Blessed Geurric of Igny and the Soul's Joy

The Abbey of Igny. (Source.)

Tomorrow is the memorial of Blessed Geurric of Igny, scholar, abbot, and mystic of joy. Sometimes you have an instant affinity for an author and I had such an experience with Geurric when I first read him during my time as a monk.

Geurric was born at Tournai in Belgium and educated there. He was already a mature scholar when he came under the influence of St. Bernard and became a monk of Clairvaux. He later became Abbot of Igny near Rheims and is one of that great group of Cistercian mystics and fellow travelers who made the 12th Century to become known as the Cistercian Century. Saints Bernard, Aelred, Hildegard, and Gertrude tend to be far better known than many of the Order's other mystics, but a quote or two from Geurric might show a bit of what depth there is to be found in any number of writers and teachers of the period.

In his second sermon for Advent, Geurric speaks beautifully of Christ's visits to the soul that desires him:

Since then the first coming brought grace and the last will bring glory, this one indeed partakes both of grace and of glory; for in it, through the consolation of grace, we are given a foretaste of future glory. In the first the God of majesty is seen as one despised, in the last he will be seen in awe0inspiring might. In this one he is wonderful and lovable: the lustre of grace that renders him lovable demands admiration, not disdain; the splendor of glory that makes him wonderful brings consolation not fear....