Intimacy in Prayer: St. Bernard of Clairvaux

by Bernard of Clairvaux

Publisher:

Pauline Books & Media

, 2013

Overview

We all have a fundamental longing for authentic love and intimacy. But where can we find such an intimacy, and how do we express this need without fear? In these selections from his sermons on the Song of Songs, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux reflects on the biblical allegory of spiritual marriage between God the bridegroom, and our soul, the bride. Through this interpretation, he awakens you to God’s tender embrace, as well as God’s desire to have his affection reciprocated. By showing you how to accept God’s invitation to intimacy in your contemplative prayer, Saint Bernard reveals how you can fulfill your longing for pure and enduring love.

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Key Features

• Offers timeless answers to the deepest questions of the human heart
• Presents the wisdom of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
• Leads you to a deeper satisfaction in your prayer life

Contents

Top Highlights

“We each bring to our relationship with God the pieces of a heart that is wounded, sometimes even devastated and broken. We begin to discover, in the light of God’s love, the extent to which we have cheapened ourselves by offering so indiscriminately the most intimate aspects of our hearts, minds, and bodies to things and people. In the process, we realize how much we have lost in terms of our personal integrity and dignity and how far we have fallen into a web of lies and deceit concerning what it means to be truly human.” (Page xx)

“life’s ultimate significance and true end is discovered only through an intimate communion with God.” (Page xvi)

“Holy affection makes a saint, and this affection is twofold: holy fear of the Lord and holy love” (Page 7)

“We all need a Saint Bernard to guide us and keep us focused upon that which gives our lives ultimate significance” (Page xvi)

“God beckons us to himself so he may lavish upon us our hearts’ deepest longing.” (Page xxii)

Product Details

• Title: Intimacy in Prayer: St. Bernard of Clairvaux
• Series: Classic Wisdom Collection
• Author: Bernard of Clairvaux
• Publisher: Pauline Books & Media
• Publication Date: 2013
• Pages: 105

About Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) was a French abbot, confessor, saint, and Doctor of the Church. He is honored as a founder of the Cistercian order because of his role in popularizing the order in the twelfth century. He takes his name from a monastery he founded on June 25, 1115—soon after joining the Cistercians. He named the monastery Claire Vallée, which evolved into Clairvaux. St. Bernard spent 40 years in cloister, but wielded considerable influence in the Church during that time—working to end a schism, combat heresy, and start the Second Crusade. After his death, he was canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1174. His numerous theological writings are so timeless and powerful that they earned him the title of Doctor of the Church in 1830, and Pope Pius XII wrote an encyclical on him, Doctor Mellifluus, in 1953.