Vatican City – In the solemn quiet of the Pauline Chapel, under the majestic gaze of Michelangelo's frescoes depicting the Conversion of Saul and the Crucifixion of Saint Peter, the words of Bishop Erik Varden, Trappist monk and prelate, resounded. These days, Bishop Varden is leading the Lenten spiritual exercises, a journey of profound reflection and prayer involving Pope Leo XIV, the heads of the Roman Curia's dicasteries, and the cardinals residing in Rome. This spiritual path, which began last Sunday, will conclude tomorrow, Friday, 27 February 2026. Today’s schedule was marked by a rhythm of prayer and meditation, inviting participants to delve deeply into the divine mystery. At 9 a.m., the Midday Prayer opened the spiritual journey, followed by a meditation titled “The Angels of God.”
In the afternoon, at 5 p.m., the ninth meditation, titled “Saint Bernard the Realist,” took place, during which Bishop Varden addressed the Pope and those present with words of rare depth. The day concluded with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Vespers, and the Eucharistic Benediction, sealing an experience of communion and contemplation.
Saint Bernard: The Realism of Mercy
In his meditation, Bishop Varden painted a splendid portrait of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, an emblematic figure of Cistercian monasticism, highlighting his journey from youthful idealism to a mature realism, forged by experience and divine grace. “The psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan,” Varden recalled, “said that ‘the real is what we butt against.’ Bernard, in his efforts at Realpolitik, often encountered obstacles, but it was precisely in these collisions that he discovered the deeper reality: a cry imploring mercy.” The President of the Scandinavian Bishops emphasised how Bernard, in recognising this cry in human hearts, in worldly conflicts, and even in nature, found God’s glorious response in the name of Jesus, described as “fragrant, healing, and purifying oil.” Quoting the saint, Varden reminded the audience: “Every food of the soul is dry if it is not dipped in this oil; it is tasteless if it is not seasoned with this salt. Write what you will, I shall not relish it unless it tells of Jesus. Talk or argue about what you will, I shall not relish it if the name of Jesus does not resound.”
Bernard’s Spiritual Maturity
Bernard’s journey, Varden explained, led him to a profound understanding of the term affectus, which for the saint represented the movement of grace through the senses, making God perceptible in the incarnate reality. “Only when supernaturally illumined,” Varden said, “will our nature reveal its perfect form, its forma formosa; only then will the hidden glory within and around us shine in intense flashes.” This spiritual realism enabled Bernard to become not only a reformer but also a doctor and saint, capable of interpreting every situation in the light of Christ. “He was,” the Vita Prima tells us, “at freedom with himself.” Tomorrow, the final day of the spiritual exercises, will begin at 9 a.m. with the Midday Prayer, followed by a meditation titled “On Consideration.” In the afternoon, at 5 p.m., the last reflection, themed “Communicating Hope,” will take place, followed by Eucharistic Adoration and Vespers. This concluding meditation will mark the end of Pope Leo XIV’s spiritual journey, an experience that, as every year, renews the heart of the Church and its pastors, illuminating them with the light of divine mercy.
Fr.F.V.
Silere non possum