O Sacred Head Now Wounded

     We have been studying the Middle Ages. The fuedal system, nobility, knights, the plague. We read the most inspiring thing so far the other night in a book called Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula. I was hesitant to use this book when I first cracked it back in Spring because, being about church history, the stories are sometimes gruesome and depressing. Learning about saints and martyrs can be a good thing, but the first story was the martyrdom of Polycarp and well, I thought my girls were a little tender for that I guess.
      Well, Bernard de Clairvaux (1090-1153) was the son of a nobleman and knight, who left his family castle to pursue a life of service to God. Though a gifted scholar, at age 22, he became a monk. All of his five brothers, an uncle, and over twenty friends followed suit. Just 3 years later, he was sent out to establish a new monastery. The growth was vast and eventually they established over one hundred new monasteries. Now mind you, I am well aware of the corruption and sin surrounding the monasteries of the day, but apparently, Bernard was truly a pious man. He preached the love of God, and all around reported the presence of God in the valley where the monastery stood. These monks "did not hide from the world, but fed and lodged travelers, nursed the sick and cared for the poor." They emptied their storehouses to feed the masses during a famine.
     You can read more about Bernard, in this book or by looking for him online, but I do have a point I am getting to here. Bernard was inspired to do what he did by his mother. He had gone to visit his brothers as they were besieging a castle. He rode along weighed down by his sin, worrying over his future, and the words of his mother (who was deceased) came to him, "My son, was it for this that I brought you into the world?" Sharing this with his father is what changed his mind about giving his blessing for him to follow his call from God.
     That spoke volumes to me about our influence on our children's spiritual lives. They need to know they have a calling, a gift, a purpose on this earth for which the Father has created them. And they need to know that we know it too. They need to know that we believe in them and their ability to follow that calling and fulfill it.
      I cannot claim in the least way to have been the mother I should have been in this area. I am sure I have let my own fleshly will get in the way of helping my children to see who they are and can be in Christ. But I pray that I will be able to knit my heart more closely to His, and see with His eyes what He has for my children. I pray that I can help them to see it for themselves, and desire it much more than fine gold.
     By the way, Bernard de Clairvaux wrote the songs, "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" and "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts."
     Next week the Waldensians and Francis of Assisi :)