1/2/2021 6:02:28 AM
“Make straight the Lord’s path”
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Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157)
Cistercian abbot
Sermon 5 for Advent
“Make straight the Lord’s path”
“Prepare the way of the Lord.” Brothers, even if you have advanced greatly on this way, you still have to prepare it, so that from the point where you have already arrived, you might always go forward, always stretched out towards what is beyond. Thus, since the way has been prepared for his coming, with every step that you take, the Lord will come to meet you, always new, always greater. So the righteous person is right to pray thus: “Instruct me, O Lord, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them.” (Ps 119:33) And this way is called “the path of eternity” (Ps 139:24) (…) because the goodness of him towards whom we are advancing is unlimited. That is why the wise and determined traveler, even though he has arrived at the goal, will think of beginning. “Giving no thought to what lies behind,” (Phil 3:13), he will tell himself every day: “Now I begin (Ps 76:11 Vulgate) (…) May it please heaven that we who talk about advancing on this path might at least have set out! To my understanding, whoever has set out is already on the good way. However, we must really begin, find “the way to an inhabited city” (Ps 107:4). For Truth says: “How few there are who find it!” (Mt 7:14) And many are those “who go astray in the desert.” (Ps 107:4) (…) And you, Lord, have prepared a path for us, if we only agree to go on it (…) Through your Law, you have taught us the path of your will by saying: “This is the way; walk in it, when you would turn to the right or to the left.” (Isa 30:21) It is the path that the prophet had promised: “A highway will be there (…) No fools go astray on it.” (Isa 35:8) (…) I have never seen a fool going astray when following your path, Lord (…) But woe to you who are wise in your own sight (Isa 5:21). Your wisdom has taken you away from the path of salvation and has not allowed you to follow the Savior’s folly (…) A desirable folly, which at the time of God’s judgment will be called wisdom and which does not let us go astray, away from his path.