MY BELOVED IS MINE AND I AM HIS: SELF-KNOWLEDGE IN THE ...

The theme of Word’s example of voluntary self-humbling and the humbling self-
knowledge we acquire in contemplating his example resonates throughout Bernard’s
meditations on the mysteries of Christ’s infancy, boyhood, adolescence, and public
ministry. In the mystery of his Nativity, the fully divine Word “abbreviated” himself to
assume our nature and to be laid as an infant in a narrow manger. “Why was it
necessary,” Bernard asks his brothers, “that the Lord of majesty should so empty himself,
so humble himself, so abbreviate himself? Was it not so that we might do likewise?” 360
Even in his speechless infancy, the Word “cries out by his example what he would later
preach by his words, ‘Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart (Mt 11:27).’” 361
Bernard begs his brothers not overlook this “precious exemplar” of humility, but to “be
conformed to it.” How, he asks, can he and his brothers see “the God of heaven become
a child” and still presume to exalt themselves through pride? 362
For Bernard, moreover, the humility the Word Incarnate witnesses in his infancy
continues in the mysteries of his boyhood, youth, and public ministry. In his
Circumcision, the Word descends still lower, not only assuming our human nature, but
even choosing to be branded with the mark of a sinner though he himself was entirely
without sin. In this, he exposes the proud who, like the monk descending pride’s twelve
steps, cherish their holy reputation and blush to consider their own sin: “He who
360 1 Nat 1 (IV, 244): “Ad quid hoc, fratres, aut quae necessitas fuit, ut sic exinaniret se, sic
humiliaret se, sic abbreviaret se Dominus maiestatis, nisi ut vos similiter faciatis?”
361 1 Nat 1 (IV, 245): “Iam clamat exemplo, quod postmodum praedicaturus est verbo: DISCITE
AD ME, QUIA MITIS SUM ET HUMILIS CORDE.”
362 1 Nat 1 (IV, 245): Obsecro proinde et plurimum rogo, fratres, non patiamini sine causa tam
pretiosum exemplar vobis exhibitum esse, sed conformamini illi et renovamini spiritu mentis vestrae.
Studete humilitati, quae fundamentum est custos que virtutum; sectamini illam, quae sola potest salvare
animas vestras. Quid enim magis indignum, quid detestandum amplius, quid gravius puniendum, quam ut
videns Deum caeli parvulum factum, ultra apponat magnificare se homo super terram?
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