Letters70 Letter LXX. To the same.
Letter LXX. To the same.
Bernard reminds him what feelings of mercy a pastor ought to have, and ad-vises him to withdraw a sentence which he had passed upon an offending monk.
To the Lord Abbot GUY, Brother BERNARD, health, with the spirit of wisdom and piety.
Considering the miserable condition of this unhappy man, I feel myself touched with pity, but I fear lest it be in vain. Yet even though he should remain in his unhappy state I do not think that my pity would be altogether wasted, but would be of advantage, at least to me. The pity which I feel is not, however, prompted by any advantage to myself, but a brotherly sympathy is produced in my inmost heart by the misery of a brother. Pity is a feeling which is not governed by the will, nor subjected to the reason, nor is anyone drawn to it by deliberate purpose; but it necessarily imposes itself of its own accord on com passionate hearts at the sight of the suffering of others, so that even if it were a sin to be moved with compassion I could not help pitying, even if I wished. The reason and the will would, indeed, be able to prevent our acting upon the feeling; but could they eradicate the feeling itself? Far from me be those who would console me by saying that my prayer shall return unto my own bosom, although he for whom it is offered is not yet converted. Nor do I listen to those who flatter me by quoting: The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him (Ezek. xviii. 20) while the wicked still remains in his impiety. No, I say, I cannot be consoled while I see the desolation of a brother. If, then, my dear son, your pious mind is similarly affected, or rather because it is similarly affected, although that unhappy man seems to have practised shameful and repeated flight from the monastery after having returned, yet because he thinks otherwise, you ought to listen, not only patiently but also willingly to what he humbly urges (however ill-founded), if perchance any reasonable opportunity may be found for saving a man whose safety is despaired of; which (as your experience, equally with my own, teaches) is difficult to find even in congregation, but is much more difficult when he is without in the world. Do not disdain, therefore, having called an assembly of all the brethren, to recall all the censures that you have launched against him, insomuch that his contumacy shall be healed by your humility, and perhaps some means may be found, without violating the Rule, for receiving him once more. Nor need you fear that by this retractation you will displease our just and merciful God, if mercy shall be exalted above justice. Farewell.
Domno abbati GUIDONI, frater BERNARDUS, spiritum scientiae et pietatis.
Considerans miseri hujus miserabilem conditionem, misereor quidem, sed vereor ne frustra. Neque enim non ideo mihi videor frustra misereri, quod, ipso licet remanente in sua miseria, mea tamen vel mihi non sit infructuosa misericordia. In quam utique misericordiam non propria utilitas inclinavit, sed intimis eam visceribus proximi miseria et fraternus dolor inflixit. Misericordia quippe affectio est, quae nec voluntate coercetur, nec rationi subjicitur; quando non eam in se quisque pertrahit voluntario motu, sed ipsa pias mentes ad compassionem dolentium necessario cogit affectu, ita ut, etiam si peccatum esset misereri, etsi multum vellem, non possem non misereri. Potest quidem ratio vel voluntas aflectui effectum subtrahere; sed nunquid ipsum affectum evellere? Discedant a me qui me consolantur, et dicunt quia oratio mea in sinu meo revertetur, dum is pro quo emissa est, nondum convertitur. Nec audio illos qui mihi blandientes afferunt, Justitia justi super eum erit,, dum impius in sua adhuc impietate remoratur. Non, inquam, recipio consolationem ubi fratris video desolationem. Si ergo, dulcissime fili, tua quoque pia mens similiter affecta est, imo quia aliter affecta non est, quanquam tibi infelix iste cunctas suae egressionis de monastario, et denuo regressionis, regulares vices infeliciter percurrisse videtur, quia tamen ipse aliter putat, non solum patienter, sed etiam libenter audiendum est quod humiliter calumniatur, si forte tam desperatae salutis reparandae rationabilis ulla occasio inveniatur, quam (ut bene mecum tua intelligit experientia) difficile quidem in congregatione, sed multo difficilius foris poterit obtinere. Inito itaque omnium fratrum consilio, omnia quae in eum fecisti judicia diligenter retractare non dedigneris, quatenus tua humilitate ejus contumacia sanetur, si vel sic videlicet adinveniri poterit quomodo adhuc semel regulariter suscipiatur. Nec timendum est in hac retractatione quod displiceat justo ac misericordi Deo, si misericordia superexaltetur judicio Valete.