Sermon for the Feast of the Blessed Humbert.*: December 7th

“ Having food and wherewith to be covered, with these he was content.”’—1 Tim. vi. 8

My brethren, Humbert, the servant of the Lord, is dead: he is dead, the Lord’s devoted and faithful servant. You saw yourselves how he expired in my arms last night, like “‘a tender little worm of the wood” (2 Kings xxiii. 8). For three days he struggled with death, which held him, so to speak, between its jaws to gorge itself with the blood for which it thirsted. Well, it has done its worst against him. It has killed his body which now lies buried “in the heart of the earth” (Matt. xii. 40). It has deprived me of a dear friend, a prudent counsellor, a strong supporter. The insatiable homicide has spared neither me nor you, but me less than you. ‘‘ Doth bitter death separate in this manner?” (1 Kings xv. 32). O most cruel beast ! O “ bitterness most bitter ” (Is. xxxviii. 17)! O thou source of terror and horror to the children of Adam !

Tell me, what hast thou done? “ Thou hast slain, moreover also thou hast taken possession ” (3 Kings xxi. I). Yes, but what hast thou slain? Only the body : for thou hadst no power to hurt the soul. She has taken flight to her Creator, to the Same Whom she sighed for so ardently and sought after so courageously all the days of her earthly existence. What is more: even the very body which thou seemest to possess shall be taken from thee, when thou, “ the enemy death, shalt be destroyed last of all” (x Cor. xv. 26) and “swallowed up in victory” (ibid. 54). Yes, the time will come when thou shalt restore that body, which yesterday thou didst cover with clammy perspiration and all the other horrid heralds of thy advent, rejoicing and exulting because thou hadst caught another poor mortal in the meshes of thy net. The Only-Begotten of the Father will come “ with great power and majesty ” (Luke xxi. 27) to seek Humbert and to render that now lifeless body “ like to the Body of His glory ” (Phil. iii. 21). And what shall be thy fate? Doubtless that which is written in the Prophet Jeremias : “ In thy latter end thou shalt be a fool” (Jer. xvii. 11) ; whilst Humbert shall live for evermore thou shalt die eternally. As the whale vomited forth the Prophet whom it had swallowed down (Jonah ii. rz) so shalt thou give up Humbert who is now engulfed in thy voracious maw.

For the rest, my brethren, this servant of God, by the example he gave, preached to you a very long and a very sublime sermon on all that relates to sanctity. It was as long as his years were many, and as sublime as his life was holy. There is no need that I should address you any more, if you remember well that sermon of

Humbert’s and have impressed deeply on your hearts the lessons which he taught. Fifty years and more he spent in the service of that Master Whom to serve is to reign, having been placed whilst yet but a boy in the sanctuary of the Lord. With us he has lived thirty years, that is, from the very foundation of this monastery, not only “ without blame” (Luke i. 6) but with profit and edification to all. Therefore shall “ his “memory be in benediction ” (Ecclus. xlv. 1) to future generations as well as to this present. As a “‘ stranger and sojourner ” (Gen. xxiii. 4), he has passed along the road of life, using as little as possible of the things of earth, for he knew that he was not of this world (John xv. 19). He knew that he “had not here a lasting city’ (Heb. xiii. 14) as neither had his fathers, but “stretching himself forth to the things that are before ’’ (Phil. iii. 13), he “ pressed towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation ” (ibid. 14). There was nothing in him or about him to which the world could justly lay claim: for he did not please the world nor did the world please him. He took of its substance no more than necessity required, and he would have carried his abstinence further still had he not been restrained by obedience. ‘“‘ Having food and wherewith to be covered, with these he was content ” (x Tim. vi. 8), and he wanted only a bare sufficiency of these, excluding all superfluities. Yea, he used often to complain of that as superfluous which in truth did not exceed the limits of strict necessity. And a few days ago, as I well remember, whilst we were conversing together, he remarked that he was but a pensioner of this monastery, a good-for-nothing, who eat his bread idle in the house of God. Yes, he was truly “‘ meek and humble of heart ”? (Matt. xi. 29) ; and whereas his soul was adorned with every kind of virtue, the grace of sweetness wherewith he was endowed seemed to be his chief characteristic. Thus to all he appeared very amiable and affable, for such he was in truth.

But amongst his other virtuous qualities must be mentioned the vigilance with which he guarded his lips and his tongue, as you, my brethren, can all render testimony, who for so many years have witnessed his life and listened to his conversation. Who has ever heard from his mouth the language of detraction, the language of buffoonery, the language of boasting, the language of envy? Who has ever heard him finding fault with his neighbour or approving of the faultfinder? Who has ever heard him uttering idle words ? Nay, who would not have feared to utter such words in his presence? For with all solicitude he “ took heed to his ways that he might not sin with his tongue ” (Ps. xxxviii. 2), knowing that “if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man (James ili. 2). Little cause hadst thou, O Humbert, to fear that evangelical thunderclap : “ Woe to you that now laugh, for you shall mourn and weep” (Luke vi. 25). Did any of you ever see him laugh even when all were laughing around him? +- He would indeed assume a smiling countenance on such occasions for the sake of his companions, lest otherwise he should appear burdensome to them, but I do not think you can recollect ever to have seen him indulge in real laughter. What fervour he brought day and night to the work of God, even down to the very day of his death, you all have witnessed, yea, and wondered at. He had come to the decrepitude of years, and besides the infirmities incidental to old age, was afflicted and harassed with several other serious maladies unsuspected by most of — you: but his spirit, as the saying has it, triumphed over his years, and knew not how to bend to the weakness of his body. For weak as he was, he used to labour like a young man, in cold and in heat, scaling the mountains and descending to the valleys, in a way that excited the wonder and admiration of all. Whenever the pressure of the multitudinous affairs claiming my attention obliged me to keep him near, in order to have the benefit of his counsel, how sad and sombre he would appear until allowed to rejoin you at yourmanual labour! Very rarely was he missed from his place in choir at the hour appointed for vigils which indeed he not seldom anticipated, and more rarely still did he absent himself from the other canonical hours. But whenever he did stay away it was to avoid aggravating a distemper which otherwise would soon “ have the answer of death ” (2 Cor. i. 9). Moreover, in the refectory he would hardly partake of the common food, and if ever anything special were offered him he would either refuse it altogether or would accept it only with the greatest reluctance, so that he often made such indulgence a matter for complaint against the whole community. He had formed the resolution never to drink anything but water, and he would have carried out his purpose had not I opposed it with all the force of my authority. If he were obliged occasionally to use a little wine, he would mingle so much water with it that nothing of the wine remained but the colour. Nothing save obedience—and hardly even that—could ever make him consent to enter the infirmary, and when at last we had got him there,

III 6 we found it just as difficult to induce him to stay. I acknowledge that his obedience was defective in this matter, inasmuch as he overwhelmed me in a manner with the weight of his authority. I praise him in other respects, but “ in this I praise him not ” (1 Cor. xi. 22) for, as you are aware, he remained to the end very stubbornly attached to his austerities. For myself, I believe that if he had any remorse of conscience at the last it was on account of this unwillingness to be guided by me in what concerned the necessities of his body. But what an invaluable counsellor he was! Certainly, he knew how to be candid and discreet, as I myself can testify perhaps better than any other, forasmuch as I had more frequent occasion to knock at the door of his heart : yet not I alone, but every one of you can witness to the same fact. For who ever approached him, afflicted with temptations, no matter how violent or multitudinous, that did not learn from his lips what the whole root of his trouble was and what the remedy to be applied? He would so penetrate all the folds of his spiritual patient’s conscience as to make it appear to the latter that he must have been present and noted all the circumstances when the incident in question occurred.

But what shall I say of his charity? He had so “put on the bowels of mercy” (Col. iii. 12) that he was ready to excuse all, to intercede for all, without even the knowledge of the persons for whom he spoke. He was not “‘a respecter of persons? (Acts x. 34): he looked solely to their necessities. He was, then, humble of heart, gentle in speech, assiduous in labour, fervent in charity, faithful in guarding whatever he was charged with, prudent and circumspect in counsel. I do not know any man of the present generation whom he did not surpass in the virtue of imperturbable equanimity : he was just the same at all seasons and at every hour of the day. It was evident that he walked in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus; nor did he halt in the way until he had completed his course. As the Master was . poor, so too was the disciple ; as the Master lived a life of labour, so too did the disciple ; as Christ was crucified, so too was Humbert fastened to many great crosses, and he “ bore the marks of the Lord Jesus in his body ”’ (Gal. vi. 17), “ filling up those things that were wanting of the sufferings of Christ even in his flesh ” (Col. ii. 24) ; as the Master arose from the dead, so too shall the disciple arise ; as the Master ascended into heaven, so too (as we believe) shall the disciple ascend. Yes, my brethren, Humbert shall ascend when, for our sakes, the King of glory will come down again, just as He mounted up before, “in order to make known His might to the sons of men” (Ps. cxliv. 12): for it is not less glorious to come down through the air than to mount up through the air. Thus the angels long ago predicted to the disciples that “ this Jesus Who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen Him going into heaven ” (Acts i. I). “ Praise not any man before death,” says the Scripture (Ecclus. xi. 30), because there is always some danger in eulogising the living. This counsel of the Holy Ghost I have faithfully followed with regard to . Humbert ; for so long as he lived I never once opened my lips to commend him for his virtues, lest perhaps either I should incur the suspicion of flattery, or he should be exposed to the temptation of vainglory. But now there is no longer any occasion to fear either of these evils, because I do not see him, and he, as I suppose, does not hear me. Yet even should it be the fact that he does hear my voice, he is now too securely and too blissfully united to the Word of God to be affected by any words of man. For “ the enemy shall have no advantage over him, nor (the suggestor of vanity) have power to hurt him ” (Ps. lxxxviii. 23). O my most loving father, thou hast at last attained to that fountain of purity for which thou didst long during life with all the ardour of thy soul. Thou art now immersed in that abyss of divine charity, “ the memory of the abundance of the sweetness ” whereof thou wast wont to “‘ publish” with such devotion (Ps. cxliv. 7). Who indeed could preach as fervently as thou on God’s loving-kindness ? or who could exhort men so earnestly to the practice of purity? Or who had such an ardent love for both the one and the other? Or who ever heard a single sentence from thy lips that contained no commendation of purity, no praise of the goodness of God? It is not for thee, therefore, that I grieve, since the Lord hath given thee the desire of thy heart (Ps. xx. 3). I only lament the loss to myself of a faithful counsellor, an invaluable assistant, “ a man of one mind ” (Ps. liv. 14), a man according to my own heart. Yes, it is upon me alone all the bitterness of this trial has fallen. “ Upon me hath come Thine anger,’ O Lord Jesus, “and Thy terrors have troubled me ” (Ps. Ixxxvii. 17). “ Friend and neighbour Thou hast put far from me, and my acquaintance because of my misery ” (ibid. 19). Thou hast drawn them forth from their misery, leaving me alone in mine. Thou hast taken from my side those who were related to me according to the flesh and related to me more closely in the spirit, men endowed. with heavenly wisdom for the conduct as well of temporal as of spiritual affairs. Thou hast summoned hence, one after another, those who helped me to bear the burden, the crushing burden which Thou hast laid upon my shoulders. Out of so many that were near ‘and dear to me, Humbert alone, or almost alone, was left, and his friendship was all the more sweet to me for that it was so old: now Thou hast taken him also from me, yet without injustice, because he was Thine. I, I alone am reserved for the lash; I have to die in each of my dear ones, “ and all Thy waves Thou hast brought in upon me ” (Ps. lxxxvii. 8). Would to God Thou wert willing to slay once and for all him whom Thou scourgest, instead of keeping me thus alone, miserable man that I am, in order to make me endure repeated deaths, many and cruel! Nevertheless, “ I do not contradict the words of the Holy One”’ (Job vi. 10) ; rather do I say with Job, “ May He That hath begun destroy me” and “ may this be my only consolation that afflicting me with sorrow He spare not ” (ibid. 9, 10). For I am ready for scourges”’ (Ps. xxxvii. 18), provided my Heavenly Father in His loving-kindness will transform my sufferings into merits. Hence, though my words are full of sorrow, they express no discontent. I do not weep for Humbert (for surely his lot is not lamentable, who has been invited to the table of a most wealthy Prince), but I weep for myself and for my children, I weep for this house, I weep for all our other brethren, who all looked for counsel from Humbert’s lips. We read that when our Saviour (whilst carrying His cross as a robber would carry his halter) saw the women who had followed Him from Galilee bewailing his fate, He turned and said to them, ‘‘ Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children ” (Luke xxiii. 28), “for the things concerning Me have an end ”? (Luke xxii. 37). That is, “ The torments which you see prepared for Me are temporal, but the joys to which they lead, and which you do not see, are eternal”? (2 Cor. iv. 18). Now, what is temporal is transitory, and what is transitory is mortal : therefore, since “ the things that are seen are temporal ” (ibid.), this alone suffices to prove anything mortal or transitory, the fact, namely, that it can beseen. So, my brethren, temporal likewise were the sufferings which we saw Humbert enduring at his death, whereas the joy and the gladness to which he has now attained will last for ever and ever.

Consequently, we must not weep over him for whom neither “ mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall beany more” (Apoc. xxi. 4). Neither ought we to murmur at our own lot, because he has been taken from us. Rather we should return thanks to the Lord for having left him with us so long. I think I can truly say that for the last ten years he lived only to us and for us; and I am much afraid that the reason why he has been taken from us is this: that we were not worthy to associate with him any longer. It may be, nevertheless—who knows ?—that therefore has he been summoned hence, in order to protect us by his prayers in the presence of the Father. God grant it may be so! For if his charity was so great whilst he lived here amongst us that he always took more pleasure in ministering to the bodily necessities of others than to his own: how much greater must be the love and kindness he feels for us now that he is - intimately united to the Supreme Love Which is God ? But perhaps it will be suggested that he possesses now a fuller knowledge of my dispositions and conduct, and consequently does not compassionate me as heretofore, but, there is too much reason to fear, regards me with indignation? Yet even though it be true that God has withdrawn him from us because of our sins, I ask of him to obtain for us by his intercession a merciful remission of the chastisement in store, so that we may not have to endure penalty upon penalty.

For the rest, dearest brethren, I assure you, if you walk in Humbert’s footsteps, you will not often sin by vain thoughts or by idle words, or by jesting and buffoonery, in which many religious waste no inconsiderable part of their life and of their time. The moments slip by, never to return; and whilst you flatter yourselves that you have escaped the trivial penalties prescribed for your faults in this life, you are treasuring up a much more severe punishment in the life to come. Be certain of this, that the debts which you neglect to cancel whilst you live in the body shall be exacted of you a hundredfold, and down to the “last farthing” (Matt. v. 26), in the place of purgation. I know how hard it is for a dissipated monk to “embrace discipline” (Ps. ii. 12), for a loquacious monk to bridle his tongue, for a restless monk, fond of gadding abroad, to abide for long in one place; but it will be harder and very much harder to endure the future pains of purgatory. The man whose body we have just interred here was much tempted in these ways at the beginning of his spiritual life, as I can bear witness ; but he resisted with all his

T ST. BERNARD’S SERMONS power and emerged victorious from the conflict. And if he found it difficult at first to bear up against the assaults of temptation, he would have found it still more difficult afterwards to endure even the thought of such frivolities, because the good habit had become in him a second nature. Therefore, make this a practical lesson for yourselves; keep before your minds as a pattern of perfection all the good that you have learned of him by sight and hearing, so that, like him, you may one day reach the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is God blessed for ever. Amen.