19 August 2007
We gather here this morning to commemorate one of the
first great monks of the Cistercian Order, Bl Guerric of Igny. It is the
850th anniversary of his passage to the Lord on this day in
1157. To allow Bl Guerric to supersede our usual Sunday celebration of
Ordinary time is entirely fitting in view of his having passed on to us
some of the finest Liturgical sermons ever written. Among the early
Cistercian fathers of our Order, he has long been considered as one of the
Order’s four evangelists along with Sts. Bernard, Aelred and William of St
Thierry. He is one who allowed himself to become so totally immersed in
the Liturgy of the Word, that the whole of his life flowed out of the
experience.
Let me say a few words about his life and then how I think today’s
scripture readings are particularly appropriate for the occasion we
celebrate. We don’t know a great deal about Bl Guerric historically,
partly because his name was a very common one at the time so that with any
reference to Guerric or Weric, Guirric etc you are never sure you have the
same person. Probably born in Tournai, Belgium, he was trained in the
humanities, dialectic and theology at the Cathedral school. There are
indications that he also taught at the Cathedral school and was eventually
put in charge of the school and possibly of all the schools of the
diocese. The early 12th century being a time of great monastic
revival. Guerric caught the enthusiasm out of deep sense of personal call
but also due to the influence of a certain Odo of Cambrai and then from
the rising light of our father St Bernard. Either meeting Bernard
personally for through close friends, he decided to enter Clairvaux around
1125. Before becoming the Abbot of Igny, Guerric’s 13 years at Clairvaux
coincided with the height of Bernard’s powers and his best literary
output.
When asked and made abbot of Igny, due in some measure to Bernard’s
influence, there is every indication that the monastery flourished under
his care. The
54 sermons we have, given in chapter at Igny are unlike those of
Bernard or Aelred in that they show little revision before they were
published. What we have is what he shared with his monks. I don’t know if
he ever addressed the words of today’s gospel but I suspect he would be
deeply pleased with the choice of texts we’ve just heard. Jesus saying to
Peter that anyone who has given up houses or brothers and sisters, father,
mother or children for his name's sake would receive a hundred times more
and eternal life besides, fits wonderfully into Guerric’s vision of
monastic life. Brothers living in unity, living with one another in the
love of Christ, living in the freedom of God’s own children, far surpassed
anything this world had to offer. He would see in these words of Jesus the
perfect fulfillment of what was promised in the reading from Sirach that
those who fear the Lord, should hope for good things, for lasting joy and
mercy. Whatever Christ asks of us in terms of sacrifice is nothing
compared with the experience of God’s love poured out within our hearts.
As Guerric inspired his monks to embrace the demands of monastic life,
especially that of forgiveness and heartfelt concern for one another, he
saw clearly that God was dwelling in them, and that it was Christ’s love
that was being brought to perfection in them, as we just heard from the
letter of John. The hundredfold that we receive in leaving all for Christ
is nothing less than Christ’s own life living in us for he has given us of
his Spirit.
If one studies carefully his sermons as Louis Bouyer has pointed out,
his fidelity to the Liturgy and familiarity with the bible are
outstanding. These traits are not peculiar to Guerric except for their
extent and intensity. There is this wonderful freshness so common to the
whole spirituality of Citeaux that comes out of their return to the
sources, especially from their reading of the Sacred Scriptures. Let me
end with this quote from Bl. Guerric for I think is sums up what may be
his message for us today. It is a quote that draws on no less than six
difference references of the bible. "I reckon as God’s own word, my
brethren, whatever the Holy Spirit in his mercy sees fit to speak within
you–every single word which avails to build up faith, stirring up love. If
you should start to use words that are, as it were, God’s own, so that no
bad word, even in private conversation, should cross your lips but rather
words that build up faith, gracious words for all who hear, that make them
give you grateful thanks, then blessed indeed is the word upon your lips,
for your word is a lamp to guide my feet, to illumine my path."
