Doctor Mellifluus
The extraordinary personality and activity of St. Bernard, and the permanent value of his writings, well justify all this interest and activity. Our 20th century in some ways resembles the troubled period in which Bernard's action was set, and he has a precious lesson to teach us. This lesson is pointed out by Pope Pius XII in a special encyclical, which begins with the words Doctor Mellifluus and is dated Pentecost Day, May 24, 1953. Before we turn to its message, it may be good to recall the main dates of the Saint's career.
1090: Born at Fontaines-les-Dijon, of a Burgundian nobleman.
1106: Death of his mother, Blessed Aleth.
1112: With 29 companions who had decided to follow him, he enters the poor monastery of Citeaux, founded shortly before (in 1080 by St. Robert, Abbot of Molesme) for the strict observance of the primitive Benedictine Rule.
1115: Entrusted by his abbot, Blessed Stephen Harding, with the foundation of Clairvaux; installed as Abbot by Bishop William of Champeaux, who becomes one of his firmest friends: through him, Bernard soon enters the field of great affairs, writing letters to the King of France and the Pope.
1119: Foundation of Troisfontaines, the first of the 68 daughter houses of Clairvaux founded during Bernard's abbacy; from now on, journeys without number in the service of the Church.
1130: Schism of the Catholic world: two Popes elected. Bernard enters the battle for Innocent II, against Anacletus; withstands the Emperor Lothair; schism ends in 1138.
1145: Eugene III, originally a monk at Clairvaux, elected Pope.
1146: Bernard, at the Pope's bidding, launches the Second Crusade, which ended in disaster.
1153: Death of Pope Eugene, July 8.
1153: Death of St. Bernard, August 20.
1174: Canonized by Pope Alexander III.
1830: Declared Doctor of the Church by Pius VIII.
The encyclical Doctor Mellifluus begins by recalling the outstanding position of St. Bernard in the annals of sanctity and of the Church. Distinguished by exceptional gifts of nature and grace, he became a light and a leader of his troubled times. Even heretics have not rarely acknowledged his greatness. His editor, Mabillon, calls him "the last of the Fathers, and certainly not inferior to the first." The Church chronicler Baronius describes him as "an apostle sent by God, powerful in work and word, not less favored than the great Apostles, glory and pillar of the Church." Such praises, the Holy Father goes on, invite all who take pleasure in whatever is true, beautiful, and holy, to look up to this Saint's exalted teaching and example on the occasion of his eighth centenary.
The body of the encyclical shows the contemplative and the man of action in his life and teaching. It is largely an anthology of beautiful texts: more than half of it is made up of quotations from the Saint's writings.
1. The Contemplative
St. Bernard drew his teaching from constant meditation on Holy Scripture and the Fathers, not from dialectics, which he seems to have valued but little. He did esteem true philosophy that leads to God and to Christian wisdom; but he scorned presumptuous disputes that do harm to the faith and lead into error. Knowledge must be sought in the right manner and for the right purpose.
"There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; and that is shameful curiosity. And there are others who desire to know in order that they may themselves be known, and that is vanity. Others again desire knowledge in order to make money or to obtain preferment; that too is a discreditable quest. But there are also some who desire knowledge that they may edify, and that is charity. Others again desire knowledge that they themselves may be edified, and that is prudence." True wisdom must unite knowledge and love. "Knowledge without love puffs up; love without knowledge goes astray."
2. The Man of Action
The perfect rest, found in the union of love with God, does not lead to indolence and inactivity, but to strenuous action in seeking our own salvation and that of others. Contemplation inspires, guides, and purifies action; it gives strength in adversities, prudence in success. This is clear from St. Bernard's teaching; it is no less so from the example of his life.
He does not rest confined to his cell in sweet contemplation. Wherever the interests of God and of the Church are at stake, there he is with counsel, word, and action. His life does not belong to himself, so he said, it belongs to all; to all he owes counsel and help. Where holy religion is in danger or trouble, he spares no pain, no labor, or journey. "Nothing that concerns the glory of God is a matter of indifference to me." He is ready to fight unto death, happy to share in Christ's sufferings.
Hence his toil and fatigue in restoring unity in the Church torn by schism. Hence his endeavors as a mediator of peace to reconcile Christian princes divided by territorial ambitions.
Conclusion
This theme, which is a favorite of the Holy Father's as it was of St. Bernard's, provides the conclusion of the encyclical. The Pope fervently appeals to all to renew their devotion to the Blessed Virgin and, after St. Bernard's example, to flee to her for help in the present sad state of our world. "If in the twelfth century grave dangers beset the Church and human society, the perils of our present age are not less serious. The Catholic faith, source of men's supreme solace, often languishes in the hearts of men, or even in some countries and nations is subjected to violent attack. Once the Christian religion is either neglected or destroyed, we see private and public morality stray from the right path. Hatred, rivalry, and discord take the place of charity, which is the bond of perfection, of concord, and peace. Unrest, anguish, and fear invade the minds of men." When the Gospel is losing its hold on the hearts of men, there is reason to fear lest the very foundations of civil and domestic society collapse and the present situation will further deteriorate.
"As the Doctor of Clairvaux begged and obtained the help of Mary the Virgin Mother of God for his troubled times, so all of us should with the same intense devotion implore our divine Mother to obtain from God the right remedies for the grave evils which assail us or are threatening; kind and powerful as she is, may she grant, with God's help, that a true, firm, and fruitful peace may dawn at last for the Church, the peoples, and nations."
Full text of Encyclical: https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_24051953_doctor-mellifluus.html
Condensed from an article of the same title by Fr. de Letter SJ, by Fr. Therasian.
