The Mysticism of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Posted on June 30, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

Mysticism in Western Tradition, THETH 352S-001, A course work of TaeHun Yoon with Dr. Pieter de Jong on October 25, 1984 in Drew Theological School, Madison, New Jersey. Certain notes/bibliography are updated with recent publications.

The foundation of St. Bernard’s entire theological system is love—not merely the inquiry into what love is, but the exploration of what love ought to be. For Bernard, authentic love is found only in God; indeed, Deus caritas est—God is love itself.¹ Accordingly, God sent Christ into the world for human redemption, and calls humanity to believe in Him without limit. Likewise, the reception of divine love is boundless. According to Bernard, the human person is both the object of God’s love and capable of becoming truly authentic by recognizing and responding to that love.²

What follows is an analysis of Bernard’s Christocentric mysticism, focused on three dimensions: his theological anthropology (view of the human person), his Trinitarian theology, and the mystical method that flows from both.

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1974), chap. 1.
  2. Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard, trans. A.H.C. Downes (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990), 55.

A. HUMAN-PERSPECTIVE

(1). The Character and Structure

<a> The Character

St. Bernard affirmed that the human person is created imago et similitudo Dei—in the image and likeness of God—and is thus ontologically distinct from all other creatures. This foundational anthropological insight, rooted in Scripture and tradition, merits careful theological attention.¹

According to Bernard, the similitudo Dei—the likeness of God—can be obscured or lost through sin, particularly through the loss of infused virtue. The imago Dei, however, remains indelible and cannot be eradicated, even in the fallen state. Étienne Gilson identifies this distinction as the theological center of Bernard’s thought.² The image of God is singular and immutable, constitutive of human nature itself, and serves as the basis for human participation in divine majesty and dignity.

The loss of likeness constitutes a rupture in the moral and spiritual resemblance to God, diminishing the fullness of human flourishing. Nevertheless, the enduring divine image provides the ontological ground for spiritual renewal. In returning contemplatively to the self—uncovering the self concealed beneath sin—one is drawn back into conformity with God.³ Bernard refers to this movement of self-knowledge, born from the recognition of the divine image within, as humilitas (humility), which marks the true beginning of the soul’s ascent toward union with God.⁴

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, trans. Kilian Walsh and Irene Edmonds (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1971), sermon 82.
  2. Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard, trans. A.H.C. Downes (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990), 75.
  3. Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Steps of Humility and Pride, trans. M. Ambrose Conway (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1989), chap. 2.
  4. Ibid., chap. 4.

<b> The Structure

St. Bernard distinguishes the human person as composed of both corpus (body) and anima (soul). The body, he teaches, is formed from the four classical elements—fire, air, water, and earth—while the soul is structured according to a Trinitarian pattern: memory (memoria), reason (ratio), and will (voluntas).¹ Though both body and soul are subject to corruption due to sin, each can be purified: the body through ascetic discipline, and the soul through the transforming power of divine love.²

A distinctive feature of Bernard’s anthropology is his rejection of a dualistic antagonism between body and soul. The soul does not yearn to be liberated from the body; rather, Bernard affirms their mutual interdependence. In alignment with the Pauline teaching—“It is not the spiritual that is first but the physical, and then the spiritual” (1 Cor. 15:46)—he affirms that the natural order precedes the spiritual.³ For this reason, Bernard identifies amor carnalis (carnal love) as the necessary starting point for the soul’s gradual ascent to spiritual and divine love.⁴

Bernard writes, “The body is indebted to the soul for its life, without which it would be a senseless trunk; but the soul is indebted to the body for its very existence, which consists in animating the body.”⁵ This integrated anthropology highlights Bernard’s concern with the lived, embodied nature of human existence and reveals that, for him, true spiritual transformation must take place within the context of concrete, daily life.

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1974), chap. 2.
  2. Jean Leclercq, Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercian Spirit, trans. Claire L. Baker (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1976), 45.
  3. 1 Cor. 15:46 (NRSV).
  4. Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard, trans. A.H.C. Downes (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990), 78.
  5. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, trans. Kilian Walsh and Irene Edmonds (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1971), Sermon 83.1.

(2) The Characters, Elements and the Function of Human Soul

<a> The Characters

Bernard of Clairvaux described the nature of the soul in Sermon 81 on the Song of Songs with remarkable precision: “The soul is life, living to be sure, but not by virtue of anything other than itself: and therefore, strictly speaking, not so much living as life. It follows that, when it is infused in a body, it vivifies the latter, so that the body becomes, from the presence of life, not life but living.”1 Here, Bernard presents the soul not merely as something that lives, but as life itself—an animating principle that imparts vitality to the body. In this framework, the soul functions as the intermediary of divine love, conveying animation from God to the human person. Bernard affirms that just as the soul animates the body, so too God relates to and vivifies the soul.2

Bernard further explored the relationship between soul, body, death, and resurrection: “There are two kinds of death and two kinds of resurrection. The first death is of the soul, the second of the body; the death of the soul is separation of the soul from God, the second is separation of the body from the soul. The former is effected by sin. Moreover, the first resurrection is of the soul by grace; the second is of the body, perfected by Christ’s glorious and open coming.”3 In this dual framework, Bernard emphasizes that the soul’s alienation from God through sin is its true death, while restoration through grace constitutes its resurrection. His vision of human nature thus rests on a profound theological union: between God and the soul, and between the soul and the body.

[Notes]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, vol. 3, trans. Kilian Walsh (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1976), Sermon 81.7. 2. Ibid., Sermon 81.8. 3. Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Resurrection of the Body, in The Works of Bernard of Clairvaux, trans. Robert Walton (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1950), 42.

<b> The Elements

Bernard of Clairvaux understood the soul as comprising three fundamental faculties: memory (memoria), will (voluntas), and reason (ratio). He correlated these with the three divine Persons of the Trinity—the Son, the Spirit, and the Father, respectively—thereby establishing a theological anthropology deeply rooted in Trinitarian theology. This triadic structure of the soul serves as the cornerstone of Bernard’s mystical theology. As he writes: “That blessed and eternal Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, one God indeed—supreme power (summa potentia), supreme wisdom (summa sapientia), supreme goodness (summa benignitas)—created a certain trinity in its own image and likeness, namely the rational soul, which exhibits a certain trace of that supreme Trinity in this: that it consists of memory, reason, and will.”¹

[Note]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Love of God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1973), ch. 1.

(i). Memory

Memory, for Bernard of Clairvaux, is the most essential faculty of the soul, functioning as the seat of thought and reflection. In the state of sin or spiritual death, memory becomes fixated solely on past experiences, particularly those marked by guilt or separation from God. In such a condition, the soul echoes the state of spiritual death, unable to move beyond its former self. However, when the soul is enlivened by grace, memory is transformed: it becomes a vehicle for spiritual renewal by recalling God’s mercy, the hope of forgiveness, and the possibility of redemption. Through this recollection, the soul is drawn into contemplation and restored to life.¹

[Notes]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, trans. Kilian Walsh and Irene Edmonds, vol. 1 (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1971), Sermon 80.

(ii). Will

Bernard of Clairvaux distinguishes between two kinds of will: the voluntas communis (common will) and the voluntas propria (proper or self-will). Charity, he writes, “is the common will”—that is, the will shared between God and humanity, in contrast to the self-centered proper will.1 The voluntas propria inclines a person to love themselves more than God, distorting the soul’s orientation and creating a kind of spiritual “curvature”—a turning inward away from God. In contrast, the virtue of humility serves to discipline and redirect this self-will, conforming it to the voluntas communis. Through humility, the human being comes to see themselves rightly, submitting their personal desires to God’s will and judgment.2

[Notes]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1995), ch. 9.

2. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, trans. Kilian Walsh, vol. 1 (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1971), Sermon 80.

(iii) Reason

Bernard describes reason as the faculty of choice, responsible for discerning good and evil through ethics or moral philosophy, distinguishing falsehood through logic or speculative science, and determining what is expedient or inexpedient by means of natural philosophy.¹ Reason functions infallibly when illuminated by divine light. However, once deprived of this illumination, reason becomes fallible and prone to error. Because of this inherent fallibility, reason cannot restore itself independently but requires the aid of faith, which infallibly enables the distinctions that corrupted reason can no longer make.

[Note]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1995), ch. 11.


(iv) Will and Free will of Reason

The combined operation of will and reason is termed free choice or the consenting faculty. Bernard explains, “The consenting faculty, that is, the joint faculty of will and reason, is called free choice; the word ‘free willing’ and the word ‘choice’ means the action of reason.”1 He further distinguishes voluntary moral decision-making from free will itself. Free will, for Bernard, is the essential freedom from necessity — the fundamental capacity to accept or reject something. This freedom is notably distinct from the mere freedom possessed by animals, which lacks moral deliberation.2

Moreover, the freedom of free choice presupposes two conditions: freedom from sin and freedom from suffering. Only a person possessing true wisdom can exercise this freedom fully. Such wisdom is attained through mystical contemplation, which enables one to build genuine freedom.3

[Notes]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1995), ch. 12. 2. Ibid. 3. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, trans. Kilian Walsh (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1986), Sermon 65.

<c> The Function of Human Soul

The human soul comprises three fundamental functions: thought (cogitatio), emotion (affectio), and intention (intentio), which correspond to the three elements of memory, will, and reason, as previously discussed.1

[Note]

1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, trans. Robert Walton (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1995), ch. 5.

(i) Thought

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, thought originates from three sources: the human soul, evil spirits, and God.¹ Bernard maintained that it is impossible to make a clear distinction between thoughts that arise from the human mind and those influenced by evil spirits.² He further affirmed that every truly good thought is produced solely through the pre-existent grace of God.³ Ultimately, there is only one true cause of good: God, who acts without requiring human cooperation or merit.⁴

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio [On Grace and Free Will], in Sancti Bernardi Opera, vol. 3, ed. Jean Leclercq and Henri Rochais (Rome: Editiones Cistercienses, 1963), 123.
  2. Ibid., 124.
  3. Ibid., 125.
  4. Ibid., 126.

(ii) Emotion

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, there are four primary emotions: love (amor), joy (laetitia), fear (timor), and sadness (tristitia).¹ These emotional elements are interrelated and often overlap in human experience.² From them arise the fundamental moral virtues: fear gives rise to prudence (prudentia) and justice (justitia); sadness produces prudence and fortitude (fortitudo); love gives rise to both justice and fortitude. Joy and sadness are considered the dominant emotional experiences, while love and fear represent the core orientations—or objective figures—of the soul.³ In particular, Bernard emphasized that the ultimate direction of fear is toward God and others.⁴

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, De Consideratione, in Sancti Bernardi Opera, vol. 3, ed. Jean Leclercq and Henri Rochais (Rome: Editiones Cistercienses, 1963), 210.
  2. Ibid., 211.
  3. Ibid., 212.
  4. Ibid., 213.

(iii) Intention

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, reason operates through three distinct forms of intention, each oriented toward a particular end: the useful (expedient), the good (bonum), and the true (verum).¹ Intention directed toward the expedient is called counsel (consilium), intention toward the good is called religion (religio), and intention toward the true is called consideration (consideratio).²

Furthermore, Bernard identifies three specific forms of consideration: dispensative, estimative, and speculative.³ These correspond respectively to the active life, the academic (or intellectual) life, and the contemplative life.⁴ Each form reflects a distinct mode of reasoning and spiritual engagement within Christian life and vocation.

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, De Consideratione, in Sancti Bernardi Opera, vol. 3, ed. Jean Leclercq and Henri Rochais (Rome: Editiones Cistercienses, 1963), 217.
  2. Ibid., 217–18.
  3. Ibid., 218.
  4. Ibid.

B. GOD’S PERSPECTIVE OF TRINITY

In this chapter, I will explore the character and structure of the God-perspective from a Trinitarian viewpoint, not to present each function from a human-centered lens, but to illuminate how it serves the restoration of the corrupted human soul.

(1) Christology

Christ stands at the center of Bernard of Clairvaux’s theology. For Bernard, the first step toward truth is humility, found through the suffering Christ. Accordingly, there is no path to God apart from Christ. As Scripture affirms, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”¹

Bernard interprets this verse in the following way: Jesus is the way (ego sum via) for the unbeliever and the one oppressed under authoritarianism; the truth (ego sum veritas) for the stubborn person entrenched in fallen human nature; and the life (ego sum vita) for the weary soul.² Christ reveals Himself to us as our most faithful friend. He entered into human lowliness through His pre-existent love³ and offered Himself in death to satisfy divine justice. Through this profound act of self-emptying, He separated humanity from the stain of sin.⁴ “Learn from me,” Jesus says, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart.”⁵ Christ models true humility.

Therefore, Bernard asserts that knowledge of the truth is the fruit of humility, and that the union between the Word and reason gives birth to humility.⁶ In this light, the restoration of the corrupted human being—and the recovery of true reason—is possible only through Christ, who is the eternal Word. Bernard refers to this as Spiritual Marriage in his Sermon 86 on the Song of Songs, identifying Christ as the Bridegroom.⁷ Drawing on the biblical image of “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb”⁸ and “the Spirit and the Bride,”⁹ Bernard portrays a deeply intimate relationship between Christ and the soul.

In his commentary on Song of Songs 1:2—“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth”—Bernard outlines three stages of spiritual development.¹⁰ The first is the purgative stage, represented by a kiss on the feet of Christ, which signifies conversion. The second is the illuminative stage, symbolized by a kiss on Christ’s hands, representing the fruits of piety and good works accomplished through grace. The third is the unitive stage, expressed by a kiss on the lips of Christ, signifying mystical union, when Christ dwells within the soul.

It is essential to remember that these steps of spiritual marriage are not achieved through human effort alone, but through the love of the Crucified Christ, who humbly seeks the sinner and the afflicted.¹¹ In Christ, the fallen human being regains the image of God, recovers right reason, discovers her or his true self, and is drawn into the way of love.

[Notes]

  1. John 14:6 (RSV).
  2. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 86.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Matthew 11:29 (RSV).
  6. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Humility and Knowledge.
  7. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 86.
  8. Revelation 21:9.
  9. Revelation 22:17.
  10. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 2.
  11. Ibid., Sermon 3.

(2) Holy Spirit

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, the Holy Spirit is the gift of love.¹ Through the love of the Holy Spirit, humanity regains the common good originally given to us.² In other words, love itself is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This love embraces those who have attained the first step of truth through humility in the Son.³ It then moves them toward the second step: engaging in acts of charity for others, in accordance with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.⁴ Thus, the role of the Holy Spirit is to generate love by uniting the Spirit of God with the human will.⁵ The Spirit purifies the human will so that individuals may freely and genuinely love others—even their enemies—by obeying the command of Christ in the Word: “Love your enemies.”⁶

At this point, love (or charity) becomes the shared will of God and the human person. The Holy Spirit is the mutual love between the Father and the Son.⁷ Through this divine love, we are drawn into the hearts of others, and in turn, come to truly understand them. This inner transformation bears the flowers and fruits of virtue and holiness. Ultimately, through love, we are led to the fullness of truth itself.⁸

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 8.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid., Sermon 11.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Love of God.
  6. Matthew 5:44 (RSV).
  7. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 71.
  8. Ibid., Sermon 74.

(3) Holy Father

For Bernard of Clairvaux, the Holy Father is Truth itself—the very Being of all things.¹ The soul advances toward this Truth in three stages: the first through the effort of humility, the second through the affection of piety, and the third through the ecstasy of contemplation.² In Bernard’s words, love—by which we sympathize with others—draws us into purity, which then lifts us to invisible heights and transports us into contemplation.³

Thus, the knowledge of truth ultimately leads to union with the Holy Father, who is Truth itself.⁴ In Bernard’s theology, God is not merely described as great, good, just, or wise; rather, God is greatness, goodness, justice, and wisdom.⁵ He writes: “God is not formed; He is form. God is not affected; He is affection. God has no composition; He is pure simplicity.”⁶

The journey toward divine knowledge begins with self-knowledge.⁷ To know oneself is the beginning of wisdom; to know God is its fulfillment.⁸ In other words, the essential condition for spiritual development is self-knowledge that dispels pride and fosters humility.⁹ This humility is made possible through Christ. The second step is the knowledge of others, which becomes possible only through the window of love. When the mind is purified by love, it becomes capable of contemplating the Truth. Thus, knowledge of others becomes a bridge that connects self-knowledge to the knowledge of God—this, according to Bernard, is the work of the Holy Spirit.¹⁰

The third and final stage is the contemplation and understanding of Truth itself, where the soul recognizes that divine light is imparted to the essence of the Creator, not to creatures themselves.¹¹

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid., Sermon 84.
  4. Bernard, On Loving God, ch. 15.
  5. Bernard, On the Knowledge of Self and of God.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Bernard, On Consideration, II.
  8. Ibid., III.
  9. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 36.
  10. Ibid., Sermon 74.
  11. Ibid., Sermon 75.

(4) Character of God-Perspective

As mentioned above, the central focus of Bernard of Clairvaux’s Trinitarian theology is love. “He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.”¹ Since Deus caritas est—God is love—the essential condition for knowing and understanding God is to know what love is.²

According to Bernard, love exists in two forms.³ First, love is God Himself. Second, love is a gift given by God to human beings.⁴ This distinction is crucial in Bernard’s theology. He draws this insight from the scriptural text: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (Caritas ex Deo est).⁵ For Bernard, this gift of love is identical with the gift of the Holy Spirit.⁶

This understanding was shared broadly among the Cistercian mystics. The gift of the Holy Spirit enables the soul to understand God through love.⁷ While no one can see God directly, when love—given as a divine gift—dwells in us, God dwells in us.⁸ In this sense, perfect love is not something we generate ourselves, but something given and completed in us by God.⁹ Thus, the reason we are called to love God is clear: because God first took the initiative to love us.¹⁰

Étienne Gilson summarizes Bernard’s Trinitarian perspective by noting that the Holy Spirit is the mutual love that unites the Father and the Son, and the Son with the Father.¹¹ Love, therefore, is the unifying force within the Divine Life itself, a bond that grants humanity both the peace and grace of God. Importantly, love is not something external or added to God, but the very essence of God.¹²

[Notes]

  1. 1 John 4:8 (RSV).
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Love of God, ch. 4.
  4. Ibid.
  5. 1 John 4:7 (RSV).
  6. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 8.
  7. Ibid., Sermon 11.
  8. 1 John 4:12.
  9. Bernard, On the Love of God, ch. 7.
  10. Ibid., ch. 1.
  11. Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990), 119.
  12. Ibid.

C. MYSTICAL METHODOLOGY OF BERNARD

As mentioned above, we observed that the essence and function of the soul is to breathe life (animation) into the human body. I also noted that the Trinitarian perspective of God aids us in attaining knowledge of God. Now, I will seek to explore practical methods for uniting with God, grounded in both the human perspective and the divine perspective.

(1) The Humility and the Purification of Reason

<a> The Definition of Humility

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, humility consists in humbling oneself through sincere self-examination.¹ This process involves coming to a true understanding of oneself. Without humility, no one can fully comprehend their own nature.² Moreover, it is impossible to grasp the truth without first attaining self-knowledge grounded in humility.³ Bernard affirms this, stating, “It is clear enough, I think, from the verse cited that knowledge of the Truth is the fruit of humility.”⁴

Humility is therefore the path to truth because God reveals the truth to the humble while concealing Himself from the proud.⁵

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Humility and Pride, Sermon 3.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard, On Self-Knowledge, ch. 2.
  4. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 36.
  5. Bernard, On the Knowledge of God, ch. 5.

<b> The Character of Humility

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, humility is the essential condition for receiving grace, because God grants grace to the humble but withholds it from the proud.¹

Building on this, Burch distinguishes two kinds of humility in Bernard’s thought, as articulated in the 34th Sermon on the Song of Songs: cognitive humility and conative humility.² Cognitive humility is necessary and involuntary; it is a function of the will that does not depend on human merit. This form of humility constitutes the essential condition for grace, enabling the soul to receive it. In contrast, conative humility is voluntary and associated with human merit; it is the love that arises as the reward for grace already given.³

Bernard describes three stages of grace relating to humility. The first is preventing grace, given in the state of nature, in which God grants humiliation to restore the noble nature of the human being—this corresponds to cognitive humility.⁴ The second is proceeding grace, given to one already in the state of preventing grace, where God bestows true humility, a delight in humiliation—this is conative humility.⁵ The third stage is rewarding grace, given to those in the state of proceeding grace, wherein God grants exaltation.⁶

Therefore, in Bernard’s theology, humility is primarily caused by pre-existent grace, preceding any voluntary human effort or merit. Moreover, true humility involves progressing from cognitive to conative humility—moving from mere self-awareness to active love. Thus, humility is the indispensable condition for attaining both love and truth.⁷

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 34.
  2. James Burch, Humility and Grace in Bernard of Clairvaux, Journal of Medieval Theology 12 (1998): 45–60.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Bernard, On Grace and Humility, ch. 3.
  5. Ibid., ch. 5.
  6. Ibid., ch. 7.
  7. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 36.

(c) The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride

In his work De Gradibus Humilitatis (On the Steps of Humility), Bernard of Clairvaux outlines twelve steps that lead a person from pride to humility, following the Rule of St. Benedict (the Benedictine Rule).¹ Bernard describes these twelve stages in detail, pairing each step of pride with its corresponding stage of humility.

The first step of pride is curiosity (curiositas), while the final and twelfth step of humility is reached when a person not only harbors humility in their heart but also visibly displays it to all who observe them.² The second step of pride is frivolity (levitas animi), and the eleventh step of humility is when a person speaks quickly but humbly, gravely, and briefly, without laughter or a loud voice.³ The third prideful step is foolish mirth (inepta laetitia), and the tenth step of humility is attained when a person is not easily moved to laughter.⁴

The fourth step of pride is boastfulness (jactantia), contrasted with the ninth step of humility when a person restrains their tongue, practicing silence and only speaking when questioned.⁵ The fifth prideful step is singularity (singularitas), while the eighth step of humility is doing only what the example of one’s elders enjoins.⁶ The sixth step of pride is conceit (arrogantia), opposed by the seventh step of humility, in which a person not only confesses verbally that they are lowly and inferior but also truly believes it in their heart.⁷

The seventh prideful step is audacity (praesumptio), balanced by the sixth humility step where a person is content with all things mean and vile and regards themselves as a poor and worthless servant in obedience.⁸ The eighth prideful step is excusing sins (defensio peccatorum), with the fifth humility step involving humble confession to one’s spiritual father of all evil thoughts and secret faults.⁹ The ninth prideful step is hypocritical confession (simulata confessio), while the fourth humility step is patience and quiet acceptance of suffering, even when unjust or contrary to nature.¹⁰

The tenth prideful step is wearied defiance (rebellio), opposed by the third humility step when a person submits obediently to their superior for the love of God.¹¹ The eleventh prideful step is freedom to sin (liber peccandi), with the second humility step reached when a person does not seek to satisfy their desires but imitates humility in daily life.¹² Finally, the twelfth step of pride is habitual sinning (consuetudo peccandi), while the first step of humility is keeping the fear of God ever before one’s eyes and remaining mindful of all God’s commandments.¹³

Bernard prefers the path of humility over the pursuit of pride. He advocates the careful descent into humility rather than an ambitious ascent.¹⁴ Magil comments that by studying this descending way—which protects us from pride—we can discover the true path toward humility. These twelve steps represent the recovered path that leads to Bernard’s ideal humility after understanding the descent.¹⁵

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, De Gradibus Humilitatis, in Sancti Bernardi Opera, vol. 3, ed. Jean Leclercq and Henri Rochais (Rome: Editiones Cistercienses, 1963), 145.
  2. Ibid., 146.
  3. Ibid., 147.
  4. Ibid., 148.
  5. Ibid., 149.
  6. Ibid., 150.
  7. Ibid., 151.
  8. Ibid., 152.
  9. Ibid., 153.
  10. Ibid., 154.
  11. Ibid., 155.
  12. Ibid., 156.
  13. Ibid., 157.
  14. Bernard, On Humility, Sermon 3.
  15. John Magil, Humility and the Spiritual Life, Journal of Medieval Theology 10 (2000): 78.

<d> The Result of Humility

Humility, according to Bernard of Clairvaux, gives rise to five key spiritual results.

The first result of humility is self-knowledge.¹ This is the most direct fruit of humility and constitutes the first form of knowledge on the path to truth. The second result is self-examination, which emerges when we examine ourselves with sorrow and contrition.²

The third result is justice, which Bernard identifies as conative humility—a virtue that flows from cognitive humility.³ Justice here involves acting rightly in response to the truth we discover about ourselves. The fourth fruit is charity, which arises when we become deeply aware of our own weaknesses—clearly seen not only by ourselves but often by others as well. This honest recognition, borne of humility, prepares the soul to love.⁴

The fifth and final result is the profound knowledge of our own nothingness—the sense of spiritual emptiness that we experience as we long to draw closer to God.⁵ In this recognition of our lowliness, the soul becomes more receptive to grace.

Through these effects of humility, reason is enabled to reach the first stage of truth: self-examination. Ultimately, we advance to the second stage, which is charity, by reclaiming the will to love and to understand others.⁶

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 36.
  2. Ibid., Sermon 37.
  3. Ibid., Sermon 38; see also James Burch, Humility and Grace in Bernard of Clairvaux, Journal of Medieval Theology 12 (1998): 53.
  4. Bernard, On the Love of God, ch. 7.
  5. Ibid., ch. 12.
  6. Bernard, On Consideration, II.5.

(2) Love and Purification of will

<a> The Character and Motive of Love

Bernard of Clairvaux distinguishes between two types of love: spiritual passion and carnal passion.¹ Spiritual passion corresponds to caritas (charity), while carnal passion is identified with concupiscentia (concupiscence or disordered desire).²

In Bernard’s theology, love involves the transformation of concupiscence into spiritual passion.³ Without this transformation, what may appear to be emotional charity—love as an act of the will—remains rooted in natural or secular desire. However, true love becomes active and properly ordered when it aligns with the commandment to love: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… and your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”⁴

Thus, a distinctive feature of love in Bernard’s thought is its development from natural, self-centered inclination to spiritual, God-centered devotion. This transformation enables the human person to move from passive affection to active love—fulfilling the will of God.⁵ However, Bernard teaches that this active love ultimately becomes ecstatic love—a love that goes beyond the self in self-forgetful union with the divine.⁶

Étienne Gilson further develops Bernard’s understanding of love by distinguishing between natural love (which he describes as physical or realistic love) and ecstatic love (or spiritual love).⁷ Natural love follows an essential inclination toward one’s own good and reflects the original tendency of created beings. But ecstatic love, in contrast, transcends the self—it moves the lover to be “outside of oneself” and to exist “for another.”⁸

Bernard maintains that the human being, in their original nature, does not possess grace and cannot recover it by their own power.⁹ True love, therefore, can only be restored through the grace of God.¹⁰ This divine grace is the motive force that empowers love—not merely self-love but love directed toward God, who is Love itself.¹¹ This, Bernard argues, is why we must love God. God can even be loved by those who do not yet know Christ, because divine love precedes human knowledge.¹²

Ultimately, love in Bernard’s theology seeks no reward beyond union with the beloved. Yet paradoxically, in giving itself away, love still receives its greatest reward—perfect union with God.¹³

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 4.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 20.
  4. Matthew 22:37–40 (RSV).
  5. Bernard, On Grace and Free Will, ch. 7.
  6. Ibid., ch. 10.
  7. Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990), 127.
  8. Ibid., 129.
  9. Bernard, On Grace and Free Will, ch. 2.
  10. Ibid., ch. 3.
  11. 1 John 4:8.
  12. Bernard, On Loving God, ch. 15.
  13. Ibid., ch. 16.

<b> The Steps of Love

Love is one of the four basic human emotions, along with fear, joy and sorrow.

(i). The Love of Self For Self

As Bernard of Clairvaux quotes, “It is not the spiritual that comes first, but the physical; then the spiritual.”¹ This statement reflects a fundamental theological principle: love begins with the carnal (carnalis) and progresses toward the spiritual. While carnal love is not directly addressed in the commandments, it functions as the necessary starting point of all forms of love.² This is an apodictic truth—we cannot love God or others unless we first possess life, and we cannot sustain life unless we possess a form of self-love. In other words, “we must live in order to love God, and we must love ourselves in order to live.”³

According to Bernard, this initial form of love begins in the body and is intertwined with human desires and the avarice of the flesh.⁴ Because we are embodied beings, we often fall into sin by loving our physical selves more than we love God’s commandments. This disordered love—rooted in fleshly desires, anxieties, and weaknesses—disturbs the soul and distances us from divine love.⁵

Thus, Bernard emphasizes the need to listen to God’s commands, for they guide us back toward ordered love. In our fallen condition, grace becomes essential: it is through the grace of God that we are redirected from self-centered desire to love for God and others.⁶ At this point in the spiritual journey, Bernard teaches that we begin to love others not merely out of self-interest, but as a means of participating in God’s redemptive love. In loving others, we are, by grace, drawn back into the proper order of love and into deeper union with God.⁷

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 20.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard, On Loving God, ch. 2.
  4. Ibid., ch. 3.
  5. Bernard, On Grace and Free Will, ch. 4.
  6. Ibid., ch. 5.
  7. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.

(ii). The Love of God for One’s Own Sake

Even when a person claims to love God, their perspective may still not be aligned with God’s own.¹ Though such a person may exhibit prudence, the motivation behind their love often remains self-centered. In this case, the individual seeks God’s grace not purely out of love, but for personal benefit—for safety, comfort, or security.²

In other words, this person loves God not for God’s sake, but for their own. They turn to God in times of hardship, relying on divine love to gain protection or maintain dignity amid life’s challenges.³ This form of love, while sincere to a degree, is still rooted in self-preservation. Such a person has already realized that they cannot overcome life’s difficulties by their own strength, and thus depends on God’s help—yet without fully transcending their own self-interest.⁴

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 9.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.
  4. Ibid., ch. 10.

(iii) The Love of God for God’s Sake

At this stage, the person no longer loves God for their own benefit, but purely for God’s own sake.¹ As Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, “He loves God now, not for his own sake but for Himself.”² This transformation occurs when one truly hears and receives the Word of God—not merely secondhand, but through personal encounter. As the people of Samaria declared: “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”³

The soul that loves God in this way has already tasted the sweetness of the Word, as described in Scripture: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”⁴ Such love flows from direct experience of God’s kindness and truth, not from obligation or self-interest.

At this level of spiritual maturity, the Christian no longer experiences God’s commandments as burdensome. Instead, obedience becomes a joy, especially when it involves love and service to others.⁵ In this way, the soul reaches a higher state of authentic Christian life—where love is not merely reactive or utilitarian, but pure, selfless, and sustained by grace.⁶

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 10.
  2. Ibid.
  3. John 4:42 (NRSV).
  4. 1 Peter 2:1–3 (NRSV).
  5. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.
  6. Ibid., ch. 11.

(iv) The Love even of Self only for God’s Sake

When a person reaches the fourth and highest degree of love, they love even themselves for God’s sake.¹ In this state, there is complete harmony between the will of God and the will of the human person. The individual becomes a “new being,” whose deepest desire is to do the will of God through self-negation.² Unlike the first degree of love, which is self-centered and seeks God only for personal benefit, this final stage reflects self-affirmation through surrender—a life wholly grounded in God’s presence.³

This degree of love cannot be attained by human effort alone. It is the result of divine grace—a gift granted by God.⁴ Bernard illustrates this transformation with vivid imagery: a piece of iron, when heated to the point of melting, begins to resemble fire. Its original nature seems to disappear, but it remains iron. Similarly, when a soul is fully immersed in God’s love, it becomes so united with the divine will that it radiates God’s light.⁵ Like air illuminated by a sunbeam, the self shines with God’s glory, though it is not light itself—it is still human.⁶

This mystical union is not about the annihilation of the self, but about the transfiguration of the self in love. It is the ultimate state of Christian maturity, where the believer’s identity is no longer defined by self-will, but by communion with God’s will.⁷

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 15.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.
  4. Bernard, On Grace and Free Will, ch. 6.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Bernard, On Loving God, ch. 16.

<c> The Result of Love

Love is, at its core, the image of God imprinted on the human soul.¹ It is most fully revealed and activated through the human will, especially when that will is restored and aligned by the work of the Holy Spirit.² Once the human will is renewed, it becomes capable of uniting with the divine will through love.³

At this stage, love does more than express emotion—it becomes the dynamic force that draws the soul toward truth itself.⁴ This movement of the soul, propelled by love, leads the believer into the third and highest degree of truth, which Bernard describes as contemplation.⁵ In contemplation, the soul no longer seeks knowledge for practical ends or moral insight alone, but enters into the mystery of divine presence—a knowing born out of loving union with God.⁶

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 1.
  2. Ibid., ch. 3.
  3. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.
  4. Ibid., ch. 9.
  5. Bernard, De Consideratione, Book V.
  6. Bernard, On Grace and Free Will, ch. 7.

(3) Contemplation and Completion of Truth

Bernard of Clairvaux understood the knowledge of Truth as unfolding in three progressive steps. The first step is the knowledge of self, which is attained through humility and allows the soul to regain its right use of reason. The second step is the knowledge of others, made possible by a purified heart that sees others through the lens of love. Finally, the third step is the knowledge of God, reached through contemplation—where the soul enters into communion with God as the Truth itself.

<a> The Process and Essence of Contemplation

For Bernard of Clairvaux, the core of his mystical theology is the practice of contemplation, which he defined as the soul’s ascent toward God, the Supreme Good.¹ The ultimate aim of this mystical contemplation is not mere knowledge, but union with truth itself.²

In his Sermons on the Song of Songs, Bernard identified three progressive stages of contemplation.³ The first stage is for those who are not yet capable of contemplation due to spiritual immaturity. To overcome this limitation, they begin by meditating on the crucified Christ, drawing close to God’s mercy through humility.⁴

The second stage is for those who are more spiritually advanced. Here, the contemplative experiences a kind of spiritual vision—a glimpse into the heavenly realm where saints and angels dwell. This stage inspires awe and longing for holiness.⁵

The third and highest stage is reserved for those who are more perfected in humility and love, having developed the capacity for mystical union. At this level, the contemplative encounters the Word of God in three dimensions: as natural law, moral law, and divine law.⁶

Bernard describes this in three movements:

  1. The soul is rapt in wonder at the vision of natural law, which imparts knowledge.
  2. The soul is rapt in fear and trembling before the vision of moral law, which brings wisdom.
  3. The soul is rapt in love and joy in the vision of the divine law, which is love itself and brings peace.⁷

This highest vision—the law of God as love—is experienced through the sensitivity of the soul, in which love becomes the mode of seeing. It is the mystery of spiritual marriage, the consummation of perfect contemplation, in which the soul is united with God in ineffable intimacy.⁸

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 10.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 74.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Ibid., Sermon 77.
  6. Bernard, De Consideratione, Book V.
  7. Ibid.
  8. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.

‹b> The Cause of Contemplation and the Condition of Spiritual Marriage

For Bernard of Clairvaux, the grace of God is the fundamental cause of contemplation.¹ As he wrote, “Pure truth is seen only with a pure heart.”² This vision of truth, therefore, is not attained through rational discourse alone, but rather through the holiness of life.³

Contemplation requires that both understanding and love be purified. The organ of understanding is reason, and the organ of love is the will. Bernard teaches that reason is purified by humility, and the will is purified by love.⁴ When both are purified, the soul becomes capable of union with God—an ineffable consummation of divine intimacy.⁵

Bernard’s concept of mystical communion, however, must not be misunderstood as a fusion of essences between the divine and the human.⁶ Rather, it is a perfect communion of wills.⁷ That is, the will of the lover and the will of the Beloved do not become one by nature or substance, but by their shared purpose and desire.⁸ In this lies true mystical union—not in identity, but in intentional unity.

Bernard describes this mystical union as akin to the relationship between a fish and water.⁹ Though they remain distinct, they are inseparably connected. Water is necessary for the life of the fish, while the fish, in motion and life, gives meaning to the water. This mutual dependence and harmony represent the distinctive character of Bernard’s mystical theology.¹⁰

Finally, contemplation in Bernard’s thought has two essential dimensions: it is both cognitive and erotic.¹¹ No one can understand truth without loving it, and no one can truly love it without understanding it. Thus, Bernard famously described the contemplative act as a kiss.¹² But this kiss must be without distortion or coldness. To become the Bride of Christ, the soul must prepare two lips—the lip of reason for understanding, and the lip of will for wisdom.¹³ This represents the third stage of reaching the Truth through right reasoning, and the fourth stage of loving others on the way to God.¹⁴

[Notes]

  1. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, ch. 10.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 83.
  4. Ibid., Sermon 74.
  5. Bernard, De Consideratione, Book V.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 71.
  8. Ibid.
  9. Ibid., Sermon 78.
  10. Ibid.
  11. Bernard, On Grace and Free Will, ch. 7.
  12. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 86.
  13. Ibid.
  14. Ibid.

<c> The Result of Contemplation

According to Bernard of Clairvaux, the final result of contemplation is beatitude.[1] Among all living beings, only the human being possesses the capacity for this blessed state. This is because only the human soul is capable of uniting reason and will through contemplation.[2]

When contemplation is brought to completion, it leads to perfect understanding by refining the faculty of reason and purifying the soul through divine love. In this way, contemplation restores the will, making it fully aligned with God’s will.[3]

At its highest point, this process produces perfect communion between the human will and the divine will. Through this communion, the soul enters into beatitude—the blessed happiness of union with God.[4] This state is also described by Bernard as deification (deificatio), where the human soul is not absorbed into God’s essence, but participates in the divine nature through grace and love.[5]

[Notes] 1. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 85. 2. Ibid., Sermon 73; see also On Loving God, ch. 12. 3. Bernard, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio, sec. 6. 4. Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 80 5. Jean Leclercq, Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercian Spirit (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1976), 132.

D. CONCLUSION

Several theologians supported Bernard’s view, including E. Gilson, A. Harnack, P. Tillich, Aulén, and others.

Gilson writes, “We may remark here as in the case of the First Epistle of St. John, that St. Bernard would seem to have exhausted all the resources with the text in question put at his disposal. … St. Bernard so welded it with the Johannine bloc that the two become altogether one.”1 In other words, God is love. God gives us love, and we live in Him/Her who dwells in us as love. Ultimately, God lives within us.2

This shows that Bernard’s theological perspective is deeply rooted in love. Humility is essential for the capacity to love, and true humility is fulfilled through love. According to Bernard, one can reach God through contemplation. In this sense, Bernard’s mystical theology clearly contains a practical dimension.

Secondly, the path to God, for Bernard, is fundamentally Trinitarian in nature. Once a human being reaches humility and regains corrupted reason through Christ, he or she can come to the knowledge of God and fulfill every faculty of the soul in the state of love.

Thirdly, Bernard’s theology may be described as Christocentric mystical theology. As Gilson notes, Bernard was not only a theologian but also a profound contemplative—one with a great capacity for spiritual insight. His theological pursuit was deeply oriented toward the practice of the spiritual life, centered on love realized through humility.3 In this regard, his theology is practical in character.

Therefore, Bernard may be considered one of the key figures who laid the foundation for speculative mysticism in the Western tradition. Gilson recognized Bernard as holding a central place in the history of theology.4

[Notes]

1 Étienne Gilson, The Mystical Theology of St. Bernard, trans. A. H. C. Downes (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990), 88.

2 Ibid., 89.

3 Ibid., 91.

4 Ibid., 93.

5 Ibid., 95.

Paul Tillich distinguished two forms of mysticism: concrete mysticism, which participates in the loving and saving God, and transcending mysticism, which seeks to reach the ultimate ground of all being, beyond all finite realities. Bernard’s mysticism falls under the former category—concrete mysticism—which is specifically Christ-centered. This form of mysticism is revealed in humility and enables the believer to participate in the reality of God through Jesus Christ.6

[Note]

6 Paul Tillich, A History of Christian Thought, ed. Carl E. Braaten (New York: Touchstone, 1968), 205.

In the case of Adolf Harnack, he observed that Bernard revived the Augustinian tradition of contemplation within Christian mysticism. Bernard emphasized union with God through love, centered on the person of Jesus Christ. His mysticism was a form of Christ-centered contemplation, in which truth and love are revealed through the image of the suffering Christ.7

[Note]

7 Adolf Harnack, History of Dogma, trans. Neil Buchanan (New York: Dover Publications, 1961), 6:132.

On the other hand, Gustaf Aulén argued that Bernard avoided the danger of pantheism because his theology was rooted in the themes of spiritual marriage and the revelation of Christ.8

[Note]

8 Gustaf Aulén, Christus Victor: An Historical Study of the Three Main Types of the Idea of Atonement, trans. A. G. Hebert (New York: Macmillan, 1969), 117.

As discussed above, Bernard’s mysticism clearly reveals the practical and historical dimensions of Christian mysticism. If we appropriate his mystical vision as a source of spiritual vitality in our modern context—an age often characterized by a deep, hollow nihilism—we may rediscover a path for genuine, passionate faith that does not drift into mystical fantasy devoid of ethical and historical consciousness.9

Secondly, Bernard’s vision may help to revitalize the Church, which in many contexts has lost its spiritual fervor due to rigid institutionalization and excessive systematization.

Thirdly, his mystical theology opens the door to a renewed humanization—recovering both the dignity and grandeur of the human person—especially relevant in a time when modern individuals are worn down by the dehumanizing effects of scientific and material (or mechanical) civilization.

These are tasks entrusted to us, as contemporary Christians, through the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.10

[Notes]

9 See Jean Leclercq, Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercian Spirit, trans. Claire Lavoie (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1976), 102–3.

10 Ibid., 105.


(The sex-inclusive language terms in this paper are myown.)

Conclusion: A Gentle Challenge

Bernard’s mystical theology invites us not to retreat into isolation or esoteric spirituality, but to let humbled hearts, loving wills, and transformed minds flow into every aspect of life.

He calls us to a radical faith: loving for God’s sake, praying for transformation, and serving others in a spirit of spiritual marriage. As we integrate his vision into our homes, churches, and communities, we enact the timeless truth that in God-centered love and contemplation, we find true life, true purpose, and true joy.

Summary Table: Bernard’s Mystical Path and Its Relevance

Stage/ThemeBernard’s EmphasisContemporary Application
HumilitySelf-knowledge → purified reasonCounsels authenticity, mental health, and character formation
LoveSelf-negation → spiritual charityInspires social action, volunteerism, compassion work
ContemplationMystical union via purified willSupports mindfulness, presence, and inner peace
Communion with GodSpiritual marriage, will-alignmentLeads to vocational clarity and creative vocation

Bernard of Clairvaux offers more than medieval nostalgia—he provides a living tradition of spiritual formation rooted in humility, love, and contemplation that addresses modern maladies of isolation, anxiety, and surface-level religion. By engaging his theology:

  • Individuals can rediscover depth of faith and purposeful living beyond routine.
  • Churches can foster vibrant spiritual communities centered on transformation, not just programming.
  • Society can rediscover meaningful integration of thought, heart, and service in an era starved for authenticity and unity.

Final Reflection: Love as the Final Word

Bernard’s theology, mystical yet accessible, reminds us that:

“Love is not only the path to God. Love is the face of God.”

In a world broken by division, striving, and distraction, Bernard’s vision invites us into a holy simplicity: to know ourselves truly, to love others sincerely, and to dwell with God intimately.

In the words of Bernard himself:

“Where love is, there God is. Where God is, there is no lack.”

Challenges in Contemporary Application

While Bernard’s insights are rich, modern readers may struggle with:

  • The language of hierarchy and subordination
  • The medieval framework of sin and merit
  • The tension between eros (desire) and agape (divine love)

These can be navigated by reframing Bernard’s core insights in psychological and existential terms. For example:

Bernard’s TermContemporary Language
Self-love (first stage)Ego-centered identity or survival instinct
HumilityPsychological integration and emotional maturity
Union with GodSpiritual awakening or consciousness of divine presence
Kiss of the WordIntimate communion with mystery or truth

1. Individual Renewal Through Mystical Practice

Bernard’s emphasis on humility, love, and contemplation provides a clear path for personal spiritual growth. In today’s fast-paced world, these practices invite individuals to:

  • Cultivate inner stillness: Through daily meditation on the Crucified Christ and Scripture, believers learn to quiet inner turmoil and open their hearts to divine grace.
  • Develop moral integrity: As one progresses through Bernard’s stages, the purification of reason and will produces sincerity, patience, and compassion in daily life.
  • Experience intimacy with God: Contemplation transforms religious devotion from duty to a living relationship—mirroring Bernard’s call to spiritual marriage with God.

2. Community and Ecclesial Formation

The communal and sacramental dimensions of Bernard’s scheme encourage churches and faith-based organizations to:

  • Foster mentorship: Spiritual maturity flourishes in communities where experienced believers guide others through the stages of spiritual growth—from humility to contemplation.
  • Integrate spiritual formation: Beyond institutional programming, Bernard’s framework promotes discipleship that cultivates the heart as much as the mind.
  • Revitalize worship: A renewed focus on contemplative silence, liturgy, and sacrament preserves the mystical core of Christian worship.

3. Dialogue with Secular Culture

Bernard’s theology offers vital conversation points with modern society:

  • Countering existential emptiness: As materialism and consumerism exhaust the human spirit, contemplative practices rooted in humility and love reawaken purpose and transcendence.
  • Bridging science and spirituality: Bernard’s vision of deificatio—participation in divine life—provides a philosophical model for dialogue between faith and reason, where spirituality enriches, rather than opposes, scientific inquiry.
  • Uniting personal faith with social action: Bernard insists that mystical union must translate into loving service—bridging the divide between personal devotion and active love toward others.

4. Integrating Bernard’s Approach into Personal Devotion

Implementing Bernard’s framework in daily spiritual life involves a rhythmic interplay of humility, love, and contemplation:

  • Morning Reflection: Begin each day with a brief self-examination, inviting the Spirit to reveal hidden pride or self-interest. This primes the heart for humility.
  • Midday Meditation: Pause at a transitional moment in your day to meditate on the crucified Christ. This helps interrupt natural self-centered urges and restores focus on divine love.
  • Evening Contemplation: Conclude with a moment of silent presence before God, allowing the purified reason and will (through prayer and scripture) to rest in divine truth—opening the door to mystical union.

Over time, these patterns orient the soul toward consistency in spiritual awareness, transforming the mundane into opportunities for grace encounters.

5. Mentorship and Formation in Churches

To cultivate maturation as Bernard envisaged, communities can adopt structured yet flexible guidelines:

  1. Spiritual Mentors or “Elders”: Individuals who embody humility and spiritual depth can meet regularly with mentees to guide them through the contemplative stages.
  2. Small Group Practices: Focused groups can engage in lectio divina, shared periods of silence, and discussions on Bernard’s sermons—promoting both understanding and shared holiness.
  3. Sacramental Rhythms: Frequent reception of the Eucharist and confession mirrors the theological moves of sanctity—restoring union with God and neighbor.

6. Societal Impact Beyond the Church Walls

Bernard’s mysticism extends outward into the marketplace, civic life, and global concerns:

  • Ethical Work Ethos: When work springs from a heart transformed by humility and love, it becomes an act of worship, influencing industries to prioritize dignity, justice, and purpose.
  • Restorative Justice: Forgiveness and reconciliation reflect Bernard’s vision of self-negating love. Communities shaped by contemplative hearts foster more compassionate justice systems.
  • Environmental Stewardship: Contemplation cultivates attention to beauty and life. Humble reverence for creation leads to sustainable care and ecological advocacy.

7. Inviting a New Generation

Bernard’s theology speaks to those who crave depth, spiritual identity, and impact in a fragmented age:

  • Youth Engagement: Retreats, pilgrimages, or digital guides inspired by Bernard can attract spiritually searching young people needing authentic experiences beyond hobbyist faith.
  • Interfaith Conversations: Contemplation and mystical union resonate with many religious traditions. Bernard’s Christ-centered path can anchor Christologically while engaging other wisdom streams.
  • Leadership Formation: Whether in nonprofit organizations, families, or schools, leaders shaped by contemplative love are equipped to lead with integrity, vision, and empathy.

8. A Three-Year Spiritual Formation Curriculum

Inspired by Bernard’s progressive stages, faith communities could offer a structured three-year formation program, designed to guide participants from humility to mystical union:

YearFocusPractices
Year One: HumilitySelf-awareness and repentanceDaily examen; confession; mentorship on identifying pride and seeking grace
Year Two: Purified LoveLove of God and neighborLectio divina; midweek service projects; prayer circles focused on charity
Year Three: ContemplationMystical union in GodExtended retreats; Eucharistic adoration; silent contemplative prayer

This curriculum offers both structure and flexibility, integrating communal formation with deep personal spiritual growth.

9. Spiritual Retreat and Pilgrimage

Drawing from Bernard’s own practice, communities can incorporate immersive spiritual retreats modeled after monastic rhythms:

  • Three-Day “Cruciform Retreat”: Focus on the Cross through solitude, journaling, and meditative prayer.
  • Weekend “Mystical Bridge” Pilgrimage: A shoreline walk or mountain climb accompanied by guided silence, symbolizing ascent toward spiritual union.
  • “Marriage with God” Retreat: Extended time in Eucharistic adoration, lectio, and sacred reading aimed at deepening spiritual intimacy.

These retreats cultivate inner clarity, spiritual resilience, and a renewed sense of calling.

10. Incorporating Technology in Contemplation

Even in a digital era, Bernard’s pathways can be adapted for wider access:

  • Guided Meditation Apps: Short, contemplative prayers rooted in Bernard’s imagery—cross, fish-and-water, kiss of contemplation.
  • Virtual Lectio Groups: Weekly online gatherings combining Scripture, silence, and gentle facilitation.
  • Social Media “Humility Challenges”: Short reflections encouraging participants to name pride, express gratitude, or perform humble acts of service.

These tools help sustain spiritual rhythms in busy or scattered communities.

11. Measuring Spiritual Fruit

Transformation through Bernard’s mysticism can be evaluated not by program metrics, but by spiritual markers:

  • Growing Compassion and Sensitivity: Is there a noticeable shift in how individuals respond to suffering and need?
  • Interior Peace and Resilience: Do participants show greater ability to endure hardship or uncertainty?
  • Consistent Contemplative Practice: Are forms of silence, meditation, and solitude becoming habitual?
  • Communal Impact: Are participants initiating acts of service, reconciliation, or ecological stewardship?

These signs, though qualitative, demonstrate lives shaped by Bernard’s mystical grace.

12. Future Directions

By taking inspiration from Bernard, faith communities can pioneer:

  • Contemplative Leaders Networks rising from grassroots practitioners.
  • Books and Devotionals introducing Bernard’s path to a broader audience.
  • Academic Scholarship and Dialogue bridging Benedictine, Cistercian, and contemporary spiritual streams.

13. Bernard’s Relevance in Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue

Bernard’s mystical theology, centered in love and humility, offers a universal spiritual language that can bridge intercultural and interfaith communities. In today’s pluralistic society, his emphasis on:

  • Self-knowledge through humility,
  • The universal longing for divine love, and
  • Transformation of the will toward peace and communion

provides a foundation for dialogue that transcends doctrinal barriers. In interfaith gatherings or multicultural settings, Bernard’s stages of love (from self-love to God-love) could be explored as shared human experiences—inviting understanding, not conflict.

Example Application:

  • A “Path of Love” symposium, where Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and Muslim scholars present on the stages of love and contemplation in their traditions.
  • Community workshops using Bernard’s steps of humility as a framework for restorative justice and reconciliation.

14. Renewing Preaching and Teaching

Bernard’s deeply contemplative yet pastoral theology also revitalizes preaching and theological education:

  • Preachers are encouraged not only to inform, but to transform, leading listeners from awareness of pride to participation in divine love.
  • Theological students and seminarians can be trained in “mystical reasoning”—a mode of theological reflection that integrates head, heart, and will.
  • Sermons might follow Bernard’s structure: beginning with self-examination, moving to love of neighbor, and culminating in union with God.

Suggested Preaching Series (based on Bernard’s stages):

  • Week 1: “Curiosity and Pride: The First Step Downward”
  • Week 2: “Confessing Our Condition: The Turning Point”
  • Week 3: “Knowing Myself, Knowing God”
  • Week 4: “The Kiss of Christ: Love as Union”

15. Spiritual Leadership through Bernard’s Lens

Church leaders shaped by Bernard’s mystical path embody a leadership style that is:

  • Non-coercive (marked by humility rather than power),
  • Grounded in contemplation,
  • Oriented toward healing,
  • Capable of discerning truth in the stillness of love, and
  • Radically inclusive, because love recognizes the dignity in every soul.

Bernard’s model of leadership encourages servant-leaders to recognize when to speak and when to be silent, when to act and when to surrender. The mystical path equips them with depth and discernment, so needed in times of uncertainty.

16. Bernard’s Mysticism in the Context of Pastoral Care

Bernard’s insights provide rich resources for pastoral care, especially for those navigating suffering, spiritual dryness, or identity crises. His emphasis on Christ as the center of all healing and the gradual transformation of the soul through love and humility can be translated into a healing model that resonates deeply with individuals today.

Applications in Pastoral Counseling:

  • The First Degree of Love (loving self for self’s sake) can help individuals acknowledge their needs without shame—a starting point for healing.
  • The Second Degree (loving God for self’s sake) allows one to experience divine support during suffering.
  • The Third Degree (loving God for God’s sake) calls the person into deeper trust and surrender, even amid unanswered prayers.
  • The Fourth Degree (loving self for God’s sake) becomes the fruit of long-term spiritual healing and the restoration of one’s divine image.

Through these stages, a counselor or spiritual director can help individuals identify where they are on their journey and how grace is already active in their transformation.

17. The Role of the Church in Cultivating Mystical Life

Bernard’s vision invites the church to become more than a doctrinal institution; it becomes a school of love, a community of contemplation, and a sanctuary for the soul. His writings inspire us to imagine a church that nurtures:

  • Silence as sacred space
  • Simplicity as spiritual practice
  • Service as a fruit of contemplation

Worship services shaped by Bernard’s theology would emphasize mystery, sacred reading (lectio divina), and time for interior reflection. Christian formation would not just be about knowledge of doctrine, but transformation into the likeness of Christ.

18. Mysticism and Justice: A Modern Synthesis

Though Bernard’s writings are deeply contemplative, their implications for justice and solidarity are profound. The love of God necessarily opens into the love of neighbor, especially the oppressed, forgotten, or marginalized. Bernard’s call to humility breaks the ego that sustains systems of power, while his contemplation of Christ crucified identifies God with those who suffer.

A Bernardian approach to justice begins in the soul—but it does not end there.

“No one can truly gaze upon the broken body of Christ without being moved to compassion for the broken body of the world.”

Churches rooted in Bernard’s mysticism can become centers of quiet revolution, where interior transformation fuels public action rooted not in anger or ideology, but in love purified by grace.

19. Final Theological Summary: Bernard’s Contribution

To summarize Bernard’s mystical theology, we can outline his key contributions:

  1. Christocentric Spirituality – Christ is both the path and goal of the soul’s journey.
  2. Trinitarian Perspective – The dynamic of divine love (Father–Son–Spirit) becomes the model and means of human transformation.
  3. Humility as the Gateway to Truth – All spiritual knowledge begins with self-knowledge.
  4. Love as the Ladder to Union – Through the four degrees of love, the soul climbs toward divine intimacy.
  5. Contemplation as Divine Participation – Not merely vision, but union of will and heart with God.
  6. Practical Mysticism – A theology that integrates contemplation with action, doctrine with experience, and soul with community.

20. A Closing Word to the Modern Reader

In a time of technological noise, moral fragmentation, and spiritual fatigue, Bernard’s mystical theology offers not only a historical treasure but a prophetic invitation:

  • To slow down.
  • To turn inward.
  • To rediscover God not as idea, but as love who dwells within.
  • To live a life shaped by humility, purified by grace, and anchored in truth.

May Bernard’s words echo in the hearts of those who still seek the Kiss of the Word, and may his vision help guide us all “from knowledge to love, and from love to union.”

“The soul’s true life is to love God; its perfection is to be one with Him.” – Bernard of Clairvaux

Final Invitation

Bernard of Clairvaux invites us into a transformative journey: from humility, through purified love, into mystical union with God. It is a journey neither passive nor remote, but deeply engaged and resolutely practical.

May our communal embrace of Bernard’s path lead to hospitable churches, integrated lives, and a kinder, more contemplative world, where people discover that God-centered love reveals our truest humanity.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The works of the St. Bernard de Clairvaux, Spencer, Mass., Cistercian Publications, 1970- . This translation is based on the critical Latin ed. prepared by Jean Leclerq and Henri Rochais, Rome, Editions Cisterienses, 1957. Including: Vol. 1. Treatises I, Vol. 2. On the Song of Songs I, Vol. 3. One the Song of Songs II, Vol. 4. On the Song of Songs III, Vol. 5. Treatises II, Vol. 6. On the Song of Songs IV, Vol. 5. Treatises III, Vol. 10. The Life and Death of Saint Malachy the Irishman, Vol. 13. Five Books on Consideration, Vol. 25. Sermons on Conversations

Bernard of Clairvaux. On Loving God. Translated by Robert Walton. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1974.

Bernard of Clairvaux. Sermons on the Song of Songs. Translated by Kilian Walsh and Irene Edmonds. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1971.

Bernard of Clairvaux. On the Steps of Humility and Pride. Translated by M. Ambrose Conway. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1989.

Gilson, Étienne. The Mystical Theology of Saint Bernard. Translated by A.H.C. Downes. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990.

Leclercq, Jean. Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercian Spirit. Translated by Claire L. Baker. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1976.

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About TaeHun Yoon

Retired Pastor of the United Methodist Church
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