A Deo et Rege

"Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth" (Song of Songs 1:2, NAB)

St. Bernard of Clairvaux from Commentary on the Song of Songs, Sermon 2

But he, the one whom they proclaim, let him speak to me, let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. I have no desire that he should approach me in their person, or address me with their words, for they are a watery darkness, a dense cloud; rather in his own person let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth; let him whose presence is full of love, from whom exquisite doctrines flow in streams, let him become a spring inside me, welling up to eternal life. Shall I not receive a richer infusion of grace from him whom the Father has anointed with the oil of gladness above all his rivals, provided that he will bestow on me the kiss of his mouth? For his living, active word is to me a kiss, not indeed an adhering of the lips that can sometimes belie a union of hearts, but an unreserved infusion of joys, a revealing of mysteries, a marvelous and indistinguishable mingling of the divine light with the enlightened mind, which, joined in truth to God, is one spirit with him.

Source: Glorify His Name

St. Bernard of Clairvaux from Commentary on the Song of Songs (Sermon 1):

We must conclude then it was a special divine impulse that inspired these songs of his that now celebrate the praises of Christ and his Church, the gift of holy love, the sacrament of endless union with God. Here too are expressed the mounting desires of the soul, its marriage song, an exultation of spirit poured forth in figurative language pregnant with delight. It is no wonder that like Moses he put a veil on his face, equally resplendent as it must have been in this encounter, because in those days few if any could sustain the bright vision of God’s glory. Accordingly, because of its excellence, I consider this nuptial song to be well deserving of the title that so remarkably designates it, the Song of Songs, just as he in whose honor it is sung is uniquely proclaimed King of kings and Lord of lords.

Source: Glorify His Name

I decided to read the biblical book Song of Songs again, something I’ve been meaning to do since I’ve been Catholic. I don’t believe in the private reading of Scripture. Now, by "private" I don’t mean sitting alone and reading your Bible. That is something everyone should do. What I mean is that I don’t believe when we read Scripture alone (i.e. by ourselves) we should be reading Scripture alone. We must always read the Scriptures in conjunction with the Tradition of the Church, since we as Catholics believe the Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures inspires the Church today.

Now, Song of Songs is one of those books that, read apart from the Church, could be quite confusing and misleading. I think many would even wonder how it could be included in the canon! However, the Church has always seen in it more than just a description of romantic love, but of the love of Christ for his Church. It has also been frequently applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary. As such, I’ll be reading Song of Songs, along with the Commentary on the Song of Songs by St. Bernard of Clairvaux. I’ll be posting quotes and other observations occasionally on this blog.