First Sermon on St. Malachy: Preached in the New Cemetery of Clairvaux, November 2nd, 1148, After the Holy Bishop's Burial

To-day, dearest brethren, the Lord has provided for you an abundant benediction the dispensation whereof has been committed to me. And if that dispensation be not faithfully made, you no doubt will be at serious loss, whilst I shall have exposed myself to danger. I am frightened, therefore, at the thought of the loss to you and of my own condemnation if ever it should be said to me, “ The little ones have asked for bread and there was none to break it unto them” (Jer. Lam. iv. 4). I know well what need you have of heavenly consolation, you who have so openly and so manfully renounced the delights of the flesh and the pleasures of the world. Let no one, then, have any doubt that it was by heaven’s particular favour to this community and in accordance with a special divine counsel, that Bishop Malachy has slept in our midst this day* and obtained his long-cherished desire to be buried amongst us. For if no single leaf can fall to the ground from any tree except by the permission of God: who is so blind as not to see a marvellous design of divine mercy to us in the coming and the passing of this blessed Bishop? From the ends of the earth he came to deposit here the earth of his body. Such, as you are aware, was his most ardent desire because of the great love he bore us, although that was not the motive which then brought him hither. Many were the obstacles he had to encounter in his last journey. He could not even obtain permission to cross over from England until the time of his consummation was drawing near, and the bound which cannot be passed (Ps. ciii. 9). On his arrival in our midst, worn out with the multiplied labours of the road, we received him as an angel of God, so great was our reverence for his sanctity. And he, on his side, in accordance with his kindness of heart and deep-rooted humility, returned our salutations with a tenderness of affection far beyond our deserts. He appeared to be in the best of health for the next few days which he spent amongst us, awaiting the arrival of his travelling companions. These had been dispersed in England in consequence of the opposition made by the suspicious King * of that country to Malachy’s departure thence. At last all were assembled, and the man of God was preparing to resume his journey to the court of Rome, when he was suddenly struck down by sickness. He recognised at once that this was a summons to appear rather at the heavenly court, ‘‘ God providing something better for us, that he should not be consummated”’ elsewhere, after going forth from our monastery (Heb. xi. 40).

The physicians at first could find in him no symptom, I do not say of approaching death, but even of any grave illness. He, however, full of spiritual joy, confidently affirmed that his death was inevitable before the end of this year. We strove against him, offering up fervent prayers to God for his recovery and doing all in our power to prevent the fulfilment of his desire and prediction. But all to no purpose, for his merits prevailed. He was granted the wish of his heart and “ the will of his lips was not withholden from him” (Ps. xx. 3). Everything fell out exactly as he wanted. For, under the inspiration of God’s mercy towards us, he had chosen this of all others to be the place of his resurrection, and had long entertained the desire that he should be laid to rest on this day of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. There was yet another consolation for us, which may justly be said to have crowned our joy. It was that this same day had already been chosen by us, at the suggestion no doubt of the Spirit of God, as the most proper for reinterring here in our new cemetery the bones of our brethren brought hither from the old. The holy Bishop declared himself extremely delighted with our chant on that occasion: for we carried the remains in solemn procession, singing psalms as we walked according toour custom. And now, sosoon after, he himself has been brought on the same road, having fallen asleep in the Lord most sweetly and blissfully.* We therefore return thanks to God for all the dispositions of His providence: for that He has been pleased to honour our unworthiness by permitting us to be the witnesses of so holy a death, for that He has willed to enrich our poverty with the treasure beyond price of so sacred a body, and for that He has vouchsafed to prop up our weakness with so mighty a pillar of the Church. The favour bestowed upon us is undoubtedly “a token for good” (Ps. lxxxv. 17) of one or other of two things, namely, either that this place is already pleasing to God, or else that He purposes to make it pleasing, since He has brought hither from the end of the world a man of such sanctity to die _and to be buried here.

But our love for this blessed father obliges us to sympathise most heartily with his people, and to shudder with horror at the cruelty of that death which has not hesitated to inflict so severe a wound on the suffering church of Ireland. Cruel indeed and inexorable must have been that death which, by striking down one man, has punished so great a multitude ; yea, blind and improvident, since it has tied Malachy’s tongue, fettered his feet, paralysed his hands, and closed his eyes. Yes, I repeat, it has closed for ever those eyes full of tenderness which by the abundance of their compassionate tears were wont to obtain for sinners the grace of divine forgiveness ; it has paralysed those most pure hands which loved to be always employed in lowly and wearisome labour, which had so often offered up the saving Sacrifice of the Lord’s Body for the conversion of sinners, which were constantly “lifted up without anger and contention ” (x Tim. ii. 8) in prayer to God, which, as is well known, bestowed multiplied benefits upon the sick and were glorified by the working of manifold miracles; it has fettered those feet, those beautiful feet, of him who used to preach peace and to bring good tidings (Is. lii. 7, Rom. x. 15), those feet which so often wearied themselves on missions of mercy, which made the very ground whereon they trod for ever worthy of being kissed with most devout affection ; finally, it locked those holy, priestly lips which “ kept knowledge ” (Mal. ii. 7), that mouth of a just man which meditated wisdom, and that tongue which spoke judgment (Ps. xxxvi. 30), yea, but not without mercy (Psc. 2), and was accustomed to heal the most desperate spiritual wounds. But, dearest brethren, we should not think it strange that death is iniquitous, considering that it has been begotten of iniquity, or that it is blind, since seduction has brought it forth. No wonder, I say, that it smites without distinction, being the daughter of transgression ; that it is cruel and irrational, sprung, as it is, from the deceit of the old serpent and the folly of the first woman. And why should we complain of it for daring to touch Malachy, who, after all, was but a faithful member of Christ, since in its mad fury it presumed to attack Him Who is the Head not alone of Malachy but of all the elect ? Yes, it attacked even the Head Whom it could not hurt, nor did it escape unhurt itself. Death impinged upon life and life enclosed death within its periphery, and death was swallowed up by life (1 Cor. xv. 54, 2 Cor. v. 4). As a fish gulping down the hook with the bait, it found itself held fast by that which it had expected to hold.

But perhaps some of you will say to me now: “ How does death seem to have been vanquished by the Head whilst it still rages with so much liberty against the members ? If death bedead, how has it slain Malachy ? If vanquished, how is it that it still prevails against all, so that there is not a man ‘ that shall live and not see death’”’ (Ps. lxxxviii. 49)? Nevertheless, vanquished surely is death, the work of the devil and the penalty of sin. For sin, which is the cause of death, has been vanquished, and vanquished too the wicked one, the author both of sin and of death. And these three have not only been vanquished, but judged also and condemned. Their sentence has been pronounced, although not yet executed, The fire is already prepared for the devil (Matt. xxv. 41), although he has not yet been precipitated into it, being permitted to work mischief for a short time still (Apoc. xii. 12). He is become as a hammer in the hands of the heavenly Artificer, as “ the hammer of the whole earth ” (Jer. 1. 23): he batters the elect to their profit, and he crushes the reprobate to their ruin. And as is the head of the house, so are they of his household (Matt. x. 25), that is, sin and death. For with regard to sin, although we are assured that it has been fastened with Christ to the cross (Col. ii. 14), nevertheless it was still allowed, not indeed to reign, but to dwell in the Apostle himself so long as he lived (Rom. vi. 12, vii. 20). Unless I am greatly mistaken these are his own words: “If then I do that which I will not, I consent to the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me” (Rom. vii. 16,). As to death, it also is still allowed to remain with us, but has no longer any power to do us hurt. The time will come, however, when it shall be said, “O death, where is thy victory?” (x Cor. xv. 55); for then the last of our enemies shall be destroyed (ibid. 26). In the mean-time, by the will of Him Who has power over life and death and confines the waters of the sea within the fixed bounds of its shores, death itself is become as a refreshing sleep to the beloved of the Lord. We have for this the testimony of the Psalmist who says, “‘ When He shall give sleep to His beloved, behold the inheritance of the Lord” (Ps. cxxvi. 2,). < The death of the wicked is very evil ” (Ps. xxxiii. 22) indeed, because their birth is bad and their life worse: but “ precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints ”’ (Ps. cxv. 6). Precious in truth, because it is for them the end of their labours, the consummation of their victory, the gate of life, and the entrance into everlasting repose.

Let us therefore, dearest brethren, let us congratulate (as is fitting) our holy father, because it is piety to mourn for Malachy dead, and it is still greater piety to rejoice with Malachy re-born to a new life, Can it be doubted that Malachy lives? Yea, live he does, and most blissfully. ‘In the sight of the unwise he seemed to die: but he is in peace ” (Wisdom iii. 2, 3) ; for already he is a “ fellow-citizen with the saints and a domestic of God ” (Eph. ii. 19), and he joins with all the blessed in singing and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘‘ We have passed through fire and water, and Thou hast brought us out into a refreshment” (Ps. lxv. 12). Manfully indeed has he passed through life and blissfully passed beyond to glory. As a true Hebrew, he celebrated the Pasch in spirit,* and when passing he said to us, “ With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you” (Luke xxii. 15). Verily he passed through fire and water, since neither adversity could cast him down nor prosperity hold him back. Brethren, underneath us is a place entirely occupied with raging flames, so that the unhappy Dives was unable to obtain there the least drop of water from the finger of Lazarus (Luke xvi. 24, 5). Above us is that city of God which is made joyful by the stream of the river (Ps. xlv. 5), by the torrent of the divine pleasure (Ps. xxxv. 9), by the goodly chalice which inebriateth (Ps. xxii. 5). And here in the middle place, between both extremes, is found the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. ii.g). Here, I say, it is possible to have experience of delight and tribulation: an alternation of joy and misery which we owe to unhappy Eve. Here undoubtedly we have day and night together, whereas in hell there is nothing but night and in heaven only day. Happy the soul that has passed victoriously through both trials, neither cleaving to pleasure nor succumbing to pain.

I think I ought to give you now, dearest brethren, a short account of one of the many noble actions performed by this illustrious Prelate, one in which he will appear to you to have passed most courageously through fire and water. A brood of tyrants had usurped the metropolitan see of the great St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, creating archbishops in regular hereditary succession, and “‘ possessing for an inheritance the sanctuary of God” (Ps. Ixxxii. 13).* The faithful of the district besought our Malachy to enter the lists against so scandalous an abuse. Therefore “ putting his life in his hand ” (1 Kings xix. 5), he set forth undauntedly and assumed the administration of the archdiocese, exposing himself to imminent danger for the purpose of putting a stop to such a crying disorder. Encompassed with perils, he governed the primatial church ; but as soon as all danger had vanished, he resigned the see of Armagh in favour of another whom he had consecrated conformably to the sacred canons. For he had consented to administer that see only on the express condition that, when the fury of persecution had subsided, and another archbishop could be safely installed, he himself should be allowed to return to his own diocese. There he spent the remainder of his life, living like a simple monk in the religious establishments which he had founded, without any private property, without any revenues, ecclesiastical or civil. Thus was the man of God tried in the furnace of affliction (Ps. lxv. 10), tried, I say, but not consumed, for Malachy was of purest gold. Thus could he be neither held captive nor softened by the potent influence of worldly pleasure, nor even induced to halt on his road as a curious spectator, momentarily forgetful of his banishment.

been said that some of these married men were regularly consecrated prelates, duly recognised by the Irish Church. There is not the shadow of evidence for the statement, except the name of bishop given to some of them. On the other hand we have unexceptionable testimony that these men were laymen, and that the title of bishop was given them although they were laymen. St. Bernard settles the question. He says that this wicked and adulterous generation were so obstinate in asserting the right of hereditary succession that though clerics of their blood were wanting, bishops were never wanting, viz., bishops who were not even clerics.’—Healy, Iveland’s Ancient Schools and Scholars, p. 395.—(Translator.)

Which of you, my brethren, would not eagerly desire to imitate such sanctity, if he might dare to harbour even a hope of coming up to it? I am sure, therefore, you would give me an attentive hearing if haply I could tell you what it was that made Malachy a saint. However, lest my own testimony should appear not sufficiently reliable, listen rather to what the Scripture says, “ He sanctified him in his faith and meekness ” (Ecclus. xlv. 4). It was by faith that he trod the world under foot, according to the words of St. John the Evangelist, who says, “This is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith”? (x John v. 4). And it was in the spirit of meekness he supported with unruffled patience every kind of hardship and contradiction. Thus, on the one hand, after the example of Christ, he walked upon the waves by faith, lest he should be captivated by the allurements of pleasure ; and, on the other hand, “in patience he possessed his soul” (Luke xxi. 19), so that the force of affliction could not cast him down. Concerning these two dangers, to wit, pleasure and pain, you may read in one of the psalms, “ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand” (Ps. xc. 7); because, namely, many more are cast down from a virtuous life by the false joys of worldly prosperity than by the buffets of bad fortune. Accordingly, most dearly beloved, let none of us ever imagine the way over the waters to be the more expedient for him, deluded by the seemingly level surface of the softer course. For he shall discover great mountains in this apparently smooth sea of prosperity, mountains which are all the more dangerous for that they are invisible. More difficult, doubtless, seems the way that winds to the left over the steep hills and rugged rocks of adversity : but such as make trial of it find it to be far safer and better than the other. Nevertheless, there are labours to be endured on both roads and dangers to be faced also, as the Apostle well knew, since he said, “ By the armour of justice on the right hand and on the left” (2 Cor. vi. 7), so that not without cause do we congratulate them who have passed through fire and water and have been brought to refreshment. Would you like to know what that refreshment is? Would that there was some one else to describe it for you! As for me, how can I discourse on that whereof I have no experience ?

Yet it seems to me that I can now hear Malachy speaking of this refreshment, and saying to his soul, “Turn, O my soul, unto thy rest, for the Lord hath been bountiful to thee. For He hath delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from falling ” (Ps. cxiv. 7-8). Attend whilst I briefly explain what I take to be the import of these words, but briefly, “ because the day is now far spent” (Luke xxiv. 29), and the sermon has already run to greater length than I had designed: for I find it hard to relinquish the delight of speaking about my holy father, and my tongue, loving to pronounce the name of Malachy, is reluctant to bring the discourse to an end. Sin, dearest brethren, is the death of the soul, as you will readily acknowledge unless you have forgotten the words of the Prophet, “ The soul that sinneth, the same shall die ”? (Ezech. xviii. 4). We have, therefore, three reasons for congratulating Malachy : because he is delivered from all sin, because he is delivered from toil, and because he is delivered from danger. For no longer henceforth can sin be said to dwell in him (Rom. vii. 17), no longer shall he be required to shed penitential tears, no longer will it be needful to warn him of the danger of falling. Elias has now laid aside his mantle (4 Kings ii. 13): he has therefore nothing to fear, nothing about him which the temptress can touch, much less take hold of (Gen. xxxix. 12). He has mounted his chariot (4 Kings ii. rz) : he has therefore no longer any reason to be afraid of falling. His ascent is pleasant and easy, for he is borne aloft, not as by the labour of his own wings, but reclining at ease in his swiftly mounting car.

To this refreshment, most dearly beloved, let us run with all eagerness ‘‘to the odour of the ointments ” (Cant. i. 3) of this our blessed father, who seems today to have aroused us from our usual tepidity to an ardent desire of heaven. Let us run after him, I say, calling out to him, like the Spouse in the Canticle, “ Draw us after thee ” (ibid.). And let the sentiments of our hearts and our progress in virtue prove us not ungrateful to the Almighty Who in His infinite mercy has willed that His poor servants, having no merits of their own, should at least have the intercession of a friend at court.