—Editorial—

A Model for Social Living

Silvano Cola & Breandán Leahy

One of the great mystic theologians in the Church, Bernard of Clarivaux, writes about what he calls a "law" within the life of the Trinity. In the twelfth chapter of his little work De diligendo Deo (which could be translated as How to love God), he tells us that this "law" is the charity whereby each of the Persons does not seek his own good but that of the others. To avoid any doubt, Bernard goes on to invite us not to "take as absurd my statement that the life of God is governed by a law, since the law of which I speak is charity".

What is it, he asks rhetorically, that preserves the supreme and ineffable unity in the supreme model of holiness if not charity? Charity is what binds and links the Persons of the Trinity and binds them in the bond of peace and as such is the law of the Lord.

The eternal law, therefore, is (inner-divine) charity and, St. Bernard reminds us, it is this love which has created and governs all that exists since everything was made according to this model. He comments "if even the Trinity, which is the model of everything, has its own law, namely, charity, then there is nothing at all which is without a law".

"Human beings", continues Bernard, "unfortunately did not follow this law of God, but preferred their own will to the common and eternal law. Tragically, they thought they could imitate their own Creator saying to themselves 'if He is a law unto himself, then we too want to govern ourselves, making our own will our law'", and "so our life became similar to hell... since the one who voluntarily refused the easy yoke and the light burden of love is obliged to bear the heavy burden of his own will". Bernard adds that if you speak of one's own will are you not affirming individualism? And where there is individualism, is there not closure? And where you see a closed spot, do you not find dirt and dust?

He concludes with a prayer: "May we always live as your children (and not as servants and mercenaries) by putting your law of charity into practice, so that we may live in the world as you live. Anyone who puts the Word 'The only debt you owe one another is reciprocal love' (Rom 13:8) into practice lives undoubtedly like God, that is, as a son or daughter of God".

Any further commentary on this is superflous. In his little work, St. Bernard was elaborating upon a theme he had written about in a letter to "the holy Cartusian brothers".

Nine hundred years later, a woman theologian and mystic, Chiara Lubich, independently of St. Bernard, is reproposing this universal law of social co-existence. She is proposing it for everyone, not just for those in monasteries, as the only way to create a new humanity. She is not presenting it as a utopic dream, but rather as an experience of the Gospel "with all its repercussions on our human, earthly and social existence" (cf. p. 3).

One can also speak therefore, as the articles contained in this number do, of the Trinity as the model for the family and for society, and tell concrete experiences which show how it is possible to incarnate the trinitarian paradigm in every social environment, not only on an interpersonal level but also on a structural one.

Collective (communitarian or trinitarian) spirituality: new social co-existence.