Vigils reading

THE FAITH THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD

from a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux2 ◊◊◊

…“All that is born of God triumphs over the world.” For the world hates both Christ and those who belong to Christ, but it is also overcome by them with Christ’s help… The truth of Paul’s words thus becomes perfectly clear: “All those whom he (God the Father) has known from the first, he has destined to be shaped to theimage of his son”. Notice the “shaping.” It is after Christ that they are adopted, so that he is the first-born of many brothers: it is after Christ that the world hates them: it is after Christ that the world is conquered by them.

It is right, then, to say that what is born of God triumphs over the world, and thus the proof of our heavenly birth is victory over temptation. Just as the natural son triumphed over the world and its prince, so we also who are sons by adoption emerge as victors. Yes, victors, but only in him who strengthens us an in whom wecan do all things. For “our faith is the victory which prevails over the world.”

For it is by faith that we are adopted among the sons of God: it is our faith that the world, submerged in wickedness, hates and prosecutes: and it is by faith that the world is conquered. As the Scripture says, “Saints have conquered kingdoms by faith”. Surely our victory is to be attributed to faith, for faith owns our very life: “The just man lives by faith”. So each time that you resist temptation, each time you prevail over evil, do not attribute it to your own strength. Congratulate not yourself but the Lord. For in what circumstances would the armed and brace prince yield before your weakness? In short, listen to the warning of the shepherd appointed to tend the Lord’s fold: “Your enemy the devil goes around like a raging lion seeking someone to devour. Bravely resist him by your faith”. You see how all these evidences of the truth are in harmony. Paul says that the saints have conquered kingdoms by faith. Peter says that we must resist the prince of this world by faith. And John says: “Our faith is the victory which prevails over the world.”

Next we read: “For who can conquer the world except him who believes that Jesus is the son of God”? Any person, brethren, who does not believe in the Son of God is undoubtedly both conquered and judged through this disbelief. For without faith we cannot please God… If a man is not terrified by Christ’s threats nor attracted by his promises, if a man does not obey his commands nor fall in with his designs, does he really believe that Jesus is the Son of God? In fact, even if he proclaims that he knows God, he denies it by his actions. Besides, faith without works is dead. It can hardly seem surprising if such a man fails to conquer, for he is not even alive.

You ask what is a lively and victorious faith. It is undoubtedly the faith through which Christ lives in our hearts. For Christ is our strength and our life. Paul says: “When Christ your life appears, you too will appear in glory with him”. The source of that glory will surely be our victory. We shall appear with him because our victory is won in him. In short, the power to become sons of God is given only to those who acknowledge Christ, and to these only must we apply the words “Every man who is born of God triumphs over the world.