Vatican City - This morning, Monday, 23 February 2026, the second day of the Spiritual Exercises for the Roman Curia took place. At 9 a.m., in the evocative setting of the Pauline Chapel, the Holy Father Leo XIV, together with the Cardinals and Heads of Dicasteries, prayed the Middle Hour before listening to the meditation led by Bishop Erik Varden, O.C.S.O.
The retreat, which follows the general theme "Illumined by a Hidden Glory", today centred its reflection on the figure of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, with a meditation entitled "Saint Bernard the Idealist".
A mercurial nature between innovation and reform
Bishop Varden began the reflection by outlining the historical context in which the saint operated, immediately clarifying a common misconception: although many consider Bernard to be the founder of the Cistercian Order, he arrived at Cîteaux in 1113, when the monastery had already been founded. However, his arrival caused "quite a stir".
The preacher emphasised how the Cistercian experience was a remarkable intertwining of innovation and reform. It was not a reactionary project destined to come to nothing, but a dialectical novelty. In this context, Bernard emerges as a complex figure. His confidence in his own judgement sometimes made him rigid in his defence of the Church, entailing "a fierce partisan spirit", but Varden was keen to point out that the saint "was not, however, a hypocrite".
On the contrary, Bernard was "genuinely humble, dedicated to God, capable of tender kindness, a faithful friend, able to become friends with former enemies".
The comparison with Thomas Merton
In a particularly evocative passage, Bishop Varden drew a parallel between Bernard's personality and that of the 20th-century Trappist monk, Thomas Merton. Quoting Dom James Fox, abbot of Gethsemani, who described Merton's mind as "electric", the preacher observed: "It would be foolish to compare Thomas Merton to Bernard of Clairvaux, yet there is a certain similarity of character. Bernard did not know electricity, but his was also a mercurial nature that had to balance enormous tensions".
The exodus from self-centredness
The spiritual heart of the meditation concerned the saint's path of conversion. And it is for this reason that the monk chose to present it to the Curia and the Pope. According to Varden, Bernard's theology was born not only from study, but from "personal struggle". The saint had to learn, through the wounds and challenges of life, to question his own presumption and "not to take for granted that his way is always the right one". This lesson makes Bernard an ideal travelling companion for the season of Lent. His experience invites every believer, and particularly those with responsibilities in the Church, to undertake a "Lenten exodus from self-centredness and pride", to pursue the truth of oneself by keeping "one's eyes fixed on the all-illuminating love of God".
The afternoon's programme
After the meditation, Pope Leo XIV and the members of the Curia withdrew to cherish the preacher's words in their hearts and to allow themselves to be challenged by these points for reflection. The Spiritual Exercises will continue this afternoon. At 5 p.m., a second meditation is scheduled on the theme "God's Help", which will be followed by a period of Eucharistic Adoration and the praying of Vespers.
Fr.F.V.
Silere non possum