Quote of the Day – 2 February – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Quote of the Day – 2 February – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Come then, my brethren, give an eye to that candle burning in Simeon’s hands.   Light your candles too by borrowing from that Light, for these candles I speak of are the lamps which the Lord orders us to have in our hands (Mt 25:1; Lk 12:35).   Come to Him and be enlightened (Ps 34[33], 6), so as to be not merely carrying lamps but to be very lamps yourselves, shining inside and out, for yourselves and for your neighbours.

Be a lamp then in heart, in hand, in lips.   The lamp in your heart will shine for you, the lamp in your hand or on your lips will shine out for your neighbours. T  he lamp in the heart is loving faith, the lamp in the hand is the example of good works, the lamp on the lips is edifying speech.   But not just before men must we shine by works and word but before angels too by prayer and before God Himself, by pure intention.   Our lamp before the angels is the purity of our devotion when in the sight of angels we chant the psalms with care or pray with burning ardour, our lamp before God is the honesty of our intention to please Him only, whose approval we have won…

There are so many lamps then, my brethren, to lighten your way, if only you will come to the source of all light and be enlightened. 

Come, I say, to Jesus who shines out to us from Simeon’s arms.   He will give light to your faith, lustre to your works, meaning to your words for men, ardour to your prayer, purity to your intentions… And when this life’s lamp is extinguished there will arise a life’s light which can never be extinguished, a shimmering noonday light, arising as it were at the evening of your life.

Blessed Guerric of Igny O.Cist. (c 1080-1157)
Cistercian abbot