Liber Tertius, Caput III. Praesules Ecclesiae non tam ut praesint, ac semetipsos pascant, quam ut aliis prosint, constitutos esse.
Rulers Exist for the Ruled
Authority is given for the benefit of those under it, not for the ruler's own advancement.
And the first thing that comes to mind, I think, should not be overlooked. You should be in charge, and in a unique way. What's the reason for that? It needs, I tell you, consideration. Surely you're not thinking about growing in relation to your subjects? Not at all, but rather for their sake. They appointed you as a ruler, but for their benefit, not yours. Otherwise, how can you see yourself as superior to those from whom you ask for favors?
The True Meaning of Benefactor
Scripture defines authority as benefaction, making it shameful for leaders to seek their own profit rather than the good of their people.
Listen to the Lord: those who have authority over others are called benefactors.✦ But that's about people on the outside. What's that to us? You're being called that falsely, if your aim isn't so much to do good to others as to lord it over them. It's small-minded and petty not to seek the good of those under you but only your own profit. And this is especially shameful for someone in the highest position of all. How fittingly the Teacher of the nations judged that parents ought to store up for their children, not children for their parents.✦ That's no ordinary word of glory, the one he keeps repeating: I'm not looking for the gift, but the fruit.✦
A Defense Against Suspicion of Greed
Bernard clarifies that his warnings about greed are not aimed at Eugene personally, but at the wider corruption where even Roman mints now produce gold.
But now let's move on, so that no one interprets my delay in these matters as a mark of greed in you: I have testified in the previous book how far this is from you, knowing how much and in what need you have turned away from it. I've written these things to you, not for your sake. Indeed, what is written for you shouldn't only benefit you. This place criticizes greed, from which your opinion is sufficiently free of fault; or is it also a matter of your work, you decide. We have seen, however, that the Germans have emptied their bags, but for a price, not for a bulk. Silver is considered fodder: the merchants, not having lifted their burdens, nevertheless return home, whether willingly or unwillingly. A new thing. When has gold been minted in Rome until now?
Simony Rebuked at Rome
Recent cases of wealthy Germans and overseas seekers buying bishoprics demonstrate the stark contrast between apostolic freedom and simoniacal destruction.
And now we don't believe that this has been usurped by the counsel of the Romans. Two came, both wealthy, and both were accused. Indeed, one was from Mainz, the other from Cologne: grace was freely given to the one; the other, unworthy, I believe, to whom grace was to be returned, heard: With what kind of garment did you enter, and with such will you go out? O magnificent voice! A voice of truly apostolic freedom! What less did that one have than this, may your money be with you for destruction? Except that in that one there was more zeal, in this one more moderation resounded. What about that one from overseas regions, almost from the ends of the earth, running by land and sea for the bishopric, buying again with his own and others' resources?
Innocent Hands and Prudent Gifts
Eugene is commended for keeping his hands innocent while wisely providing for a poor bishop's modesty and avoiding the ill will of those who love bribes.
He had, you see, already bought it before. He endured much, but gave back — not everything, however. The wretched man fell into other hands, more powerful at taking than at giving. You did well, keeping your hands innocent in both matters — not imposing on an ambitious man, to be sure, nor yielding to an unjust one by putting wealth beneath him. You didn't hold back from giving to a poor bishop what he might give, lest he be marked as stingy: he received in secret what he gave openly. In this way your purse provided for the man's modesty; and in this way too, by observing the court's custom with your gift, he avoided the ill will of those who love bribes. You can't hide it: we know both the deed and the person. Does hearing this trouble you?
Proclaiming Christ's Glory
Bernard gladly preaches Eugene's good deeds despite the pope's discomfort, because Christ's glory must not be hidden.
And I preach it all the more gladly, the more it troubles you to hear: if it's good for you this way, it's good for me this way too. I should no more keep silent about Christ's glory than you should seek your own. And if you keep on grumbling, the Gospel will answer you: 'The more strictly he ordered them, the more they proclaimed it, saying, He has done all things well.'✦1
Read the original Latin
Et primum quod occurrit, minime transeundum reor. Praees, et singulariter. Ad quid? eget, tibi dico, consideratione. Numquid ut de subditis crescas? Nequaquam, sed ut ipsi de te. Principem te constituerunt, sed sibi, non tibi. Alioquin quo pacto te reputas superiorem his, a quibus beneficium mendicas?
Audi Dominum: Qui potestatem habent super eos, benefici vocantur. At istud de his qui foris sunt. Quid ad nos? Tu id mendaciter diceris, si non tam beneficus esse, quam beneficis praeesse intendas. Parvi dejectique animi est, de subditis non profectum quaerere subditorum, sed quaestum proprium. In summo praesertim omnium nihil turpius. Tum pulchre Magister Gentium parentes filiis, non filios debere censuit thesaurizare parentibus. Non mediocris gloriae vox illa identidem ipsius: Non requiro datum, sed fructum.
At jam transeamus et hinc, ne quis moram in his meam, avaritiae in te notam interpretetur: quae quam longe a te sit, libro superiori testatus sum, sciens quanta, et in quanta tua necessitate respueris. Ad te proinde scripserim ista, non propter te. Nempe quod tibi scribitur, soli prodesse non decet. Hic locus avaritiam carpit, a quo vitio immunis satis tua opinio est; an et opus, tu videris. Vidimus tamen Germanicos detumuisse saccos, sed pretio, non massa. Argentum reputatum est fenum: summarii non levatis sarcinis, onusti nihilominus repatriant vel inviti. Nova res. Quando hactenus aurum Roma refudit?
Et nunc Romanorum consilio id usurpatum non credimus. Duo venerunt, ambo locupletes, et ambo rei. Siquidem unus Moguntinus, Coloniensis alter: alteri gratia gratis reddita est; alter, indignus credo cui gratia redderetur, audivit: Cum quali veste intrasti, cum tali egredieris. O vocem magnificam! vocem prorsus apostolicae libertatis! Quid minus ab illa haec habuit, Pecunia tua tecum sit in perditionem? Nisi quod in illa plus zeli, in ista plus modestiae sonuit. Quid ille de transmarinis partibus pene a finibus terrae, terra et mari currens pro episcopatu, suis et alienis facultatibus rursus emendo?
Jam enim emerat prius. Tulit multa, sed retulit, non omnia tamen. Incidit miser in manus alias, accipere quam dare potentiores. Bene fecisti, tuas in utroque servans innoxias, nec imponere scilicet ambitioso, nec supponere iniquo mammonae acquiescens. Non sic a paupere episcopo continuisti, dans quod daret, ne immunificus notaretur: accepit clam, quod palam dedit. Sic de tuo sacculo consultum est verecundiae viri, sic quoque curiae morem gerens, tuo beneficio invidiam declinavit eorum qui diligunt munera. Non potes abscondere: et factum novimus, et personam. Audire gravat?
Et ego eo libentius praedico, quo tu id molestius audis: si tibi sic expedit, et mihi sic. Tam non oportet Christi gloriam me silere, quam nec te quaerere tuam. Et si pergis murmurare adhuc, respondebitur tibi ex Evangelio: Quanto eis praecipiebat, tanto magis plus praedicabant, dicentes: Bene omnia fecit.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Luke.22.25 — But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.
- ↩2Cor.12.14 — Look, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden; for I do not seek what is yours, but you. For children ought not to store up for their parents, but parents for their children.
- ↩John.4.36 — The one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together.
- ↩Mark.7.37 — And they were utterly astonished, saying, 'He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.'
Notes
- 1 ↩The quoted words 'He has done all things well' echo Mark 7:37 (Vulgate: 'Bene omnia fecit'). The surrounding construction ('the more strictly he ordered them, the more they proclaimed') loosely reflects the narrative context of Jesus commanding silence after healing, though the exact phrasing is the author's own.
De consideratione (On Consideration) companion
Make consideration a daily appointment
Bernard told Eugene to set aside time every day. Chosen Portion holds that time for you, free.
Bernard's core prescription — a fixed daily time reserved for examining the soul — is exactly the habit Chosen Portion installs with its daily devotional portion.
- One 10-minute daily portion for self-examination and prayer
- Reflection prompts drawn from historic texts, not improvised journaling
- A visible streak that protects the daily interval Bernard insisted on