Light And Fire

Audite ergo, fratres, quid de Joanne loquatur, cujus solemnis hodie nativitas celebratur. Ille, inquit, erat lucerna ardens, et lucens. Magnum testimonium, fratres mei: magnus enim est cui perhibetur, sed major est ipse qui perhibet. Ille, inquit, erat lucerna ardens, et lucens. Est enim tantum lucere vanum, tantum ardere parum: ardere et lucere perfectum. Audi quid dicat Scriptura: Sapiens permanet ut sol, stultus autem ut luna mutatur. Quia enim splendet luna sine fervore; modo plena, modo exigua, modo nulla videtur. Mutuatum siquidem lumen nunquam in eodem permanet statu, sed crescit, deficit, extenuatur, annihilatur, et penitus non comparet. Sic qui conscientias suas in alienis labiis posuerunt, modo magni, modo parvi sunt, modo nulli, secundum quod adulantium linguis vel vituperare placuerit, vel laudare. At vero solis splendor igneus est, et cum fervet acrius, etiam oculis lucidior exhibetur. Sic sapientis ardor internus foris lucet: et si non ei datur utrumque, curat semper ardere magis, ut Pater suus qui videt in abscondito, reddat ei. Vae nobis, fratres, si luxerimus tantum. Nam lucemus quidem, et magnificamur ab hominibus; sed mihi pro minimo est, ut ab humano judicer die. Qui enim judicat me, Dominus est, qui fervorem ab omnibus exigit, splendorem vero non ita. Ignem, inquit, veni mittere in terram; et quid volo nisi ut accendatur? Hoc nempe commune mandatum, hoc est quod exigitur ab universis; nec ulla, si deesse contigerit, admittitur excusatio. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, In Nativitate Sancti Joannis Baptistae, Sermones de Sanctis, Sermones de Sanctis Source: Migne PL 183.399a-c

Hear, then, brothers, what may be said of John, whose solemn nativity is celebrated today. He says: 'He was a lamp blazing and shining forth.' 1 A great testimony, my brothers, for great is he to whom is it given, but greater is He who gives it. He says: 'He was a lamp blazing and shining forth.' For to shine alone is vain, and to blaze alone a small thing. To blaze and to shine is perfection. Hear what Scripture says: 'A wise man is like the sun, but a fool changes like the moon.' 2 Because the moon shines without heat, however full, however small, it appears to be nothing. Then changeable light never remains in a stable state, but it grows, it lessens, it fades, it is extinguished, and it is not seen at all. So they who have placed their understanding on foreign lips, however great, however little they are, it is nothing, whether it shall please the tongues of adulators to revile or praise. But the splendour of the sun is fiery and its blaze is more ardent, and indeed it appears brighter to the eye. So the inner ardour of the wise man shines outside. But if both are not given to him to do, he always cares more that he blaze, so that his Father who sees in secret rewards him. 3 Woe to us, brothers, if we have only shone. For certainly we shine and we are extolled by men, but that is little to me, that I am judged by men for a day. For he who judges me is the Lord, who demands fervour from everyone; however it is not so with splendour. He says: 'I have come to place fire on the earth, and what do I wish but that it blaze up?' 4 Without doubt this is a common command, this is what is demanded from all; no one, if he happens to lack this, will have any excuse. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, On The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Sermons on The Saints 1 Jn 5.35 2 Sirach 27.12 3 Mt 6.6 4 Lk 12.49