Sermon for the Vigil of SS. Peter and Paul: On the Reflections That Should Occupy Us on the Vigils of the Saints

“ The path of the just is right to walk in.’ —Is. xxvi. 7.

My brethren, the spiritual man who desires to celebrate the solemnities of the saints “in spirit and in truth’ (John iv. 24) must faithfully keep watch on their vigils. We have to distinguish two kinds of vigils. There are the vigils which the carnal-minded keep and there are the vigils kept by spiritual persons. The former are celebrated with more splendid attire and more sumptuous feasting than usual, and likely enough ‘are stained with “ the works of darkness ’’ (Rom. xiii. 12) by them that “‘ are glad when they have done evil and rejoice in most wicked things ” (Prov. ii. 14). “ But you have not so learned Christ ’’ (Ephes. iv. 20), you who “ have left all things and have followed Christ ” (Matt. xix. 27), and who are expected to consider with attentive mind what the name of vigil signifies. For this is the purpose of the institution of vigils : that we may awake on these days, if perchance we should have fallen asleep in sin or slothfulness, and may

“anticipate the face of the saints with confession”

(Ps. xciv. 2)—the confession of praise. ‘ Not so,’

the children of this world, “not so” (Ps. i. 4) q they “that are mighty to drink wine, and stout — men at drunkenness” (Is. v. 22), who slumber — 188 ;

tranquilly in their crimes and abominations. Do not forget what the Apostle says: ‘‘ They that sleep, sleep in the night ; and they that are drunk are drunk in the night ” (1 Thess. v. 7) : to speak to whom of holy vigils would bewaste of words, because they like better to sleep than to watch. ‘‘ But you are the children of light and children of the day, not of the night nor of darkness’’ (ibid. 5), and you do not wish that the solemnities of the saints should come upon you by surprise and find you unprepared.

There are three things, my brethren, which we ought to consider carefully on such solemnities, to wit, the assistance of the saints, the examples they have left us, and the (for us) humiliating contrast of their lives with our own. With regard to their assistance, it is certain that they who had such power upon earth are now still more powerful in heaven, where they stand before the face of the Lord their God. And surely they who, whilst living here below, compassionated sinners and prayed for them, now also supplicate the Father in our behalf, and that the more earnestly in proportion to their fuller knowledge of our miseries. For charity loses none of its warmth in the heavenly homeland : quite the contrary. Neither ought we to suppose that because the saints have lost the power of suffering, they have likewise lost the power to sympathise with suffering. No, no, dearest brethren ; but it is rather then they fully put on “ the bowels of mercy ” (Luke i. 78) when they come to stand near mercy’s source. There is another reason also by which the saints are more powerfully induced to interest themselves in our welfare: it is that, as the Apostle says, “ God hath provided for us that they should not

Igo ST. BERNARD’S SERMONS be perfected without us” (Heb. xi. 40). Similar in sense are the words of holy David, “ The just wait for me until Thou reward me ” (Ps. cxli. 8).

We should also consider the example of the saints, who, whilst they were “ seen upon earth and conversed with men ” (Bar. iii. 38) “ declined not to the right nor to the left” (Prov. iv. 27), but followed the royal road until they came to Him Who has said, “ I am the way, and the truth, and the life”? (John xiv. 6). Reflect on the humility of their works and the authority of their words, and so shalt thou see how by word and example they shone amongst men, so shalt thou see the footprints they have left for our guidance, that walking in them we may not wander from the right way. For, as the Prophet truly says, “The way of the just is right, the path of the just is right to walk in” (is) xvi. 7).

But let us consider likewise, yea, and more attentively, the humiliating contrast between our own lives and the life of the particular saint whose feast we may happen to be celebrating. For he“ was a man, passible like unto us ” (James v. 17), “ fashioned from the clay ” (Wisdom xv. 7) as ourselves. How is it, then, that we judge it not only difficult but even impossible for us to do what another man has done, and to follow in his footsteps ?* Dearest brethren, let us be confounded, yea, and let us tremble, too, at this thought: for such confusion may well be the means of bringing us to glory, and such fear may become for us a very fountain of grace. Yes, my brethren, mortal men like wt

FOR THE VIGIL OF SS. PETER AND PAUL ror ourselves were the saints who have preceded us, who have walked in the ways of life with such wonderful constancy that we find it hard to believe they were not more than mortal. In this way, then, should we be filled with both joy and confusion on the solemnities of the saints: with joy at the thought that we have sent advocates before us, with confusion to think that we cannot imitate them. Thus ought our joy in this valley of tears to be seasoned with “‘ the bread of tears ” (Ps. Ixxix. 6), so that “ mourning may take hold ” not only “ of the end of our joy ” (Prov. xiv. 13), but even of its beginning: because although the reasons for rejoicing are abundant, far more abundant are the motives for grief. “I remembered God, and was delighted,” sings the Psalmist, but he immediately adds, “ My spirit swooned away ; I was troubled and I spoke not” (Ps. Ixxvi. 4, 5).

But, my brethren, if we ought to occupy ourselves with these reflections on the vigils of the feasts of all the saints, what should we do on the festival day of the two chiefs of the holy apostles—I mean, Saints Peter and Paul? The commemoration of either of them alone would suffice to fill the whole earth with exultation (Ps. xlvii. 3), but the two are united in one and the same solemnity to make the gladness still more abounding and that they who so loved each other in life might not in death beparted (2 Kings i. 23). Oh, how great was their power whilst they still lived upon earth, to one of whom had been given “ the keys of the kingdom of heaven ” (Matt. xvi. 19), and to the other the mission to evangelise the nations ; the one slew Ananias and Saphira with the words of his mouth (Acts v. 1-10), the other bestowed whatever he had to bestow in the name and person of Jesus Christ,* and ‘“‘ when he was so weak, then was he powerful ? (2 Cor. — xii. 10). But if such was their power on earth, how © much greater must we not suppose it to be now in heaven? And what saint has ever bequeathed us nobler examples than they who were constantly afflicted “in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and © nakedness” and in all the other things enumerated — by Paul (2 Cor. xi. 23-28), and who finally entered the heavenly kingdom by a most glorious martyrdom ? Good cause in truth have we to feel confounded in the © presence of these whom we hardly dare look at, not — to speak of imitating. Let us therefore beseech them — to render propitious to us their Friend and our Judge, d Who is God above all things and blessed for evermore. Amen.