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If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.

Bernard of Clairvaux

Inordinate love for the flesh is cruelty, because under the appearance of pleasing the body, we kill the soul.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Appearance Body Flesh Soul
The Eucharist is that love which surpasses all loves in Heaven and on earth
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Earth Eucharist Heaven
Thus understanding and love, that is, the knowledge of and delight in the truth, are, as it were, the two arms of the soul, with which it embraces and comprehends with all the saints the length and breath, the height and depth, that is the eternity, the love, the goodness, and the wisdom of God.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Arm Delight Knowledge Soul Two Understanding
Let no one believe that he has received the divine kiss, if he knows the truth without loving it or loves it without understanding it. But blessed is that kiss whereby not only is God recognized but also the Father is loved; for there is never full knowledge without perfect love.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Believe Father Love
It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Humble Humility Lows
Wherever…thou shalt be, pray secretly within thyself. If thou shalt be far from a house of prayer, give not thyself trouble to seek for one, for thou thyself art a sanctuary designed for prayer. If thou shalt be in bed, or in any other place, pray there; thy temple is there.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Art Christian Prayer
Humility is, of all graces, the chiefest when it does not know itself to be a grace at all.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Grace Humility Know
What does God hate or punish except self-will? Let self-will cease, and there will be no hell. On what does that fire feed except on self-will?
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Cease Except Feed Fire Hate Self
We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Faith God Love Profitable
The true measure of loving God is to love him without measure.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

God Love Loving Religious
To serve Mary is a mark of eternal salvation to come.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Mark Mary Salvation
And truly, O man, if you concentrate hard on the state you are in it will be surprising if you have time for anything else.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Anything Concentrate Man Surprising
Grace is necessary to salvation, free will equally so – but grace in order to give salvation, free will in order to receive it.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Giving Grace Order
What I know of the divine science and holy scripture, I learnt in the woods and fields.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Fields Scripture Woods
What we love we shall grow to resemble.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Creative Grows Love
Vines and trees will teach you that which you will never learn from masters.
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

Learning Tree Vines

If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.

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If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.

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