Blog by-the-Sea

A Monk's Letter about the House of Clairvaux

For today's feast day of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, here is a portion of a letter from a monk named Peter de Roya written about St. Bernard's abbey at Clairvaux in 1118:

"Although the house of Clairvaux is situated in a valley, its foundations are upon the holy mountains.  It is there God shows Himself wonderful, and works extraordinary things for the glory of His name; it is there the unwise recover wisdom; it is there the inward man is renewed, whilst the outward man is destroyed there the proud become humble, the rich poor, the ignorant acquire knowledge, and the darkness of sin is dissipated by the action of light; there there is but one heart and one soul among the multitude of men who are gathered from so many different countries.  They are filled with a spiritual joy, in the hope of the eternal beatitude of which they have a foretaste even in this life.  By their vigilance in prayer, their recollection, and humble attitude, may be seen how great is their fervor and the purity of soul with which they commune with God, and the intimate union they contract with Him.  The long pauses they make in the office in the middle of the night; the manner in which they recite the psalms and apply themselves to the reading of the sacred Scriptures; the profound silence they maintain when they listen to God, teaching in the depths of their heart -- all this sufficiently shows the consolation they enjoy.  But who would not admire them at their labor?  For when the whole community goes to or comes from work, they walk with simplicity and in order, like to an army in battle array, covered with the arms of humility they are bound together by the bond of peace and fraternal charity, which is joy to the angels as it is the terror of devils."

- From Abbé Ratisbonne, Saint Bernard, American Edition published in the late 19th century.  The French original dates to 1859, as far as I can tell.  Abbot Ratisbonne's book is now available in English through TAN Publications.

Photos from Paray-le-Monial

I have another album of photos from my recent trip to France, with a link in the side bar (removed from the sidebar for Lent -- see album here).  This album is from the Sacré-Coeur Basilica at Paray-le-Monial, with one photo of the adjacent Cloister Garden.  Click on a photo to enlarge it, and follow the "next" link to move from photo to photo if you wish.  Photography was not allowed in the Chapel of the Apparitions, at the nearby Convent of the Visitation, so there are no photos from there.

The official website of the shrine of Paray-le-Monial has more information.  And here is a video on the history of Paray-le-Monial:

The future belongs to mercy - Sanctuary of Paray-le-Monial
Uploaded by Sanctuaires-paray

Snow and Advent: Snow in the Writing of Bl. Hildegard of Bingen

The symbolism of snow includes purity, as in the miraculous snowfall of Our Lady of the Snows, St. Mary Major in Rome.  Yet the turbulence of a winter storm brings to mind life's turbulence, the instability of earthly life.

Bl. Hildegard of Bingen used both images in her writing, but only one of them with reference to the Incarnation.

In her foremost work Scivias, describing a vision, she wrote, "Thus you see that a splendor white as snow and translucent as crystal shines around the image of that woman from the top of her head to her throat."  Explaining that part of her vision, she wrote, "For the Church, who is the incorrupt Bride, is surrounded by apostolic teaching, which reveals the pure Incarnation of Him Who descended from Heaven into the Virgin's womb and Who is the strong and clear mirror of all the faithful."  There, the snow's whiteness is used to describe the Church's apostolic teaching, which reveals Christ's pure Incarnation through the Virgin birth.

In contrast, in one of her letters to an Abbot, she wrote, "Your mind is like a snow cloud, which rises above an airy cloud in which the sun radiates, and sometimes it is like a windy cloud that brings storms.  The snow cloud is the weariness of an unstable mind.  The airy cloud, however, indicates unsullied knowledge acquired with the patience of faith.  But the windy cloud brings the disturbance of great distress found in unquiet minds."  (Letters, Vol. II)  There, the snow cloud is used to describe instability of mind, like the instability of the weather when snow is in the forecast.

The instability of human hearts is easy to see in these days, as we watch the stock market roller coaster with each new day's glad or discouraging news.  I suppose that most people can probably relate to Hildegard's description of an unquiet mind, comparing it to a windy snow cloud.  But the snow itself she uses to describe the apostolic teaching that reveals the Incarnation to the Church.  The soft purity of a blanket of white snow on the ground easily symbolizes something different from a volatile snow cloud. 

In Hildegard's letter, the snow cloud symbolizes the unsettled mind of an individual with many things on his mind, despite the knowledge he has gained "with the patience of faith."  She saw that "airy cloud" of "unsullied knowledge" as stabilizing.  "The pure air," she told the abbot, "bestows dew, stable temperature, and rain: vegetation and flowers grow from it."  Similarly, the "splendor white as snow" symbolizes that knowledge that can bring stability to a worried mind: the Church's apostolic teaching of the pure Incarnation of Christ, born of a Virgin.

Christmas draws nearer.  The peaceful message of the birth of the blessed Babe is ever needed, especially in troubled times.

Photo Credit: Tim Haynes, also known as PigleT: A Landscape Photographer in Scotland, "Sun on Snow Clouds" from Panoramio.

All that is beneath Him does not suffice for us.

"We need to have knowledge of the littleness of creatures and to hold as nothing everything that is made, in order to love and have God that is unmade.  For this is the cause why we be not all in ease of heart and soul: that we seek here rest in those things that are so little, wherein is no rest, and know not our God that is All-mighty, All-wise, All-good.  For He is the Very Rest. God wills to be known, and it pleases Him that we rest in Him; for all that is beneath Him does not suffice for us.  And this is the cause why no soul is rested till it is made nothing as to all things that are made.  When it is willingly made nothing, for love, to have Him that is all, then is it able to receive spiritual rest."

- Dame Juliana of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love (long text), First Revelation, Chapter V, modified from John Ockerbloom's translation in Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

The word translated "nothing" here, following a modern English translation, is rendered "nought" by Ockerbloom, with a note explaining that Juliana's 14th century English is "nowtid of," and that it was rendered as "naughted" (emptied) by Julian's first editor Seranus de Cressy, whose 1670 edition still exists.  Carmelites may think of St. John of the Cross and his "nada."

Here is a link to a biographical post About Bl. Julian of Norwich.

It is enough for us to have brought his power here

This is a travel video of l'Abbaye de Fontenay, a beautiful abbey founded by St. Bernard in 1118.  Today is the memorial of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the twelfth century Mellifluous Doctor of the Church known as the last of the Church Fathers.

"He to whom there is no need to say anything knows what we desire (Wis. 7:27, Mt. 6:8).  We know that he can do everything. . . . It is enough for us to have brought his power here, to have given his holiness a reason, and we prefer to wait patiently upon his will rather than impudently to ask what he will not perhaps wish to do.  Perhaps what our deserving lacks our modesty will supply?"

- St. Bernard of Clairvaux, an excerpt from On Humility and Pride, as translated by G.R. Evans in Bernard of Clairvaux: Selected Works, Classics of Western Spirituality series.

The 800 Martyrs of Otranto

Sandro Magister today provides what he calls some Summer Reading about the 800 martyrs of Otranto, whose memorial is today.  They died on August 14, 1480, defending Italy against an invasion by the Ottoman Turks.  After conquering Constantinople, the Turks landed in Italy and attacked the easternmost city of Otranto in the course of their ambition to conquer Christian Europe.  The city's two-week resistance is seen by historians as key to defending southern Italy, allowing the city of Naples enough time to prepare for the ensuing attack.

After the Turks prevailed in Otranto, the 800 men were killed on the orders of one Ahmed because they refused to convert to Islam.  From an early manuscript with an account of the incident, one of the 800 is reported to have said:

"My brothers, until today we have fought in defense of our homeland, to save our lives, and for our earthly governors; now it is time for us to fight to save our souls for our Lord. And since he died on the cross for us, it is fitting that we should die for him, remaining firm and constant in the faith, and with this earthly death we will earn eternal life and the glory of martyrdom."

Magister comments:

"Otranto teaches us that a culturally homogeneous civilization – or even one predominantly animated by realistic principles – is capable of reacting in a substantially unified manner in defense of its own peace, and can do this without trampling upon its own identity and dignity."

French Churches Built in the 11th and 12th Centuries

Here are some videos of churches built in Western Europe during the 11th and early 12th centuries, some of them with stories of their history:

Conques Abbey

Also see the video of Saint Pierre de Moissac of the Cluniac monks here, which I cannot embed.

Vézelay, la Madeleine;

Chartres Cathedral - West Wall:
The 3 lower windows and the royal portals beneath them, shown in the next video of the west wall of Chartres Cathedral, date back to the mid- twelfth century.  The rose window above them is more recent, as is most of the present building.

Readings from St. Hildegard

Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Associate Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Shorter College in Rome, Georgia, is in a YouTube video with readings from the songs of St. Hildegard of Bingen, from Carmen's new book, Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader:

 

The Memorial of Bl. John Duns Scotus

November 7 is the memorial of the Blessed John Duns Scotus.  Here are links to a few previous posts from this blog on this 13th-14th century Blessed:

About Blessed John Duns Scotus - A biographical sketch.

Quote from Bl. John Duns Scotus on Truth.

Reflections on John Duns Scotus - Reflections on his life, the quote linked above.

About Blessed Julian of Norwich - This biographical sketch of the 14th century English anchoress mentions the possible influence of Bl. John Duns Scotus on her writings.

Quote from Bl. Julian of Norwich reminiscent of the thinking of John Duns Scotus.

In the Hail Mary, take for your foundation "Jesus"

"Her Love . . . said to her another time:

When you say the 'Our Father,' take for your foundation 'Thy will be done.'  In the 'Hail Mary' take 'Jesus'; let Him be ever fixed in your heart and He will be your guide and shield in the course of life in all your needs.  In Holy Scripture take 'Love,' with which you will ever go straightly, exactly, lightly, attentively, swiftly, enlightenedly, without error, without guide, and without the means of other creatures, since Love is sufficient for itself to do all things without fear or weariness, so that martyrdom itself appears a joy."

- St. Catherine of Genoa, The Three Rules of Love, Ch. VI, from The Life and Sayings of Saint Catherine of Genoa, anthology and commentary by Paul Garvin, Alba House, 1964.

September 15 is the memorial of St. Catherine of Genoa and is also the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  From last year, here is a biographical post "About St. Catherine of Genoa."

Women for Faith & Family has a History of the Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, together with readings and a sequence hymn in Latin and English. 

Click on photo twice to see photo full sized.

Photo credit: Simondi, Thomas E. "Our Lady of Sorrows", period piece from Mission Soledad Church, from the Mission Tour Website, http://missiontour.org/index.htm, (September 10, 2006).   Photo used with the permission of Thomas E. Simondi.