of our lives and existence.

In our first reading, we heard from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, in which the Lord spoke of His judgments against the great city of Tyre, which by the time of Ezekiel had been the great mother-city of the Phoenician and their vast colonial territories. The city of Tyre was located just off the mainland of what is Lebanon today, and is a great island city and fortress which was very rich and powerful, with its many trade connections and riches just as detailed in our first reading today. Its many connections to the various Phoenician colonies and cities, as well as other important trading cities and realms further strengthened its position and power as a great and rich city, powerful and mighty in all of its dealings and actions.

However, all those things tend to lead its people and leaders astray, filling them up with pride, ambition, ego and hubris by their greatness, power and glory, all the things that can lead anyone into their downfall. No matter how great or powerful anyone or anything in this world is, in the end, none of this power and glory will last forever. For Tyre itself, the Lord prophesied its downfall and destruction, through Ezekiel, which would indeed happen about two centuries or so after the Lord Himself spoke it. During the reign of Alexander the Great, Great King of Macedon and his conquest of the Persian Empire, the city of Tyre refused to surrender, thinking that it was impregnable and secure behind its walls and navy, but eventually, Tyre was conquered and destroyed, and while it would be rebuilt, it would never be as glorious as it once was. This proved again the fleeting nature of worldly power and glory.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel of St. Matthew where the Lord followed up from the moment when a young man asked Him about how he could attain eternal life. The Lord answered after the young man told Him that he had obeyed all the laws and commandments of God, that he should sell his possessions and material wealth, and then distributing them to the poor, and follow Him wholeheartedly. The young man left Him in sorrow, and this was the impetus for what the Lord mentioned at the start of the Gospel of how difficult it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. As I mentioned in yesterday’s reflection, the Lord was not asking us to sell everything that we have, or to literally abandon everything that we have in this world.

Rather, what He wants us to know is that we must not allow all these worldly things and distractions to tempt us away from the path of God’s righteousness. We must not allow all these worldly glory, fame, possessions and material wealth to lead us into obsession and attachment, which led to us losing our sight and focus on what we should be doing in our lives, that is to follow the Lord and to serve Him wholeheartedly in all things. They are means for us to put them into good use so that we may use them for the benefit of everyone around us, to help the less fortunate and all those who are not as blessed as we all are. The more we have been blessed, the more generous we should be in sharing and giving our many gifts and blessings to one another.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Bernard, also known as St. Bernard the Abbot and St. Bernard of Clairvaux. He was a great man of God, a dedicated monk and abbot, the founder of the Cistercian Order, formed from the reformation of the Benedictine order. He was also the co-founder of the renowned Knights Templar, and his many other contributions have been well-known throughout history, and are great inspirations for us all to follow, in how we ourselves live our lives as Christians. He was born into a family of high nobility in Burgundy, a region that is part of today’s France. Since his early youth, he has always had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he later on would promote his devotion to Mary throughout all of his works and missions.

St. Bernard has always wanted to become a priest, and later on, eventually he inspired many other men who followed his inspiration to join a monastic life, setting up the community of reformed Benedictines, which would eventually become the foundation of the Cistercian Order, and becoming the Abbot of Clairvaux, for which he was most well-known for. He soon had many following, and many people flocked to join his monastery, and support his endeavour, including his own father and brothers. He took part in many important events throughout the Church, supporting the Pope and others in embarking on the vigorous reforms of the Church and the Christian faith, improving the spirituality and discipline of the faithful, both those among the clergy and the laity alike.

Then, he was also remembered for his many works in opposing heresies and rooting out corrupt practices in the Church, taking part in Church councils and working on my writings, letters and documents which made his efforts and works truly influential at the time, as well as long after his passing and era. He had to face difficulties and challenges from the heretics and all those who opposed his reforms and efforts, but all these did not dampen his spirit and desire to follow the Lord faithfully and to do whatever he could to serve Him. He continued to labour hard in service to God and His people, as well as spreading the devotion to Mary, the Holy Mother of God in all of his works and missions throughout all of Christendom until the end of his life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, from the great life and examples showed to us by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, his dedication and efforts to serve the Lord, and through what we have been discussing from our Scripture passages, we should strive to live our lives worthily at all times, putting Him as the focus and centre of all of our lives and not the many distractions and temptations of worldly matters, wealth, possessions and all the other things that often distract us from the path towards God and His salvation. Let us all reorientate our lives so that we may focus them once more towards the Lord and reject the excesses of the world around us. May God be with us always and may He empower us to be ever more faithful and committed in following Him, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 20 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 19 : 23-30

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you : it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe Me : it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

On hearing this, the disciples were astonished and said, “Who, then, can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and answered, “For human beings it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter spoke up and said, “You see, we have given up everything to follow You. What, then, will there be for us?”

Jesus answered, “You, who have followed Me, listen to My words : on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on His throne in glory, you, also, will sit, on twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for My Name’s sake, they will receive a hundredfold, and be given eternal life. Many who are now first, will be last, and many who are now last, will be first.”

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Tuesday, 20 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Deuteronomy 32 : 26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab

I said I would scatter them afar and blot out their memory among humankind, but I feared the enemy’s boasting, lest the adversary misunderstand.

And say : ‘We have triumphed, the Lord has not brought this about.’ They are a senseless and undiscerning nation. Had they wisdom, they would have known.

For how could one or two men put to flight a thousand or ten thousand, unless their Rock had abandoned them, unless their Lord had given them up?

Their day of calamity is at hand, and swiftly their doom will come. The Lord will give justice to His people and have mercy on His servants.

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Tuesday, 20 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ezekiel 28 : 1-10

The word of YHVH came to me in these terms, “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre : You are very proud and self-satisfied : ‘I am a god, I sit like a god in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are man and not a god; would you hold yourself as wise as God? You consider yourself wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you. Your wisdom and know-how have earned you a fortune, gold and silver flowed to your treasury.”

“Clever in trade, you became wealthy and, as your fortune increased, your heart became prouder. But now, YHVH has spoken to you, to the one who is like God : I am bringing foreigners against you, the most feared of all the nations. Their sword will challenge your wisdom and debase your refined culture. They will bring you down to the pit and you will die in the depths of the sea.”

“Will you be able to say ‘I am a god’ when your murderers are killing you? You are a man and not a god. You will die the death of the uncircumcised and perish at the hands of aliens, for I have spoken – word of YHVH.”

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Monday, 20 August 2018 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, all of us heard from the Scriptures, first beginning with the words and actions of the prophet Ezekiel, who was sent by God to the people of Israel in exile in Babylon, as a sign and warning for them. He showed them through what the Lord had told him to do, how the Israelites have profaned the Holy Temple of God, abandoned His Covenant and disobeyed His Laws, and how this would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel alike.

The Lord has made His Covenant with Israel, promising to bless them and to love them, to protect them and to make them grow into a great nation, but with the agreement that the Israelites would obey the laws and commandments that He has placed before them, which He revealed to them through His servant Moses, and then reminded them many times through His many prophets and messengers.

Yet, the people fell into temptation and refused to obey the laws and commandments which they were supposed to keep. They were swayed by worldly pleasures, of money, of prestige, of power, of human praise, the pleasures of the body and the flesh, that they ended up falling for the traps set by the devil in their midst. They abandoned God and worshipped the pagan idols of their neighbours and followed them in their wicked deeds and lives.

In this event, we see how a people that gave in to the temptations of the world could not remain faithful to the Lord, for they were not able to give their all to God, as their attention and focus were divided and occupied by the worldly desires in their hearts. And that is how, in our Gospel passage today, we also heard of the young man who wanted to follow the Lord and having a great wealth.

In that occasion, the young man said to the Lord that he wanted to know how he could follow Him, stating that he has already followed the laws and commandments as Moses have revealed it to Israel. The young man has obeyed the laws and commandments, and yet, when the Lord asked him to leave behind everything and follow Him wholeheartedly, the young man hesitated and left in sorrow.

Through this interaction between the Lord Jesus and the young, rich man, we can see clearly how our attachments to worldly things such as money, wealth, possessions, glory and fame can prevent us from reaching out to the Lord. These are obstacles that come between us and God, and have become stumbling blocks that make us falter and fall in our journey towards God and His salvation. We must get rid of these obstacles before us.

Today, we celebrate together the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a renowned abbot and religious, a holy and devout servant of God. St. Bernard of Clairvaux founded the Cistercian order following his reform of the Benedictine monastic rules and order. He was remembered for his pious life, and his commitment in combatting heresies and falsehoods rampant in the Church and among the faithful at the time.

There were certain people within the Church who wanted to use the faith to advance their own selfish desires, and that was partly why those heretical teachings and aberrant beliefs proliferated. St. Bernard of Clairvaux dedicated his whole life to the Church, and many souls have been rescued from the precipice of downfall to hell because of his dedication and work.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we able to live our lives filled with commitment and dedication from now on, to love the Lord with all of our hearts, with all of our minds, and with all of our strength and might, that we may ever strive to be worthy of God? And let us strive to stay true to the Covenant which He has made with us all. May God be with us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 20 August 2018 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 19 : 16-22

At that time, it was then, that a young man approached Him and asked, “Master, what good work must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you ask Me about what is good? One, only, is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”

The young man said, “Which commandments?” Jesus replied, “Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honour your father and mother. And love your neighbour as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these commandments. What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you possess, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow Me.” On hearing this, the young man went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

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Monday, 20 August 2018 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Deuteronomy 32 : 18-19, 20, 21

They have disowned the Rock Who fathered them; they have forgotten the God Who gave them birth. The Lord saw this, and in His anger rejected His sons and daughters.

He said, “I will hide My face from them and see what will become of them. They are so perverse, so unfaithful!”

“They made Me jealous with their false gods and angered Me with their idols. I will, therefore, make them envious of a foolish people, I will provoke them to anger with an empty-headed nation.”

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Monday, 20 August 2018 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Ezekiel 24 : 15-24

The word of YHVH came to me in these terms, “Son of man, I am about to suddenly take from you the delight of your eyes, but you are not to lament or weep or to let your tears flow. Groan in silence and do not mourn for the dead; wear your turban, put on your sandals, do not cover your beard or eat the customary food of mourners.”

I spoke to the people in the morning and my wife died that evening. The next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people said to me : “Explain to us the meaning of your actions.” I said to them, “The word of YHVH came to me in these terms : ‘Say to Israel : I am about to profane My Sanctuary, your pride, the delight of your eyes for which you long.’”

“‘The sons and daughters you left behind will also fall by the sword, but you will do as I have done : you will not cover your beard or eat the customary food of mourners; you will keep your turbans on your heads and sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep. Instead, because of your sin, you will waste away and groan among yourselves. Ezekiel will be a sign for you. Do as he did : and when this happens, you will know that I am YHVH.’”

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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are presented with the very fact of how much the Lord loves us and how He had given us so many opportunities in this life to change our ways and repent, so that we may not be lost but we may gain eternal life and redemption through His most merciful and loving heart. This is what the essence of the parable of the workers in the vineyard is about.

God cares for all of us with all of His heart. And it is truly painful for Him to see all of us scattered and trampled to the dust in the darkness of the world. This is why He was very angry in the first reading we heard today, how the very shepherds whom He had entrusted His peoples to, had abused their power and authority, and ended up causing untold suffering for the people of God, who were manipulated, treated badly and led to the wrong paths by their leaders’ inaptitude and unfaithful nature.

What was said in this Book of the prophet Ezekiel, which happened during the time of the Babylonian exile of Israel, about over five hundred years before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, was truly fulfilled during the lifetime of Jesus, as the supposed shepherds of Israel, the Pharisees and elders, the scribes and the Sadducees, all the leaders of Israel had misused their authority and power, in order to satisfy their own desires and ambitions.

These shepherds misled the people by not doing what they had preached to the people. In essence, they became hypocrites who did differently as the words that they had spoken to the people. They cared only for themselves and not for the sake of God’s people whom they ignored and led instead to the darkness. They were expected to be role models of the faithful people of God, and yet they miserably failed God’s expectations of them.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Pharisees and the elders of Israel at Jesus’ time were obsessed with one thing, that is the security and prosperity of their own livelihoods. They did not care about any other things so long as their lives were secure and good. And they were very jealous of their power and influence, unwilling to let go their hold over the people, even if prophets would come to rebuke them. In fact, they resented even what Jesus the Saviour had done, and refused to see the truth in Christ.

The Pharisees and the elders of Israel enforced among the people of God, an extremely literal and rigid interpretation of the laws of the Lord revealed through Moses, the Mosaic laws. They were very zealous in pursuing the details of the rigid enforcement of the rules and regulations built up after centuries of interpretations of the Mosaic laws. And Jesus rightly criticised them for these, as these led the people away from the Lord.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Bernard the Abbot, also known as St. Bernard of Clairvaux. St. Bernard of Clairvaux was a truly renowned saint who was a very devout religious who lived during the Medieval era France, and he was particularly known for his efforts to combat heresy among the faithful and bring unity to the Church of God.

St. Bernard exhibited a very exemplary life and devotion to the Lord through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. And he was truly very influential among the numerous people whom he had touched with his teachings and love. St. Bernard brought many souls back on the path towards salvation and into salvation itself, not by imposing rules and laws on the people, or by acting all high and mighty, but through love and dedicated service.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux led the people of God through example, by practicing what the Lord had taught us, and he also wrote extensively and taught indiscriminately, to bring the various segments of the lost ones in the Church and beyond back to the Lord through repentance, as well as to reunite the divisions that existed in the Church of God.

St. Bernard gave us all the examples on how to live our faith in our lives meaningfully, away from all the worldly temptations and worries, which were the things that made the Pharisees and the elders of Israel such bad and wicked shepherds, to whom the Lord would no longer entrust His sheep to. The contrast between the works and life of St. Bernard and the leaders of Israel of Jesus’ time serve as a reminder for us, that in living our faith, we cannot be divided between God and this world as the Pharisees had done.

Instead, let us all follow in the footsteps of St. Bernard of Clairvaux and many other holy men and women of the Lord, who had dedicated themselves in service to God’s beloved children, all of us. Let us all help one another on our way towards the Lord that in the end, all of us may reach the Lord and be reunited to Him and His love. May God be with us all. Amen.

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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Matthew 20 : 1-16a

This story throws a light on the Kingdom of Heaven : A landowner went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay each worker the usual daily wage, and sent them to his vineyard.

He went out again at about nine in the morning, and seeing others idle in the town square, he said to them, “You also, go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is just.” So they went.

The owner went out at midday, and again at three in the afternoon, and he did the same. Finally he went out at the last working hour – the eleventh hour – and he saw others standing there. So he said to them, “Why do you stay idle the whole day?”

They answered, “Because no one has hired us.” The master said, “Go and work in my vineyard.”

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.” Those who had come to work at the eleventh hour turned up, and were each given a silver coin.

When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more. But they, too, each received a silver coin. So, on receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner. They said, “These last hardly worked an hour, yet you have treated them the same as us, who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat.”

The owner said to one of them, “Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on one silver coin per day? So take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Why are you envious when I am kind?”

So will it be : the last will be first, the first will be last.