A star among the many great saints of the Twelfth Century is Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a man who combined a burning love for God with matchless intellect and eloquence. The simple monk who made kings tremble and the humble take courage, he left an indelible stamp of renewed Christian fervor upon his age. When one of his monks was elected Pope, Blessed Eugenius III, the new Pope turned to his friend and former superior for words of advice. Saint Bernard sent him five books entitled “On Consideration”. The passage below I think is good advice for any pope;
I will now bring this book to a close, but in ending
I should like by way of epilogue to either recapitulate some
things already said, or add some which I passed over. Before
all, consider that the holy Roman Church of which God has
made you head, is the mother of churches, not their mistress ;
but that you are not sovereign lord of the bishops, but one of
them, the brother, too, of those who love God, and a partaker
with them that fear Him. As for the rest, consider that you
ought to be a model of righteousness, a mirror of holiness,
a pattern of piety, the asserter of truth, the defender of the
faith, the teacher of nations, the guide of Christians, the friend
of the bridegroom, the leader of the bride to her spouse, the
ordainer of the clergy, the shepherd of the people, the instructor
of the foolish, the refuge of the oppressed, the advocate of the
poor, the hope of the wretched, the protector of the father
less, the judge of the widow, the eye of the blind, the tongue
of the dumb, the staff of the aged, the avenger of wicked
ness, the fear of bad men, the glory of the good, a rod for
the powerful, a hammer for tyrants, the father of kings, the
mitigater of laws, the dispenser from canons, the salt of the
earth, the light of the world, the priest of the Most High,
the vicar of Christ, the Lord s anointed, and lastly the God
of Pharaoh. Understand what I say : the Lord will give
thee understanding. When power and wickedness go hand
in hand, we must claim something for you more than human.
Let your countenance be upon them that do evil. Let him
who fears not man, nor dreads the sword, fear the breath of
your anger. Let him fear your prayer who has despised your
admonition. Let him think that he who incurs your wrath
incurs the wrath not of man but of God. He who has not
heard you, let him quake at the thought that God will hear
you, and will be against him.
