Bernard Clairvaux Quotes & Sayings

I have ascended to the highest in me, and look, the Word is towering above that. I have descended to explore my lowest depths, and I found Him deeper still. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

There are three distinct comings of the Lord of which I know: His coming to men, His coming into men, and His coming against men. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

For I have learnt for a fact that nothing so effectively obtains, retains and regains grace, as that we should always be found not high-minded before God, but filled with holy fear. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still:
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

When God forgives a sinner who humbly confesses his sin, the devil loses his dominion over the heart he had taken. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place in ourselves for those who love us. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

I know by myself how incomprehensible God is, seeing I cannot comprehend the parts of my own being. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

My burden is light, said the blessed Redeemer, a light burden indeed, which carries him that bears it. I have looked through all nature for a resemblance of this, and seem to find a shadow of it in the wings of a bird, which are indeed borne by the creature, and yet support her flight towards heaven.The wings of a bird, which are indeed borne by the creature, and yet support her flight towards heaven — Bernard Of Clairvaux

If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing, and thus communicates, without loss to itself, its superabundant water. In the Church at the present day, we have many canals, few reservoirs. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

What we love we shall grow to resemble. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Spiritual life is like living water that springs up from the very depths of our own spiritual experience. In spiritual life everyone has to drink from his or her own well. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The peacemakers shall be called the sons of God, who came to make peace between God and man. What then shall the sowers of discord be called, but the children of the devil? And what must they look for but their father's portion? — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The more I contemplate God, the more God looks on me. The more I pray to him, the more he thinks of me too. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Vines and trees will teach you that which you will never learn from masters. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Pride only, the chief of all iniquities, can make us treat gifts as if they were rightful attributes of our nature, and, while receiving benefits, rob our Benefactor of His due glory. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts, Thou fount of life, thou Light of men, From the best bliss that earth imparts We turn unfilled to Thee again. We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread, And long to feast upon Thee still: We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead, And thirst our souls from Thee to fill. O Jesus, ever with us stay, Make all our moments calm and bright; Chase the dark night of sin away, Shed o'er the world Thy holy light. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

So far from being able to answer for my sins, I cannot even answer for my righteousness! — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The true measure of loving God is to love him without measure. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The reason for loving God is God Himself. As to how He is to be loved, there is only one measure: It is immeasurable! — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Love of Mary and devotion to her are a sure sign of obtaining eternal salvation. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Blessed," he says, "are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" (Mt 5:9). Consider carefully that it is not the people who call for peace but those who make peace who are commended. For there are those who talk but do nothing (Mt 23:3). For just as it is not the hearers of the law but the doers who are righteous (Rom 2:13), so it is not those who preach peace but the authors of peace who are blessed. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Believe one who has tried, you shall find a fuller satisfaction in the woods than in the books. The trees and the rocks will teach you that which you cannot hear from the masters. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

There are people who go clad in tunics and have nothing to do with furs, who nevertheless are lacking in humility. Surely humility in furs is better than pride in tunics. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

A saint is not someone who never sins, but one who sins less and less frequently and gets up more and more quickly. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

In his greediness, he counts all that he has clutched as nothing in comparison with what is beyond his grasp, and loses all pleasure in his actual possessions by longing after what he has not, yet covets. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The reason for our loving God is God. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Your actions in passing, pass not away, for every good work is a grain of seed for eternal life. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Bring a mirror and let a dirty face recognize itself. — Bernard Of Clairvaux, Saint

The spiteful tongue strikes a deadly blow at charity in all who hear him speak and, so far as it can, destroys root and branch, not only in the immediate hearers but also in all others to whom the slander, flying from lip to lip, is afterwards repeated. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

We must know, then, what we are, and that it is not of ourselves that we are what we are. Unless we know this thoroughly, either we shall not glory at all, or our glorying will be vain. Finally, it is written, "If thou know not, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock" (Song of Solomon. 1:8). And this is right. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

A pretext is never lacking to him who would break with a friend. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Love me, love my dog. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is Curiosity.
There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is Vanity.
There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is Love. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

I do a great wrong in His sight, when I beseech Him that He will hear my prayer, which as I give utterance to it, I do not hear myself. I entreat Him that He will think of me; but I regard neither myself nor Him. Nay, what is worse, turning over corrupt and evil thoughts in mine heart, I thrust a dreadful offensiveness into His presence. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Who loves me will love my dog also. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The Eucharist is that love which surpasses all loves in Heaven and on earth — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The three most important virtues are humility, humility, and humility. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Love is alone sufficient by itself, it pleases by itself and for it's own sake. It is itself a merit, and itself it's own recompense. It seeks neither cause, nor consequences beyond itself. It is its own fruit, its own object and usefulness. I love because I love you, I love that I may love. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they are in a flame, and begin to rage like a burning mountain. Such people as these are like red-hot coals hidden under ashes. This is not the mildness which Our Lord undertook to teach us in order to make us like unto Himself. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

It was love that motivated His self-emptying, that led Him to become a little lower than angels, to be subject to parents, to bow His head beneath the Baptist's hands, to endure the weakness of the flesh, and to submit to death even upon the cross — Bernard Of Clairvaux

As patience leads to peace, and study to science, so are humiliations the path that leads to humility. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

From the best bliss that earth imparts, we turn unfilled to Thee again. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Our King [Jesus] is accused of treachery; it is said of him [by the Muslims] that he is not God, but that he falsely pretended to be something he was not. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Death is the gate of life. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

True penance consists in regretting without ceasing the faults of the past, and in firmly resolving to never again commit that which is so deplorable. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

From whom but the Devil did this advice come under which you are acting? Those who are urging you to repeat your former wrongdoings against an innocent person are seeking in this not your honour but their own convenience. They are clearly the enemies of your crown and the disturbers of your realm. — Alison Weir

O Blessed Mary, whoever loves you honors God; whoever serves you pleases God; whoever invokes your holy name with a pure heart will infallibly receive the object of his petition. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

What of the souls already released from their bodies? We believe that they are overwhelmed in that vast sea of eternal light and of luminous eternity — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Rest is in Him alone. Man knows no peace in the world; but he has no disturbance when he is with God. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

You wish me to tell you why and how God should be loved. My answer is that God himself is the reason he is to be loved. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Jesus, what made You so small? LOVE! — Bernard Of Clairvaux

You wish to see; listen. Hearing is a step toward Vision. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The measure of love is love without measure. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

He won me over entirely by giving Himself entirely to me. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Action and contemplation are ... — Bernard Of Clairvaux

It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

To them that long for the presence of the living God, the thought of Him is sweetest itself: but there is no satiety, rather an ever-increasing appetite... — Bernard Of Clairvaux

I was made a sinner by deriving my being from Adam; I am made just by being washed in the blood of Christ and not by Christ's 'words and example.' — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Thus understanding and love, that is, the knowledge of and delight in the truth, are, as it were, the two arms of the soul, with which it embraces and comprehends with all the saints the length and breath, the height and depth, that is the eternity, the love, the goodness, and the wisdom of God. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

What we love we grow to resemble." - Bernard of Clairvaux — Ruth Harvey

We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Ingratitude is the soul's enemy ... Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

There are some who wish to learn for no other reason than that they may be looked upon as learned, which is ridiculous vanity ... Others desire to learn that they may morally instruct others, that is love. And, lastly, there are some who wish to learn that they may be themselves edified; and that is prudence. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Believe one who knows: you will find something greater in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters. Saint Bernard de Clairvaux — Claire Dunn

hell is full of good wishes and desires. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Let no one believe that he has received the divine kiss, if he knows the truth without loving it or loves it without understanding it. But blessed is that kiss whereby not only is God recognized but also the Father is loved; for there is never full knowledge without perfect love. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Have death always before your eyes as a salutary means of returning to God. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha and Mary are sisters. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Always that damned discipline that you wear like chain mail ... You would have got on well with Bernard de Clairvaux and his gang of Knights Templar. If you'd been captured by Saladin, I'm sure you'd rather have had your throat cut than renounce your faith. But not from devotion, from pride. — Arturo Perez-Reverte

To serve Mary is a mark of eternal salvation to come. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

To have a restful or peaceful life in God is good; to bear a life of pain in patience is better; but to have peace in the midst of pain is the best of all. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Let us affectionately love His angels as counselors and defenders appointed by the Father and placed over us. They are faithful; they are prudent; they are powerful; Let us only follow them, let us remain close to them, and in the protection of the God of heaven let us abide. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Hell is full of good wishes or desires. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Prayer is a virtue that prevaileth against all temptations. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

They wear themselves out in vain travail, without reaching their blessed consummation, because they delight in creatures, not in the Creator. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Jesus the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Humility is, of all graces , the chiefest when it does not know itself to be a grace at all. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

It's not as if grace did one half of the work and free choice the other; each does the whole work, in its own peculiar contribution. Grace does the whole work, and so does free choice - with this one qualification: That whereas the whole is done in free choice, so is the whole done of grace. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal. The canal simultaneously pours out what it receives; the reservoir retains the water till it is filled, then discharges the overflow without loss to itself ... Today there are many in the Church who act like canals, the reservoirs are far too rare ... You too must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts, do not try to be more generous than God. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

He rightly reads scripture who turns words into deeds. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

All things are possible to one who believes. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

First learn to love yourself, and then you can love me. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Many of those who are humiliated are not humble. Some react to humiliation with anger, others with patience, and others with freedom. The first are culpable, the next harmless, the last just. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

God has aroused the spirit of kings and princes to root up from the earth the enemies of the Christian name. Therefore gird yourselves manfully and take up joyful arms for the name of Christ. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

O wretched slaves of Mammon, you cannot glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ while you trust in treasures laid up on earth: you cannot taste and see how gracious the Lord is, while you are hungering for gold. If you have not rejoiced at the thought of His coming, that day will be indeed a day of wrath to you. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

It is in the perfect union of two hearts that complete and total marriage consists. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

It is so that these impious ones wander in a circle, longing after something to gratify their yearnings, yet madly rejecting that which alone can bring them to their desired end, not by exhaustion but by attainment. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Prayer is a wine which makes glad the heart of man — Bernard Of Clairvaux

What does God hate or punish except self-will? Let self-will cease, and there will be no hell. On what does that fire feed except on self-will? — Bernard Of Clairvaux

To shame our sins He blushed in blood;
He closed His eyes to show us God;
Let all the world fall down and know
That none but God such love can show — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Grace is necessary to salvation, free will equally so - but grace in order to give salvation, free will in order to receive it. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

The tears of those repenting are the wine of angels. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Therefore gird yourselves manfully and take up joyful arms for the name of God. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

He gives Himself as prize and reward: He is the refreshment of holy soul, the ransom of those in captivity. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

There is no greater misery than false joys. — Bernard Of Clairvaux

Persecution shows who is a hireling, and who a true pastor. — Bernard Of Clairvaux