Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha and Mary are sisters.
Bernard Of ClairvauxRead
The piercing nail has become a key to unlock the door, that I may see the good will of the Lord. And what can I see as I look through the hole? Both the nail and the wound cry out that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself... Through these sacred wounds we can see the secret of his heart, the great mystery of love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the transformative power of suffering and love in understanding divine reconciliation.
In this profound reflection, Bernard of Clairvaux uses the imagery of a piercing nail to symbolize the suffering of Christ, which ultimately serves as a means to access the deeper love and will of God. The 'nail and the wound' become symbols of God's reconciliation with humanity, revealing the core mystery of divine love that invites believers to look beyond pain and into the heart of faith.
Themes
LoveSufferingDivineReconciliationFaith
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a sermon to illustrate the depth of Christ's sacrifice.
More from Bernard Of Clairvaux
All quotes →You wish to see; listen. Hearing is a step toward Vision.
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Neither fear nor self-interest can convert the soul. They may change the appearance, perhaps even the conduct, but never the object of supreme desire... Fear is the motive which constrains the slave; greed binds the selfish man, by which he is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed (James 1:14). But neither fear nor self-interest is undefiled, nor can they convert the soul. Only charity can convert the soul, freeing it from unworthy motives.
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Pride only, the chief of all iniquities, can make us treat gifts as if they were rightful attributes of our nature, and, while receiving benefits, rob our Benefactor of His due glory.
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What I know of the divine_x000D_ science and holy scripture,_x000D_ I learnt in the woods and fields.
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Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a sceptre but a hoe.
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