The following is a sermon of St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
The Name of Jesus is Light, and Food, and Medicine. It
is Light, when it is preached to us; it is Food, when we
think upon it; it is the Medicine that soothes our pains
when we invoke it. Let us say a word on each of these.
Tell me, whence came there, into the whole world, so
bright and sudden a light, if not from the preaching of
the Name of Jesus? Was it not by the light of this Name
that God called us unto His admirable Light?
Wherewith being enlightened, and in this light, seeing
the Light, we take these words of Paul as truly
addressed to ourselves; Heretofore, you were darkness;
but now, light in the Lord.
Nor is the Name of Jesus Light only; it is also Food.
Art
thou not strengthened, as often as thou thinkest of this
Name? What is there that so feeds the mind of him
that meditates upon this Name? What is there that so
restores the wearied faculties, strengthens virtue, gives
vigour to good and holy habits, and fosters chastity?
Every food of the soul is dry, that is not steeped in this
unction; it is insipid, if it be not seasoned with this salt.
If thou write, I relish not thy writing, unless I read
there the Name of Jesus. If thou teach me, or converse
with me, I relish not thy words, unless I hear thee say
the name of Jesus. JESUS is honey to the mouth, and
music to the ear, and gladness to the heart.
It is also Medicine.
Is any one among you sad? Let but
Jesus come into his heart, and the mouth echo him,
saying Jesus! and lo! the light of that Name disperses
every cloud, and brings sunshine back again.
Have any
of you committed sin? and is despair driving you into
the snare of death? Invoke the Name of life, and life
will come back to the soul. Was there ever a man, that,
hearing this saving Name, could keep up that common
fault of hardness of heart, or drowsiness of
sluggishness, or rancour of soul, or languor of sloth?
If
any one, perchance, felt that the fountain of his tears
was dry, did it not gush forth more plentifully than
ever, and flow more sweetly than ever, as soon as he
invoked the Name of Jesus?
If any of us were ever in
danger, and our heart beat with fear, did not this Name
of power bring us confidence and courage the moment
we pronounced it? When we were tossed to and fro by
perplexing doubts, did not the evidence of what was
right burst on us as we called upon the Name of light?
When we were discouraged, and well nigh crushed, by
adversity, did not our heart take courage, when our
tongue uttered the Name of help? All this is most true;
for all these miseries are the sicknesses and faintings of
our soul, and the Name of Jesus is our Medicine.
But, let us see how all this comes to pass.
“Call upon me
in the day of trouble, says the Lord; I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify me” [Psalm 49: 15]. There is
nothing which so restrains the impulse of anger, calms
the swelling of pride, heals the wound of envy,
represses the insatiability of luxury, smothers the flame
of lust, quenches the thirst of avarice, and dispels the
fever of uncleanliness — as the Name of Jesus.
For
when I pronounce this Name, I bring before my mind
the Man, who, by excellence, is meek and humble of
heart, benign, sober, chaste, merciful, and filled with
everything this is good and holy, nay, who is the very
God Almighty — whose example heals me, and whose
assistance strengthens me.
I say all this, when I say Jesus. Here have I my model,
for He is Man; and my help, for He is God.
Labels: Blessed Christmas, Happy New Year, Medicine, St Bernard of Clairvaux, The Holy Name of Jesus
