‘O Judah and Jerusalem fear not.’ We are addressing true Jews, Jews not in letter but in spirit, Abraham’s offspring, whose promised increase we see realized ( Gal3:29 ). Not the children of the flesh but the children of promise are counted as offspring.
Fear not true confessors, you who confess the Lord not only with your mouths but just as much with all and every part of you! True confession is when all your works are God’s works and confess him. Let them however confess with a twofold confession, so that you are clothed with double garments – that is with confession of your sins and confession of divine praise. Then will you be true Jews, if your whole life confesses that you are sinners deserving of far greater punishments but that God is supremely good and exchanges the eternal punishments you have deserved for these light and transitory ones.
As for you be true Jews; be the true Jerusalem so that you may no longer fear anything. Jerusalem is the vision of peace – vision, not possession – to whose borders – the Lord has brought peace. If therefore you do not have peace – or indeed because in this world you cannot have perfect peace – at least look at it, ponder it, consider it and long for it. Let the eyes of your heart ( Eph1:18 ) be turned toward it and your intention be turned toward peace so that everything you do you do out of longing for this peace which surpasses all understanding, that being reconciled you may have peace with God.
And so Judah and Jerusalem, fear not if you cannot yet attain the perfection you are longing for. Let your humbleness of your confession supply what the imperfection of your way of life lacks. God’s eyes have beheld your imperfect being. On that account has he commanded his commandments to be kept absolutely so that when we see our imperfect being failing and unable to fulfill its obligation we may flee toward mercy and say ‘because your mercy is better than life’.
Then we who cannot appear in the garments of innocence or righteousness can appear garbed in confession. Confession and beauty are in the Lord’s sight , provided that they come not from the mouth alone but from the whole person so that all our bones may ask, ‘Lord who is like you’ and ask it with a gaze fixed on peace along and with a longing for reconciliation with God. To such persons is said O Judah and Jerusalem, fear not; tomorrow you shall go forth.
The Holy Spirit too is waiting for us. The Spirit is the godly love and graciousness to which we have been predestined from eternity and most surely he wants to have accomplished what he has predestined. So then, since the wedding is ready and the whole throng of the heavenly court is longing and waiting for us, let us not run aimlessly; let us run with desires and with progress in the virtues. To get under way is to progress.
Let each one of us say, Look on me and have mercy according to the judgment of those who love your name. Have mercy not as I deserve but as they have decided. Let us also say, As his will is in heaven so may it be done and again May your will be done. In the meantime, let this be our consolation, dearly beloved, until we go forth: that the Lord may be with us. May he by his great mercy bring us to that happy going forth and to that shining tomorrow!
From the Sermons of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot