Bernard Of Clairvaux Quotes

“Hell is full of good wishes and desires.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Neither fear nor self-interest can convert the soul. They may change the appearance, perhaps even the conduct, but never the object of supreme desire ... Fear is the motive which constrains the slave; greed binds the selfish man, by which he is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed (James 1:14). But neither fear nor self-interest is undefiled, nor can they convert the soul. Only charity can convert the soul, freeing it from unworthy motives.”

— 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

There is no greater misery than false joys.

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

Vines and trees will teach you that which you will never learn from masters.

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

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

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“If you concentrate hard on the state you are in, it would be suprising if you have time for anything else.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“What I know of the divine sciences and the Holy Scriptures, I have learned in woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches and the oaks.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a sceptre but a hoe.

— 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

“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

“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

“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

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

“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

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

“Action and contemplation are ...”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“The three most important virtues are humility, humility, and humility.”

— 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

“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

The true measure of loving God is to love him without measure.

— 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

The rivers of Grace cannot flow uphill, up the steep cliff of the proud man's heart.

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“There are four degrees of love: 1) Love of self for self's sake. 2) Love of God for self's sake. 3) Love of God for God's own sake. 4) Love of self for God's sake.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Love seeks no cause beyond itself and no fruit; it is its own fruit, its own enjoyment. I love because I love; I love in order that I may love.”

— 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

“You wish to see; listen. Hearing is a step toward Vision.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“It is a fault, not a virtue, to wish your humility recognized and applauded.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Prayer is a virtue that prevaileth against all temptations.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

The Eucharist is that love which surpasses all loves in Heaven and on earth

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

Let your prayer for temporal blessings be strictly limited to things absolutely necessary.

— 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

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

“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.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Who loves me will love my dog also.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

Hell is full of good wishes or desires.

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Love me, love my dog.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

First learn to love yourself, and then you can love me.

— 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

“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

“The reason for our loving God is God.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Love of Mary and devotion to her are a sure sign of obtaining eternal salvation.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

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.

— 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

“Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Do what Jesus says, ... what he commands through his ministers who are in the Church [see 1 Cor 6:4]. Be subject to his vicars, your leaders, not only those who are gentle and kind, but even those who are overbearing [see 1 Pt 2:18].”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“God will become visible as God's image is reborn in you.”

— 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

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.

— Bernard Of Clairvaux

“Nothing can work me damage except myself.”

— Bernard Of Clairvaux