Vigils Reading

HE INCLINES TO ME

AND I TO HIM

From a sermon on the Song of Songs by St Bernard of Clairvaux

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[In the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, he quotes Scripture, saying “It

is written in the law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the

grain.'”] It is obvious that what the Apostle says about oxen has no reference to the

Bride [of Christ, which is the Church]; he who loves her and gave himself for her

must needs care for her. Is she not that lost sheep whose care came before even that of

the heavenly flock? The shepherd left the rest and came to earth to find her. He

sought her diligently, and when he found her he did not lead her, but carried her

back! Then on her account he called the angels together and celebrated a new and

joyful festival with her. How then can it be said that he will not care for her, when he

deigned to carry her on his shoulders?

She is not mistaken, then, when she says, ‘The Lord takes thought for me’, nor

is she deceived when she says, ‘The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me’, or when she

says anything else which shows God’s love for her. Thus it is that she speaks of the

Lord of Hosts as her beloved, and glories that he who judges all things in tranquility

cares for her. Why should she not glory? She has heard him saying to her, ‘Can a

woman forget her child, and not have compassion on him? And even if she does

forget him, yet I will not forget you.’ Again, ‘The eyes of the Lord are upon the

righteous.’

Now what is the Bride but the congregation of the righteous? What is she but the

generation of those who seek the face of the Bridegroom? It cannot be that he should

incline to her, and she not incline to him. Therefore she says, ‘He inclines to me and I

to him.’ He inclines to me because he is good and gracious; I incline to him because I

am not ungrateful. He gives me grace from his graciousness; I give him gratitude for

grace. He has a care for my deliverance and my salvation; I for his honor and the

fulfillment of his will. He has a care for me, and for no other, for I am his only dove; I

have a care for him and for no other; I do not hear the voice of others, nor do I listen to

those who say “Look, here is Christ” or “look, there he is!”’ It is the Church who

speaks.