Podcast: Play in new window | Download
August 20 — St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Invitation to Worship
Come, let us sing to Adonai, let us praise the God of all Creation!
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Sun and Moon, bless Adonai;
~ Stars and Galaxies, exalt God for ever!
Hymn by St. Bernard
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn .
Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far your Face to see,
And in your Presence rest.
No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the mem’ry find
A sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,
Who saves all humankind.
O Hope of ev’ry contrite heart,
O Joy of all the meek,
To those who ask how kind you are,
How close to those who seek.
But what to those who find? Ah this
No tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is
None but His loved ones know.
Jesus, our only Joy, we bow,
Since you our prize will be;
In You is all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.
Text: St. Bernard, tr. E. Caswell, Alt; Tune: CONSOLATION, C.M.
PSALMODY
Antiphon
In you, Adonai, is the Source of all Life;
in your Light we see light.
Psalm 35/36
Your love, Adonai, reaches to heaven;
your truth soars among the clouds.
Your justice towers like a mountain;
your integrity runs deeper than the sea.
You protect all creatures, all of life:
Adonai, how we prize your compassion!
In you, the people seek shelter,
safe in the warmth beneath your wings.
All feast at the abundance of your table,
slake their thirst in your refreshing streams,
for in you is the source of life
you give us light and we can see.
Continue your kindness toward all you have chosen
and your justice to all who are honest.
Keep the arrogant from trampling your little ones,
assaulting us with wicked hands and frozen hearts.
For those who do not love will collapse,
defeated, they will never arise.
We bow as we pronounce the Names of the Trinity
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
In you, Adonai, is the Source of all Life;
in your Light we see light.
.
READING Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermon 83:4
Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all God desires is to be freely loved in return; the sole purpose of God-love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love God are made happy by their love of God.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. The harvest of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience and kindness *Goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control. There is no law for these.
V. If the Spirit is the source of our life, let the Spirit direct our course. * Goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control. There is no law for these.
We bow as we pronounce the Names of the Trinity
V. Glory to the Abba and the Word, and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
Flooded by the splendor of God’s Word, the Abbot Bernard,
illumines us with the light of faith and the brightness of mystical truth.
We make the Sign of the Cross as we begin singing the Gospel Canticle.
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To Guide our feet on the way of peace.
We bow as we pronounce the Names of the Trinity
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
With his life flooded by the splendor of the divine Word, the Blessed Abbot, Bernard,
still illumines us with the light of faith and the brightness of mystical truth.
Intercessory Prayer
In you, Adonai, is the Source of Life,
~In your Light we shall see light.
Send forth your light and your truth
~Let these be our guide.
Fill us each morning with your constant love,
~That we may sing and be glad all our life.
Let us see your wonderful works,
~May your people see your glorious might.
Gracious God, may your blessing be upon us;
~And grant us success in all we do.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
~ And fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
We give you thanks, Holy One, for with a mother’s love you have watched over us in the night and have led us from the shadows of darkness into morning’s light. As we celebrate summer’s abundance and the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, fill us with the warmth of your love that we may bear witness to the Light of your Word-Made-Flesh, Jesus the Christ who lives and loves with you and the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen.
We make the Sign of the Cross as indicated with the + during the Blessing
May the God of light fill us with all peace and joy, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, + we may abound in goodness for all of creation. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.