SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

 

SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX 

Saint Bernard was a man

Of CHARM=with learning=

And eloquence

He was the abbot of Clairvaux =

A doctor of the CHURCH=and a

LEADING church man

Of the 12th century=and ONE

Of the principal promoters of MONASTI CISM  

Bernard's arrival =

TRIGGERED an unprecedented release

Of monastic energy

In three years=he

Was SENT OUT

At the head of a COLONY

Of thirteen

They settled in Clairvaux 

And created the diocese

Of Langres

He was a leader=

A WRITER=preacher=and

BECAME a SAINT

He PERSONALLY founded  68 monasteries

In Europe

And STILL had 700 monks

Left over=to CALL his own

CLAIRVAUX became the SPIRITUAL CENTER

Of Europe=

And when he died at age 63

There were 339 houses

In the CISTERCIAN COMPLEX

For years on end=he was

ACTIVE in public affairs=and

This lead to a GENUINE CRY

Of his SOUL=for

He was TORN AWAY from his cloister

He WON a GOOD PART of EUROPE

For Pope INNOCENTII=and preached

The SECOND CRUSADE

Which would wind up being

HIS BIGGEST FAILURE

Saint Bernard was CANONIZED

Twenty-two years after his death

And three of his brothers

As well as a sister

EARNED the title=”BLESSED”

His most FAMOUS written

Document was his TREATISE 

On the LOVE OF GOD

And he FOCUSED on the

HUMAN NATURE of Christ=and

His LOVE for the BLESSED MOTHER=Mary

He was canonized in 1174=and became a DOCTOR

Of the CHURCH in 1830

And today=August 20th=

Is his FEAST DAY

Robert P. Wallman

8-20-2018