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SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS ROBERT, ALBERIC AND STEPHEN
Today’s Solemnity of Saints Robert, Alberic and Stephen always evokes a very precious memory of mine I’d like to share with you at the beginning of this homily.
I’ve been a browser since my first visit to a library at the age of six. So, at the age of 24, I
was in this library – and came across a book with the title: “Three Religious Rebels”, by a Fr M. Raymond (I thought that was his last name!). It was subtitled “The Forefathers of the Trappists”and was the first of three books describing the ‘Epoch of Citeaux’. This was my introduction to the Cistercians. (I had to visit two other libraries to obtain the other two books!)
The book cover described the book – as a “Work of imagination and religious intensity “! In
all three books (of this ‘trilogy’) Fr Raymond made the point – that the works were “Not fiction,but historical fiction!”
The ‘memory’ I mentioned was, that early in the book young Robert of Moslemne (age 15),
was asked by his father (Count of Champagne) – where he got the idea to become a monk.
“From GOD!”, he said! Then he said the words – “I really think the tendency has always been
there!” This is the moment I have long remembered, that really spoke to ME. During my grade school days my Godfather Michael had filled me with many stories about the early Irish monks, stories that I had never quite forgotten. Thus began my quest to find out all I could about the Cistercians and the Trappists. One year later I entered the community of Gethsemani. T.G.
Now, about Saints Robert, Alberic and Stephen: Most of us know something about them as
individuals and their importance, especially those of us who heard the Reading from the Night Office early this morning – so this homily will be about what GOD did through them.
One of the first results was St Bernard! We can be sure that Bernard would never have become Bernard of Clairvaux, had Robert, Alberic, and Stephen not done what they did. What these Founders did was to create a space in history for Bernard to happen. Somewhat similar to our Lady’s “Fiat”, or – “Let it be!”
Whether these blessed Founders directly intended it or not when they began what they were to call the New Monastery, where the Rule of St Benedict could and would be lived with utter faithfulness and simplicity, was brought forth through them a way of life, a FORM, where community was central. Community is made up of people, but mostly community makes the people who make it up, and friendship is the way it makes us.
Form has been called the ‘organization of existence’. Stephen Harding lamented – “We have done what we could and we are accused of novelties, and worse, we are accused of causing divisions, and what is more, few are those who come to join us, to whom we can pass on this ‘formula’, the ‘form’ of our way of life.” But their great faith would be rewarded. Little did Robert, Alberic and Stephen know, that all who were to follow the form of the “New Monestery’ over the centuries – would be standing on the shoulders of these giants.
That ‘form’ of course, that soon many would find so attractive, so beautiful, on the most
obvious level, our Founders called ‘observances’. It was the organization of space, and the breakdown of the day, and the agreement about what you did as a monk, in and with your body.
But this form of external observances had something much deeper and hidden in view. St Bernard would speak of the Incarnate Word, the Lord Jesus – “He laid down a ‘pattern’ a ‘form’ of life that is a pathway back to the fatherland”. This was a reference to the Rule of St Benedict, where Benedict has so many images of the journey to God; and is a reference to Jesus himself who said – ”I am the Way” – the Form of life.
St Aelred (another product of the New Monastery) said Jesus is the form of Cistercian life, the pattern of the monk, his mirror. Bernard calls Jesus the form itself, true Beauty, whom following or just admiring in contemplative love, the Cistercian monk will “regain his original form” by being conformed to him who became poor for our sakes. Jesus the true form, “is able to reform what was deformed, strengthen what was weak, and make men wise.”
Our founders were inspired to create and bring forth the form of life that we now call “Cister-cian”. About it, Bernard wrote, “Even amid the fluctuating events and inevitable shortcomings of this giddy world you will ensure yourself a life of durable stability, provided you are renewed and reformed according to the glorious and original plan (form) of the Eternal God.”
This Solemnity each year invites us as a Cistercian community to reconsider where we are, where we have come from, and where we are going. Does our ‘form of life’ provide a mirror
for each of us; does it foster friendship, is it attractive? “As for me, says Bernard, “As long as I look at myself, my eye is filled with bitterness. But if I look at divine mercy, the mercy incar- nated in my brothers, I will see my true self, and it will be a step to the knowledge of God…
who will become visible to me according as his image is being renewed within me”.
Let us now praise these famous men, declare their wisdom and proclaim their praise.
May we and all Cistercians be grateful for, and faithful to, the great work God has done in these “ Three Religious Rebels”!
Oh God, grant that we like them, may dream anew – that what Sts Robert, Alberic and Stephen gave birth too, the Cistercian charism, may continue to be lived in greater integrity in the many parts of the world to which it has spread in recent years. AMEN. With God all things are possible!
(Sir. 44:1,10-15, Heb 11:1-2,8-16, Mk. 10:24b-30) – fr Alan