We
hear about sheep and shepherds in a couple of our readings today.
A. In
the message that the prophet Ezekiel delivers to God’s people, he sees them as
sheep without shepherds to adequately watch over them, and so they have
becoming prey to wild animals. And
the psalm we hear today is the popular 23rd psalm, in which the
psalmist declares the Lord as his shepherd.
The
saint we celebrate today is one of the great shepherds we have had as a
leadership role in the Catholic Church – St Bernard of Clairvaux. Even
though Bernard died way back in the 12th century, his influence as
an abbot and spiritual writer can still be felt in our Church today, as
evidenced by Bernard being declared a Doctor of the Church in 1830 by Pope Pius
VII. In
fact, the Cistercian monastery he founded in Clairvaux in France was
instrumental in founding other monasteries throughout Europe and spreading the
influence of monasticism. Bernard’s writings on Mary are seen as particularly influential, especially his
writing on Mary’s role as a mediator in our lives as disciples of Christ. There
is one quote of Bernard’s that I find particularly interesting: “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.”
It is
interesting how Bernard can still be so influential in our faith today – in his
writings, in his example of faith, in his influence on monasticism, and in the
prayers and intercessions he sends our way. As
Bernard so eloquently said: “What we love we shall grow to resemble.” May that be so in our lives of faith.
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