I preached a sermon series a few years ago on The Song of Songs (alternatively Song of Solomon). It’s an intriguing Old Testament book, given that it reads like a love sonnet between a prospective bride and groom. God’s name is conspicuously absent from this eight-chapter love poem. I recall feeling awkward reading parts of this erotic poem aloud to the congregation. How did this obscure poem survive the cut to be included in the canon of Scripture by the early church? In my research, I kept running into homilies by Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1152). This French priest preached eighty-six sermons to his monastic community on the Song of Songs. What does a celibate monk living in a monastic community see in this love sonnet? Bernard interpreted it as a spiritual allegory depicting the relationship between God and his people. Bottom line for Bernard: God is deeply in love with his creation. God loves people passionately. That’s why Bernard went to such lengths to remind fellow monks that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is intended to restore this love relationship. The words of John 3.16 feature prominently in Bernard’s eighty-six sermons, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…”
Let’s not beat ourselves up with the nagging thought that God is somehow disappointed with us. More to the point: God loves us. The following hymn attributed to Bernard reminds us that Jesus is the joy of loving hearts. How many times did I sing this prayer without thinking?