Letters207 Letter CCVII. To rogkr, king of Sicily (A.D. 1139)

Bernard begs Jiini to be kind and liberal towards poor Religious.

Far and wide the renown of your magnificence has spread over the earth. For what lands are there to which the glory of your name has not reached But listen to the advice of me who loves you. Endeavour as much as in you lies to refer this same glory to Him from whom it comes, if you do not wish to destroy it, or to be destroyed by it. This certainly will happen if you open the eye of discretion upon those whom the well-known report of your magnificence calls to you from afar, and if you stretch out your hand not so much to the greedy as to the poor. Truly, Blessed is lie tJiat considercth not the greedy, but the poor and needy (Ps. xli. i). The poor, I repeat, who asks unwillingly, receives modestly, and when he receives glorifies his Father which is in Heaven. Since, then, His own glory will be so faithfully given to God from the mouth of the needy because of your gift, that fount of glory must flow for you with more fruitful stream, for He loves those who love Hun, and glorifies those who glorify Him; just as he who sows blessings shall reap blessings (2 Cor. ix. 6). For this reason I beseech you cast your eyes on the bearer of this letter, for most certainly it is not greed that has drawn him to your presence, but necessity that has forced him to come. Necessity, I say, not his own, but of his brethren, viz., the many faithful servants of God by whom he has been sent. Hear patiently what they have to be patient under; hear and suffer with them; for if you suffer with them you shall reign with them. To reign with such is not to be scorned, even by a king. For the kingdom of heaven is theirs who have despised the life of the world. Make to yourself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you fail out of your earthly kingdom they may receive you into their heavenly kingdom (S. Luke xvi. 9).