Vigils Reading – St Bruno

A letter from St Bruno to

HIS CARTHUSIAN SONS

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From the frequent and pleasant reports of our most blessed brother, I

know of your reasoned and truly praiseworthy discipline, carried out with

unwavering rigor. Since I have heard of your holy love and constant pursuit of

honesty and virtue, my spirit rejoices in the Lord. I rejoice and am drawn to

praise and give thanks to God, and still I long to love him. I rejoice, as I should,

in the growing fruits of your strength, and yet I grieve and am ashamed that I lie

idle and senseless in the mire of my sins.

Therefore rejoice, my dearest brothers, because you are so blessed and

because of the bountiful hand of God’s grace upon you. Rejoice, because you

have escaped the various dangers and shipwrecks of the stormy world. Rejoice,

because you have reached the quiet and safe anchorage of a secret harbor. Many

wish to come into this port, and many make great efforts to do so, yet do not

achieve it. Indeed many, after reaching it, have been thrust out, since it was not

granted them from above.

Therefore, my brothers, you should consider it certain and well-

established that whoever partakes of this desirable good, should he in any way

lose it, will grieve to his death, if he has any regard or concern for the salvation of

his soul.

My dearest lay brothers, of you I say: “My soul magnifies the Lord”. For I

have learned of the generosity of his mercy toward you from the report of your

Prior and dearest father; he rejoices and takes great pride in you. And let us

rejoice that since you are acquainted with the knowledge of letters, almighty

God will inscribe in your hearts with his finger not only his love but also the

knowledge of his holy law. By your work you show what you love and what you

know. When you observe true obedience with prudence and enthusiasm, it is

clear that you wisely pick the most delightful and nourishing fruit of divine

Scripture.