High Hopes

Fratres, hoc sapere, ex fide vivere est, nec alius ex sententia dicere potest: Quoniam tu es, Domine, spes mea, nisi cui intus sit persuasum a Spiritu, ut quemadmodum monet propheta, jactet cogitatum suum in Domino, sciens quod enutriendus sit ab eo, juxta illud quoque Petri apostoli: Omnem sollicitudinem vestram projicientes in eum: ipsi enim cura est de vobis. Utquid enim, si haec sapimus, utquid cunctamur abjicere omnino spes miseras, vanas, inutiles, seductorias; et huic uni tam solidae, tam perfectae, tam beatae spei, tota devotione animi, toto fervore spiritus inhaerere? Si quid illi impossibile, si quid vel difficile est, quaere aliud in quo speres. Sed verbo omnia potest. Quid facilius dictu? Attamen hujusmodi dictum intelligas volo. Si decreverit salvare nos, continuo liberabimur; si vivificare placuerit, vita in voluntate ejus est; si praemia aeterna largiri, licet ei quod vult facere. An vero de facilitate jam non dubitas, sed ipsa tibi est suspecta voluntas? Plane et voluntatis testimonia credibilia facta sunt nimis. Majorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, quam ut animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. Denique quando in se speranti desit illa majestas, quae tam studiose monet in se sperari? Plane non derelinquit sperantes in se. Adjuvabit eos, ait, et liberabit eos, et eruet eos a peccatoribus, et salvabit eos. Quare? quibus meritis? Audi quod sequitur: Quia speraverunt in eo. Dulcis causa, attamen efficax, attamen irrefragabilis. Nimirum haec justitia, sed quae ex fide est, non ex lege. De quacunque tribulatione, inquit, clamaverint ad me, exaudiam eos. Ecce numera tribulationes. Secundum multitudinem earum consolationes ejus laetificabunt animam tuam: dummodo ad aliam non convertaris; dummodo clames ad eum; dummodo speres in eum; nec humile aliquid vel terrenum, sed altissimum ponas refugium tuum. Quis speravit in eo, et confusus est? Facilius est coelum et terram transire, quam verbum ejus evacuari. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De tempore, Sermo IX, De versu nono, Quoniam tu es, Domine, spes mea; altissimum posuisti refugium tuum Source: Migne PL 183.219b-d

Brothers, know this, it is by faith that one lives, and with this understanding, unless a man has been moved by the Spirit within him, no one is able to say, 'Because you, Lord, are my hope,' 1 as likewise the prophet admonishes: 'Cast your thought on the Lord, knowing that you shall be nourished by Him,' 2 because of which the Apostle says: 'Casting all your care on Him, for He has care for you.' 3 And, then, if we know this, why do we delay to cast down our weary, vain, useless and deceitful hopes, and cleave to this which is so secure, so perfect, so blessed a hope, with all devotion of the soul, with all fervour of spirit? If something is impossible for Him, or something is difficult, why hope for something in Him? But with a word He can do everything. What is easier than to speak? And yet I wish you to understand what is said. If He determines to save us, immediately we are delivered; if it pleases Him to give us new life, life is in His will; if to bestow the eternal reward, He may do what He wishes to do. But might it be that you do not doubt because it is easy but rather because you suspect His will? Clearly the testimonies of what He wants are not doubtful. 'Greater love has no man than to lay his life down for his friends.' 4 Finally when shall that majesty fail those who hope in Him, that which so keenly exhorts us to hope in Him? Plainly because He does not abandon those who hope in him. 'He shall help them,' it says, 'and He shall free them and deliver them from sinners and save them.' 5 Why? For what merits? Hear what follows: 'Because they hoped in Him.' Sweet cause, yet effective, yet inviolable. Certainly this is justice, because what is from faith is not from the law. 'In whatever tribulation they shall call to me,' He says, 'I shall hear them.' Behold the number of tribulations. According to their multitude His consolation shall give joy to your soul, as long as you do not turn to another, as along as you cry out to Him, as long as you hope in Him, not setting your hope in anything base or worldly, but only in His most high sanctuary. Who has hoped in Him and been confounded? 6 It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than His word to be made vain. 7 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons On Various Things, from Sermon 9, On the verse: 'Because you are my hope, O Lord, you have set forth your most high refuge' 1 1 Ps 90.9 2 Ps 54.23 3 1 Pet 5.7 4 Jn 15.13 1 Ps 90.9 2 Ps 54.23 3 1 Pet 5.7 4 Jn 15.13 5 Ps 36.40 6 Sirach 2.10 7 Lk 16.17