Wisdom from St Bernard

I grew up seeing St Bernard's name associated with the beautiful hymn Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee.  For years it never occurred to me to consider the Catholicity of his spirituality, but when The Liturgy of the Hours entered my life I discovered the many historic voices within the heart of Catholicism.  Here are good words from St Bernard taken from today's Office of Readings:

Christ tells us: The field is the world. Let us work in it and dig up wisdom, its hidden treasure, a treasure we all look for and want to obtain.  If you are looking for it, really look. Be converted and come....

If you have found wisdom, you have found honey. But do not eat so much that you become too full and bring it all up. Eat so that you are always hungry. Wisdom says: Those who eat me continue to hunger. Do not think you have too much of it, but do not eat too much or you will throw it up.....

.....There are three ways for wisdom or prudence to abound in you: if you confess your sins, if you give thanks and praise, and if your speech is edifying. Man believes with his heart and so he is justified. He confesses with his lips and so he is saved. In the beginning of his speech the just man is his own accuser, next he gives glory to God, and thirdly, if his wisdom extends that far, he edifies his neighbor.  (From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot; Sermo de diversis 15: PL 183, 577-579).