“Seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1 

In the past two weeks, we've explored this verse through the lens of Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Catechism. This week, as we celebrate the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux on August 20, we turn to his life as a luminous example of someone who not only sought what is above but helped ignite that desire in others.

St. Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon, France. As a young man, he entered the newly founded Cistercian monastery of Cîteaux, a reform branch of the Benedictines focused on simplicity, prayer, and manual labor. His holiness and leadership were quickly recognized. At just 25 years old, he was sent to found a new monastery in Clairvaux, where he became abbot and remained for the rest of his life. Under his leadership, the Cistercian movement flourished across Europe. But Bernard was not just a monk and administrator. He was a mystic, preacher, theologian, reformer, and spiritual guide. His writings-especially on the love of God, humility, and the inner life-are considered some of the most beautiful in the Church’s tradition.

St. Bernard lived Colossians 3:1 with radical focus. His life and teachings were marked by a deep longing for heaven and a constant turning of the soul toward Christ. “Let your desire be for God,” he once wrote, “and your soul shall live.” For Bernard, seeking what is above did not mean abandoning life on earth-it meant seeing earthly life as a road toward eternal union with God. His intense prayer life, his love for the name of Jesus, his meditations on the Song of Songs, all reflect a heart completely captivated by what is above. He taught his monks, and countless others, to lift their minds to Christ seated in glory and to live as though eternity were already beginning in the present moment.

This longing for heaven ties directly into the readings for this weekend. In the Gospel, Jesus declares, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” This is not destructive fire-it is purifying fire. Christ's presence burns away what is selfish, divided, and empty so that we may be set ablaze with divine love. St. Bernard experienced this fire in his soul. His mystical writings speak of the flame of love that consumes the heart and transforms it. The Letter to the Hebrews calls us to “persevere in running the race” and to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.” St. Bernard did exactly that, helping others to run the race by keeping their vision lifted high.

This week, as we reflect on St. Bernard’s life, ask yourself: what am I seeking? Where is my heart fixed? What fire burns within me? Let the example of St. Bernard stir your desire. Let Christ’s purifying fire burn away distractions and set your heart again on the things above-on Christ, who calls you to follow Him home.