The Meditations with a Monastic Commentary

by William of Saint-Thierry, Thomas X. Davis O.C.S.O. (Translator), David N. Bell (Foreword by)

Overview

The Meditations, written over a period from 1125 to 1137, are a personal account of William of Saint-Thierry’s ascent into Trinitarian intimacy. Writing to the monks of Mont Dieu sometime around 1144, he proposed the Meditations as helpful in forming minds in prayer. These Meditations, with their accompanying commentary, are now presented as helpful in forming an intimate relationship with the triune God.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780879071646
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	12/16/2022
Series:	Cistercian Fathers Series
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

David N. Bell is professor emeritus of religious studies and dean of theology at Queen's College, St. John's, Newfoundland, and canon theologian in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John's. He is the author of a number of books published by Cistercian Publications, including Handmaid of the Lord:Mary, the Cistercians, and Armand-Jean de Rancé (CS293, 2021), Everyday Life at La Trappe under Armand-Jean de Rancé (CS274, 2018), and A Saint in the Sun: Praising Saint Bernard in the France of Louis XIV (CS271, 2017).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Abbreviations xiii

Foreword David N. Bell xvii

The Meditations 1

Preface 3

The Meditations 5

The Beginning of Williams Contemplative Ascent into Intimacy with the Triune Divinity as Presented in His Meditations: A Monastic Commentary 89

Two Protagonists: Meditation 1.1-6 91

Foreknowledge and Predestination: Meditation 1.2-6 94

Divine Foreknowledge as Eternal Wisdom: Meditation 1.7-10 96

Bonding between Eternity and Time: Meditation 1.8 97

Ascending vs Circling: Meditation 1.9 99

Divine Predestination/Intimate Relationship: Meditation 1.11 100

Pride: Meditation 1.12-13 102

Go to Him and be Enlightened: Meditation 2.1-3 104

A Remarkable Scriptural Image and Metaphor: Meditation 2.2-8 107

Divine and Human Darkness: Meditation 2.5-8 108

Imagination in Respect to a Vision of God that Enlightens: Meditation 2.9-12 110

Two Categories of Understanding: Meditation 2.13-15 113

Enlightened Understanding Coming from Above: Meditation 2.14 113

Face and Countenance: Meditation 3.1-5 116

Meaning of the Face 117

Meaning of the Countenance 117

A Succinct Unfolding of the Meditations 118

The Paradigm of Your Countenance 118

Your Love: Meditation 3.6-7 120

Divine Revelation: Meditation 3.7-8 123

Understanding from Reason: Meditation 3.9-11 125

Understanding God: Meditation 3.12-13 127

Understanding the Trinity: Meditation 3.14 128

Embracing the Trinity: Meditation 3.15-16 130

Personal Change via the Lord's Prayer: Meditation 4.1-5 132

Nine Factors Bringing Personal Change: Meditation 4.6-19 133

1 Opening Personal Inner Depths: Meditation 4.6 134

2 Good Conscience: Meditation 4.10 135

3 Reason in Its Proper Responsibility: Meditation 4.11 136

4 Knowledge of One's Personal God as the Fruit of Solitude: Meditation 4.12 136

5 A Desire to Taste, See, and Delight in This Personal God: Meditation 4.13-14 137

6 Pursuing the Place Where God Is: Meditation 4.15 138

7 Removing All Types of Idols Formerly Used to Comprehend God: Meditation 4.16 139

8 Becoming Intelligent and Devoutly Knowledgeable: Meditation 4.17 140

9 Authentic Listening to God: Meditation 4.18-19 141

The Prayer of Jesus: Meditation 5.1-3 143

Prayer as Being Crucified, Concrucifixus, with the Lord Jesus: Meditation 5.4 144

Concrucifixus and Its Consequences: Meditation 5.5 145

A Treacherous Problem: Meditation 5.6 147

Christ's Prayer on the Cross: Meditation 5.7-10 147

Love and Truth: Meditation 5.10-12 149

William's Bonding to the Human and Divine Natures of Christ: Meditation 5.14-15 151

Mutual Anointing and the Amplexus: Meditation 5.15-19 152

Heaven's Open Door: Meditation 6.1 155

Earthly Heaviness and Human Pride: Meditation 6.2-5 155

Jesus, Incarnate Merciful Love, Is the Open Door into Heaven: Meditation 6.6-7 157

The Proper Way to Think Regarding Heaven and Earth: Meditation 6.8-9 158

Further Thoughts on Heaven: Meditation 6.10-14 159

Heaven Is Likeness to the Creating God: Meditation 6.15 161

The Comprehensiveness of the Incarnation: Meditation 6.16-19 161

The Obedience of Charity and the Charity of Obedience: Meditation 6.18 162

The Pierced Heart of Jesus: Meditation 6.20-22 164

A Yearning to Rejoice with the Saints: Meditation 6.23-27 164

Boldness in Seeking God's Face: Meditation 7.1 167

Two Aspects of Humility: Meditation 7.2-4 167

Signs of the Divine Face: Meditation 7.6-8 169

To Know by Not Knowing: Meditation 7.9-11 170

The Implication of Being Illumined: Meditation 7.11 173

Good Will, Good Zeal: Meditation 8.1-2 175

The Kiss of Truth and Mercy: Meditation 8.3 176

The Passion of Christ as a Contemplative Spousal Kiss: Meditation 8.4-5 177

The Sacred Heart as Hiding Place: Meditation 8.6 179

Ruminating on the Passion: Meditation 8.7 180

Delightful Love: Meditation 8.8-9 184

The Effects of Christ's Face upon a Human Face: Meditation 8.10 184

Torment of Hell: Meditation 8.11-14 185

William Descends into His Inner Self: Meditation 9.1-2 187

Rowdy Thoughts Hinder Inner Peace: Meditation 9.3-7 187

Total Openness in Gods Presence: Meditation 9.8-9 189

Experiences of Alternations: Meditation 9.10-11 190

Truth, Accurate Self-knowledge, Comes from God's Presence: Meditation 9.12-13 191

The Fullness of Love Depends on the Fullness of Faith: Meditation 9.14-17 191

An Intuitive Vision of God: Meditation 10.1-2 193

The Bonding Role of This Wisdom: Meditation 10.3 195

Prayer with Images: Meditation 10.4-10 196

The Incarnate Christ as the Open Door to Eternal Life: Meditation 10.9-12 200

The Theme of Ascent: Meditation 11.1-3 203

The Scriptural Image of Bartimeus of Jericho (Mark 10:46): Meditation 11.4-11 204

Word of God, the Divine Protagonist: Meditation 11.12 206

His Total Destiny the Discovery of God's Truth, Is in God's Hands: Meditation 11.13-14 207

Scrutinizing Intention, Thoughts, Soul, and Spirit: Meditation 11.15-33 208

Intention: Meditation 11.15-20 208

Joints: Meditation 11.21-24 210

Marrow: Meditation 11.25-30 211

A Dialogue between William's Spirit and His Soul: Meditation 11.31-33 214

Your Love: Meditation 12.1 217

William Addresses His Past Life: Meditation 12.2-8 218

Your Love as an Advocate: Meditation 12.9-10 219

Your Love, an Experience of Love: Meditation 12.11 221

The Life of the Trinity Working in William: Meditation 12.12-13 222

Your Love Expands Conscience: Meditation 12.14-15 223

Way of Ascent: A Will-Great, Enlightened, Ardent: Meditation 12.16-20 224

Great Will 225

Enlightened and Ardent Will: Meditation 12.20-21 227

Your Love Imparts Participation with the Saints: Meditation 12.22 228

Your Love Reshaping Persons: Meditation 12.23-24 228

Your Love Forms Unpretentious Persons: Meditation 12.25-27 229

Eucrasis and the Saints 230

To Love Much: Meditation 12.28-30 231

Meditation Thirteen 234

Bibliography 241

Editorial Reviews

"Thomas Davis makes an invaluable contribution in his fresh translation of the Meditations and his insightful commentary on William’s account of the contemplative ascent into God, situating the abbot of Saint-Thierry’s spiritual itinerary in his broader theological vision. That ascent is motivated by ardent love and longing to see God’s face, yet paradoxically necessitates a descent into the truth of a person’s deepest self where one comes face to face with one’s utter brokenness and the need to die to self. There one also discovers the truth of one’s unimaginable beloved-ness in the eternal Word. Ascending then through the Incarnation, one’s will is united with God’s love—the Holy Spirit—in the unitas spiritus where one’s life is transformed and one’s spirit is enfolded the ineffable embrace of the Divine Persons of the Trinity."
Glenn E. Myers, PhD, Professor of Church History and Theological Studies, Crown College
 


"Father Thomas Davis takes his readers on an extraordinary journey through the depths and heights of William of Saint–Thierry’s spirituality. The revised translation and commentary illuminate the complexity of early Cistercian thought through the lens of William’s poetic imagery. Offering a guided tour through the metaphorical landscape of William’s meditations, Father Davis provides intellectually rich insight, as well as a personal appreciation of Cistercian spiritual practice. This book is a source both for future Cistercian scholarship and for anyone who is drawn to the experiential, authentic nature of monastic prayer.“
Dr. des. theol. ​Delphine Conzelmann, University of Basel, Switzerland
 


“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” So wrote St. Augustine at the beginning of his Confessions, one of the most remarkable prayer-texts in the Christian tradition. Some 700 years later, a closely related insight drove William of St. Thierry to pen the meditative prayers of this book. Blessed with an intimate knowledge of the Bible and the medieval interpretive tradition, a poetic sense of imagery, a refined Christian metaphysics, and an ardent personal faith, William delivered a remarkable text to guide thoughts to God. This new volume gives us a precious new portal into one of Christian history’s outstanding minds."
Fr. Joseph Van House, O Cist, Our Lady of Dallas Abbey, University of Dallas
 

"This volume is highly recommended for all who want to deepen their appreciation of medieval monastic spirituality."
Catholic Books Review

 

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