Today's Council 16 September 2020 of San Bernardo

Saint Bernard (1091-1153)
Cistercian monk and doctor of the Church

Homily 38 on the Song of Songs
The ignorance of those who do not convert
The apostle Paul says: "Some show that they do not know God" (1 Cor 15,34:XNUMX). I say that all those who do not want to convert to God find themselves in this ignorance. They, in fact, reject this conversion for the sole fact that they imagine that God who is infinite sweetness solemn and severe; they imagine the one who is infinite mercy hard and implacable; they believe violent and terrible the one who desires only adoration. And so the wicked lie to himself by making himself an idol, instead of knowing God as he really is.

What do these people of little faith fear? May God not want to forgive them their sins? But he nailed them to the cross with his own hands. What else do they fear, then? To be weak and vulnerable themselves? But he knows well the clay from which he drew us. So what are they afraid of? To be too accustomed to evil to be able to untie the chains of habit? But the Lord freed those who were prisoners (Ps 145,7). Are they, then, afraid that God, irritated by the immensity of their faults, will hesitate to extend a charitable hand to them? And yet, where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Rom 5,20:6,32). Does concern for clothing, food, or other necessities of life prevent them from giving up their possessions? But God knows that we need all these things (Mt XNUMX:XNUMX). What more do they want? What stands in the way of their salvation? Precisely the fact that they ignore God, that they don't believe our words. So have faith in the experience of others!