Reading: Friday After Ash Wednesday

Anoint Your Head and Wash Your Face 6
A Sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux

…Beloved, we enter the holy season of Lent, a season of Christian warfare.
We are not the only ones who observe it; it is common to all who are in the unity of
the same faith. Why should all Christians not share in Christ’s fast? Why should
the members not follow the Head? If we receive good from this Head, why should
we not endure the bad? Or do we wish to reject what is disagreeable but take our
share of pleasure? If that were the case we would show ourselves unworthy to share
the life of the Head. All that he suffered, he suffered for us. If we are put off by
being his collaborators in the work of our own salvation, how will we later show
ourselves his coworkers? Surely it is no great thing for one who is to sit with Christ
at the Father’s table to fast with him, no great thing if a member suffer with the
head with whom he will be glorified! Happy is the member who clings to this Head
through everything, and follows him wherever he goes! But if he is cut off and
separated, it must follow that he is deprived even of the breath of life. How will any
part that does not remain united to the Head possess consciousness and life?
Clearly there will be someone to take possession of the parts exposed to view so they
don’t remain headless! The root of bitterness will spring up again, and a poisonous
head will again come forth – the head which that valiant woman, Mother Church,
had previously crushed…

For me, it is good to cling to you, O glorious Head, blessed forever, on which
even the angels desire to look! I will follow you wherever you go; if you pass
through fire I will not be torn away from you, nor will I fear evil, for you are with
me. You bear my griefs and you grieve over me; you go first through the narrow
door of the passion to prepare a broad entrance for the members who follow.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? By this love the whole body
grows through its joints and ligaments. This is the good soldier Isaiah mentions.
This is what makes it so good and pleasant a thing for brethren to dwell together in
unity. This ointment that flows down from the Head on to the beard flows even to
the skirts of the garment so that not the smallest thread lacks anointing. On the
Head is the fullness of graces of which we all receive; on the Head is all mercy, an
inexhaustible font of divine loving-kindness, and the whole abundance of spiritual
ointment. As it is written, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness
beyond your companions. That Head, which the Father had anointed so freely,
Mary also did not fear to anoint. The disciples were scandalized, but Truth
answered for her that she had performed a good work.

…One who is faithful in a small thing is judged worthy of a greater reward.
Therefore anoint your Head, pouring out on him who is above whatever devotion or
delight or affection you have. Anoint your Head, so that if there is any grace in you
it may be ascribed to him, and you may not seek your own glory, but his… Anoint
your head and wash your face, that is to say, show yourself blameless so that you
strive to win for yourself divine grace and in the sight of others seek not your own
glory, but that of your Creator…

6 Bernard of Clairvaux. Sermons for Lent and the Easter Season. CF 52. Trans. Irene Edmonds.
Collegeville, MN: Cistercian Publications, 2013. 24-28.