Chapter VIII
SAINT BERNARD OF
CLAIRVAUX
Chapter VIII
OF THE FIRST DEGREE OF LOVE, WHEREIN
MAN LOVES GOD FOR SELF'S SAKE
Love is one of the four natural affections, which it is needless to name since everyone knows them. And because love is natural, it is only right to love the Author of nature first of all. Hence comes the first and great commandment, "You shall love the Lord your God." But nature is so frail and weak that necessity compels her to love herself first; and this is carnal love, wherewith man loves himself first and selfishly, as it is written, "That was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.""* This is not as the precept ordains but as nature directs: "No man ever yet hated his own flesh." But if, as is likely, this same love should grow excessive and, refusing to be contained within the restraining banks of necessity, should overflow into the fields of voluptuousness, then a command checks the flood, as if by a dike: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And this is right: for he who shares our nature should share our love, itself the fruit of nature, Wherefore if a man finds it a burden, I will not say only to relieve his brother's needs, but to minister to his brother's pleasures, let him mortify those same affections in himself, lest he become a transgressor. He may cherish himself as tenderly as he chooses, if only he remembers to show the same indulgence to his neighbor. This is the curb of temperance imposed on you, O man, by the law of life and conscience, lest you should follow your own lusts to destruction, or become enslaved by those passions which are
*y Cor 15:46.
Eph 5:29.
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ON EOV ING "GOD the enemies of your true welfare. Far better divide your enjoyments with your neighbor than with these enemies.
And if, after the counsel of the son of Sirach, you go not after your desires but refrain yourself from your appetites; if according to the apostolic precept having food and raiment you are therewith content, then you will find it easy to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and to divide with aa neighbors what you have refused to your own desires." That is a temperate and righteous love which practices self-denial in order to minister to a brother's necessity. So our selfish love grows truly social, when it includes our neighbors in its circle.
But if you are reduced to want by such benevolence, what then? What indeed, except to pray with all confidence unto
Him who gives to all men liberally and upbraids not, who opens His hand and fills all things living with plenteousness." For doubtless He that gives to most men more than they need will not fail you as to the necessaries of life, even as He has promised: "Seek the Biber of God, and all those things shall be added unto you." * God freely promises all things needful to those who deny themselves for love of their neighbors; and to bear the yoke of modesty and sobriety, rather than to let sin reign in our mortal body," that is indeed to seek the Kingdom of God and to implore
His aid against the tyranny of sin. It is surely justice to share our natural gifts with those who share our nature.
But if we are to love our neighbors as we ought, we must have regard to God also: for it is only in God that we can pay that debt of love aright. Now a man cannot love his neighbor in God, except he love God Himself; wherefore
Eccl 18:30; 1 Tm 6:8.
Lk 12:31.
*Jas 1:5; Ps 145:16.
"Rom 6:12.
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