Bernard of Clairvaux Quotes
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Prayer is a wine which makes glad the heart of man.
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Death is the gate of life. 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. You will find something far greater in the woods than you will find in books. Stones and trees will teach you that which you will never learn from masters.
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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.
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Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.
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Prayer is a virtue that prevaileth against all temptations.
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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.
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Let your prayer for temporal blessings be strictly limited to things absolutely necessary.
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Your actions in passing, pass not away, for every good work is a grain of seed for eternal life.
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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.
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Prostrate, see Thy cross I grasp,And Thy pierced feet I clasp;Gracious Jesus, spurn me not;On me, with compassion fraught,Let Thy glances fall.Thy cross of agony,My Beloved, look on me;Turn me wholly unto Thee;"Be thou whole," say openly:"I forgive thee all.
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He rightly reads scripture who turns words into deeds.
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The tears of those repenting are the wine of angels.
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Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha and Mary are sisters.
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Humility is, of all graces, the chiefest when it does not know itself to be a grace at all.
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Grace is necessary to salvation, free will equally so - but grace in order to give salvation, free will in order to receive it.
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I know by myself how incomprehensible God is, seeing I cannot comprehend the parts of my own being.
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Love of Mary and devotion to her are a sure sign of obtaining eternal salvation.
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It is a fault, not a virtue, to wish your humility recognized and applauded.
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Vines and trees will teach you that which you will never learn from masters.
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Wherever...thou shalt be, pray secretly within thyself. If thou shalt be far from a house of prayer, give not thyself trouble to seek for one, for thou thyself art a sanctuary designed for prayer. If thou shalt be in bed, or in any other place, pray there; thy temple is there.
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To serve Mary is a mark of eternal salvation to come.
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How beautiful then is modesty and what a gem among virtues it is.
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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.
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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.