Liber Quartus, Caput V. Exemplis commendatur abstinentia munerum; et arrogantia ministrorum Papae perstringitur.
Martin's Return: A Legate Who Refused to Profit
Bernard recalls how Cardinal Martin returned from a legation so poor he barely reached Florence, accepted a horse from a bishop, then immediately returned it upon learning the bishop sought a favor, showing that a true envoy passes through a land of gold and silver without grasping.
I think it right to bring into the open a deed from the cherished memory of our Martin. You already know this; but I am not sure whether you remember it. This cardinal priest, after once serving on a mission in Dacia, returned so poor that, with his funds and horses nearly spent, he barely made it to Florence. There, the local bishop gave him a horse, which carried him as far as Pisa, where we were at the time. The next day, I believe, the bishop followed him (since he had a lawsuit with an opponent, and the day for the hearing had come) and began to seek support from friends. And when they had been approached one by one, they came to Martin. There was greater trust in one who could not forget a recent kindness. Then Martin said, "You have deceived me, for I did not know a matter was looming over you." Take back your horse; see, it is in the stable. And at that very hour he returned it to him. What do you say, my Eugene? Is it not a sign of another world, for an envoy to return from a land of gold without any gold? To pass through a land of silver and not know silver, and to refuse at once a gift that could have looked suspicious?
Geoffrey of Chartres: Paying for the Gift He Could Not Refuse
Bernard recounts how Bishop Geoffrey of Chartres served at his own expense, paid for a sturgeon rather than accept it freely, and declined even wooden serving dishes, so that no one could say, 'We have made Abraham rich.'
But what a welcome opening for me, a chance to remember and name that man of sweetest fragrance — I speak of the bishop of Chartres, Geoffrey, who carried out a mission in the regions of Aquitaine at his own expense, and did so energetically, for several years. I tell you something I saw with my own eyes. I was with him in that country when a priest presented him with a sturgeon, as it is commonly called. When the legate asked how much it had cost, he said, "I will not accept it unless you take the money for it." And he handed back five coins to the priest, who was reluctant and embarrassed. Likewise, when we were in a certain town, the lady of that town offered him out of devotion, along with a napkin, two or three fine serving dishes — wooden ones, though. The man of scrupulous conscience looked at them for a while and praised them, but he would not agree to accept them. If he refused wooden ones, when would he ever accept silver? There was no one who could say to the legate, "We have made Abraham rich."✦1
The Witness of Scripture: Samuel's Blameless Integrity
Bernard invokes Samuel's public challenge to Israel—proving he had taken nothing from anyone—and longs for such men to abound, imagining an age whose happiness would rival eternity.
He himself, along with Samuel, spoke openly to everyone: Speak about me before the Lord and His Christ — whether I have taken anyone's ox or donkey; whether I have falsely accused anyone, oppressed anyone, or accepted a gift from anyone's hand — and I will consider it nothing today, and I will restore it to you.✦ Oh, if only there were more men like those we have just mentioned! What age could be happier for you, what could please you more than that one? Would not the happiness of those times seem second only to eternity itself, when, in any direction you looked, you would see yourself surrounded by such a renowned company of the blessed?
A Sigh for Holy Companions
Bernard sighs aloud, wishing to see the Church upheld by pillars of integrity, and describes the holy companions who would restrain, correct, steady, and spur him toward all that is pure and loving.
If I knew you, heir, and drawing a deep sigh, I would speak with you: do you think what is said could come about? Do you think we are here, until these things happen? Who would grant me to live so that I might see it come to pass? O that I might see in my lifetime the Church of God upheld by such pillars! O that I might behold the bride of my Lord, entrusted to such faith, committed to such purity! What could be more blessed for me, or more secure, than to observe such guardians and witnesses of my life around me? To them I could safely entrust all my secrets, share my plans; to them I could pour out my whole self, as to another me. If I ever wanted to stray even a little, they would not allow it; they would restrain me from headlong flight, rouse me when I was falling asleep. People whose reverence and freedom would hold me back when I am carried away, and correct me when I go too far; whose steadfastness and fortitude would steady me when I waver and lift me up when I lose confidence; whose faith and holiness would spur me on toward everything holy, everything honorable, everything pure, everything loving, and everything of good reputation.
Turning to the Curia: The Arrogance of the Pope's Ministers
Bernard turns from longing to the present curia, then checks himself and names plainly the absurd arrogance of papal ministers who exalt themselves above fellow presbyters, a practice unsupported by reason, antiquity, or authority.
And now I turn my eyes back, my Eugene, to the present state of the curia or of the Church, and to the pursuits of the prelates — especially those who are in your circle. But enough about that. I have only groped at the wall; I have not dug through it. You, as a prophet's son, are permitted to dig and see. For me, to go further is not permitted. I will say one thing that lies right on the surface. It is absurd that your ministers try to place themselves above their fellow presbyters. Reason does not support it, antiquity never sanctioned it, and authority does not approve it. And even if a charge of self-serving custom can be built up, that custom is surely better than the highest Order being held in contempt.
The Scramble for the Highest Place
Bernard dismisses the scramble for places of honor as trivial, redefines nearness to the Pope as a debt of service rather than a privilege of rank, and closes by recalling the disciples' dispute over greatness, wishing the same contest were only about humility.
Still, it is a trifling enough matter, this scramble for the highest place they are so eager to secure. "We are the ones," they say, "who stand closest to the lord Pope at every solemn celebration, who sit nearer to him as he is seated, who walk ahead of him as he processes." All of this is not a privilege of rank but a debt owed to diligence — the very name of deacon, interpreted by the solemn service itself. In fact, with the presbyters seated in their appointed order surrounding the majesty, you sit at his feet. You stand nearer, so that he may have you more ready at hand. In the Gospels we read that a dispute arose among the disciples over which of them would be considered the greatest.✦ Blessed you would be, if only the same held true around you.
Read the original Latin
Dignum reor ad medium venire factum dulcis memoriae Martini nostri. Nosti hoc; sed an memineris, ignoro. Is cardinalis presbyter, functus aliquando legatione in Dacia, tam pauper remeavit, ut pene expensis et equis deficientibus, vix perveniret Florentiam. Ibi episcopus loci donavit ei equum, quo Pisas usque, ubi eramus tunc, pervectus est. Postridie, credo, secutus episcopus (erat enim illi causa cum adversario, et agendi aderat dies) coepit requirere suffragia amicorum. Cumque per singulos sollicitarentur, ventum est ad Martinum. Fiducia erat major in illo, qui non posset immemor esse recentis beneficii. Tum Martinus: "Decepisti me," inquit: "nesciebam tibi imminere negotium.
Tolle equum tuum, ecce in stabulo est. "Et hora eadem resignavit illi. Quid dicis, mi Eugeni? Nonne alterius saeculi res est, redisse legatum de terra auri sine auro? transiisse per terram argenti, et argentum nescisse? donum insuper, quod poterat esse suspectum, illico rejecisse?
Sed o mihi locum suavem, ubi incidit occasio memorandi et nominandi suavissimi odoris virum, episcopum loquor Carnotensem Gaufridum, qui legationem in partibus Aquitaniae propriis sumptibus strenue administravit, idque annos plures. Rem loquor quam vidi ipse. Eram cum eo in terra illa, cum a quodam presbytero praesentatus illi est piscis, quem vulgo vocant sturgionem. Percunctatus legatus quanti venierit, "Non accipio," inquit, "nisi receperis pretium." Et resignavit solidos quinque invito et verecundo. Item cum essemus in quodam oppido, domina illius oppidi obtulit ei pro devotione cum manutergio duas vel tres paropsides pulchras, ligneas tamen: quas aliquandiu intuens homo scrupulosae conscientiae, laudavit eas, sed non acquievit accipere. Quando argenteas recepisset, qui ligneas refutavit? Non fuerunt qui possent legato dicere: Ditavimus Abraham.
Ipse vero cum Samuele libere concionabatur ad omnes: Loquimini de me coram Domino et coram Christo ejus, utrum bovem cujuspiam tulerim aut asinum; si quempiam calumniatus sum, si oppressi aliquem, si de manu cujusquam munus accepi; et contemnam illud hodie, vobisque restituam. O si talium daretur virorum copia, quales perstrinximus nunc! Quid te felicius, quid illo jucundius saeculo? Nonne secunda ab aeternitate illorum tibi temporum beatitudo videretur, cum te quaquaversum procedens, stipatum videres tam inclyto agmine beatorum?
Si te novi, haeres, et altum trahens suspirium, tecum loqueris: Putas fore posse quod dicitur? Putas hic sumus, quousque haec fiant? Quis det vivere, ut videre contingat? O si viderem in vita mea Ecclesiam Dei talibus innixam columnis! O si Domini mei sponsam cernerem tantae commissam fidei, tantae creditam puritati! Quid me beatius, quidve securius, cum ejusmodi circa me vitae meae et custodes spectarem simul et testes? Quibus omnia mea secreta secure committerem, communicarem consilia; quibus me totum refunderem, tanquam alteri mihi. Qui, si vellem aliquatenus deviare, non sinerent, frenarent praecipitem, dormitantem excitarent.
Quorum me reverentia et libertas extollentem reprimeret, excedentem corrigeret: quorum me constantia et fortitudo nutantem firmaret, erigeret diffidentem: quorum me fides et sanctitas ad quaeque sancta, ad quaeque honesta, ad quaeque pudica, ad quaeque amabilia et bonae famae provocaret. Et nunc reduc oculos, mi Eugeni, ad eum qui nunc est curiae sivae Ecclesiae statum et studia praelatorum, eorum praesertim, qui sunt in circuitu tuo.
Sed de his hactenus. Ego palpavi, non fodi parietem. Tibi licet fodere et videre, utpote prophetae filio. Mihi progredi non est fas. Unum dico quod in facie est. Ridicule ministri vestri vestris se compresbyteris anteferre conantur. Non hoc ratio habet, non antiquitas habuit, non consentit auctoritas. Et si de sua consuetudine calumnia struitur, melius profecto illa, quam summus Ordo contemnitur.
Frivolum tamen satis, unde maximo obtinere id volunt. Nos sumus, inquiunt, qui in omni celebritate domino Papae conjunctiores assistimus, sedenti propiores assidemus, procedentem posteriores praecedimus. Hoc totum non dignitatis privilegium, sed sedulitatis debitum est, diaconi nomen solemni ipsa administratione interpretans. Denique presbyteris ordinata consessione ambientibus majestatem, vos ad pedes sedetis. Propiores assistitis, ut habeat paratiores. In evangiliis legimus, quia facta est contentio inter discipulos, quis eorum videretur esse major. Beatus esses, si sic circa te caetera tenerentur.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Gen.14.23 — Not a thread, not even a sandal strap—and if I take anything that is yours—then you shall not say, 'I am the one who made Abram rich.'
- ↩1Sam.8.3 — But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
- ↩Mark.9.34 — But they had been silent, for on the road they had discussed among themselves who was the greatest.
Notes
- 1 ↩Candidate allusion to Genesis 14:23 (Abraham's refusal of the king of Sodom's goods): 'I will not take from a thread even to a sandal strap, and I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, "I have made Abraham rich."' Final resolution deferred to Moses reference check.
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