Sermons of St. Bernard on Advent and Christmas: Including the Famous Treatise Missus Est

INTRODUCTION 5 ADVENT 10 I. SERMON ON ITS SIX CIRCUMSTANCES 10 II. SERMON ON THE WORDS TO ACHAZ, “ASK THEE A SIGN,” ETC. 20 ON THE “MISSUS EST” 25 I. PRAISES OF THE VIRGIN-MOTHER 25 II. THE MISSION OF THE ANGEL 34 III. COLLOQUY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN AND THE ANGEL 46 IV. THE ANNUNCIATION, AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN’S CONSENT 57 ON THE VIGIL OF OUR LORD’S NATIVITY 68 I. ON THE JOY HIS BIRTH SHOULD INSPIRE 68 II. ON THE MIRACULOUS NATURE OF THE NATIVITY 74 III. ON THE DISPOSITIONS REQUIRED IN THOSE WHO CELEBRATE THE FEAST 81 ON OUR LORD’S NATIVITY 88 I. THE FOUNTAINS OF THE SAVIOUR 88 II. THE THREE COMMINGLINGS 95 III. ON THE PLACE, TIME, AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES 101 IV. ON THE SHEPHERDS FINDING OUR LORD 108 V. ON THE WORDS, “BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER,” ETC. 112 ON THE CIRCUMCISION 117 ON THE HOLY NAME 121 ON THE HOLY NAME AND OTHER SCRIPTURAL TITLES OF OUR LORD 121 ON THE EPIPHANY 127 I. ON “THE GOODNESS AND KINDNESS OF OUR SAVIOUR HATH APPEARED” 127 II. “GO FORTH, YE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM” 133 III. ON THE GIFTS OF THE WISE MEN 137