‘On Loving God’ By St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Chapter III. ‘What greater incentives Christians have …
[St. Bernard of Clairvaux – XI-XII Century AD; Burgundy, Kingdom of France/Clairvaux, Kingdom of France; (aged 62-63); Abbot; Mystic; Leader; co-founder of the Knights Templar; Last of the Fathers; Doctor Mellifluus]
Chapter III. What greater incentives Christians have, more than the heathen, to love God
The faithful know how much need they have of Jesus and Him crucified; but though they wonder and rejoice at the ineffable love made manifest in Him, they are not daunted at having no more than their own poor souls to give in return for such great and condescending charity. They love all the more, because they know themselves to be loved so exceedingly; but to whom little is given the same loveth little (Luke 7.47).
Neither Jew nor pagan feels the pangs of love as doth the Church, which saith, 'Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love' (Cant. 2.5). She beholds King Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals; she sees …More
Angelic painting!
Lazarus Peter Kalamation.com Glad that you like it. Here is whole piece by this great artist:
Filippo_Lippi_-_Apparition_of_the_Virgin_to_St_Bernard_-_oil_on_panel:
"So it behoves us, if we would have Christ for a frequent guest, to fill our hearts with faithful meditations on the mercy He showed in dying for us, and on His mighty power in rising again from the dead. To this David testified when he sang, 'God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same; that power belongeth unto God; and that Thou, Lord, art merciful (Ps. 62.11f)."
"'The memorial of Thine abundant kindness shall be showed' (Ps. 145.7), refers doubtless to those of whom the Psalmist had said just before: 'One generation shall praise Thy works unto another and declare Thy power' (Ps. 145.4). Among us on the earth there is His memory; but in the Kingdom of heaven His very Presence. That Presence is the joy of those who have already attained to beatitude; the memory is the comfort of us who are still wayfarers, journeying towards the Fatherland."