The spiritual combat is the invisible but fundamental battle that every soul is destined to fight on its path to eternity. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, with his incomparable wisdom, describes this inner conflict as the noblest of all struggles, a war where the true enemy is neither man nor circumstances, but sin, disordered passions, and the snares of the devil. This battle is not fought on the fields of the world but in the human heart, and its ultimate goal is union with God.
With perfect structure and impressive clarity, Saint Bernard guides us through the essential steps to victory in this struggle, inviting us to know our miseries, to arm ourselves with humility, and to rely unceasingly on divine grace, the only truly effective aid in this combat.
1. Self-Knowledge: The First Act of Courage
Saint Bernard teaches that the first battlefield lies within the soul. Before facing external temptations, the Christian must know their own weaknesses. This act of self-knowledge opens the door to true combat, for whoever does not know their own vulnerabilities is defenseless. “The soul that does not know itself exposes itself to the enemy without arms” (Sermon on the Song of Songs), says Saint Bernard, noting that the first act of courage is to confront the painful truths about oneself.
This is the point where the soul begins to understand the gravity of its situation, and with this knowledge, prepares its spiritual weapons. As Saint Thomas Aquinas teaches in his Summa Theologica, the soul must have a clear understanding of the passions that assault it and know its inclinations to evil. Only then can it be ready to resist.
Saint Augustine, in his Confessions, describes his own journey of self-knowledge: “You were within me, but I was outside myself, and I sought You in external things… and it was only when I looked within myself that I found You.” This inward turn is the first step in the fight for holiness.
2. Humility: The Invincible Weapon
In his work De gradibus humilitatis et superbiae, Saint Bernard affirms that “humility is the mother of salvation and the shield against the arrows of pride.” For him, pride is the root of all sins, and only humility can disarm the soul of its dangerous illusions of self-sufficiency. Humility allows the soul to recognize that it cannot fight alone but needs the constant help of divine grace. Saint Francis de Sales reinforces this truth by stating, “Humility is the foundation upon which all other virtues are built. Without humility, there is no true virtue.”
Saint Bernard emphasizes that humility is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom. “The soul that humbles itself recognizes its place before God, and in doing so, opens itself to the fullness of His grace,” he says (Sermon 11 on the Song of Songs). Saint John of the Cross also highlights the importance of this virtue in the spiritual life: “To become everything, seek to become nothing.”
3. Prayer: The Indispensable Link with God
For Saint Bernard, prayer is the most powerful weapon in the spiritual battle. “The soul that prays is never alone on the battlefield; God Himself fights for it” (Sermon 61 on the Song of Songs). It is the way the soul connects with the source of all power: God Himself. Without a life of prayer, the Christian is disarmed and exposed to the enemy’s temptations.
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, a master of prayer, teaches: “He who prays is saved; he who does not pray is condemned.” This reflects the urgency Saint Bernard also emphasizes: prayer is the breath of the soul, the daily sustenance that allows the soul to stand firm against the attacks of the evil one.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, teaches that prayer is not only a refuge in times of temptation but also a tool of discernment. “Prayer makes the soul sensitive to the movements of the Holy Spirit and capable of resisting the deceptions of the enemy.” It is through this continuous dialogue with God that the soul gains strength and direction.
4. Combat Against the Passions: The Inner War
Saint Bernard reminds us that the spiritual struggle is fought primarily in the heart, where disordered passions attempt to drag the soul away from God. “The most dangerous enemy is not the one who comes from outside, but the one who dwells in the heart, disguised as legitimate desires” (Sermon 5 on the Song of Songs). Temptations do not only come from external sources; internal passions—pride, greed, lust, envy, anger—are constant enemies that must be overcome with discipline and virtue.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, following Saint Bernard’s line of thought, teaches that passions must be governed by reason, illuminated by grace. Saint Bernard calls us to be “masters of our passions, not slaves to them” (Sermon 46 on the Song of Songs), and this inner struggle is where the true freedom of the soul is fought.
Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort offers a powerful tool in this struggle: devotion to Mary. “The Virgin is most feared by the devil; whoever takes refuge in her will never be defeated.” Her intercession, says Saint Bernard, is “an impenetrable shield” in spiritual battle (Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin).
5. Absolute Dependence on Divine Grace
Saint Bernard is clear: no human effort, no matter how great, can win this battle without the help of divine grace. “Everything we do is weak and useless if it is not accompanied by the grace of God” (Sermon 84 on the Song of Songs). Grace is the essential element that transforms human weakness into strength. Saint Augustine, a great defender of the doctrine of grace, writes: “Without You, I can do nothing; with Your grace, all things are possible.”
Saint John of the Cross, in speaking of the “dark night of the soul,” describes the process by which grace completely purifies the soul, emptying it of all attachment and disordered desire, to fill it completely with God. “In the darkness of humility and total dependence, the soul is illuminated by the light of divine grace,” says Saint John.
6. The Help of Mary and the Saints: Companions in the Battle
Devotion to the Virgin Mary is central to Saint Bernard’s thought. “In dangers, in distress, in doubts, think of Mary, invoke Mary. Let her name never leave your lips, let it never leave your heart” (Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin). Mary is the refuge and defender of the soul in the midst of spiritual storms. Her intercession is a constant aid to those who struggle against sin.
Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort affirms: “Through Mary, the salvation of the world began, and through Mary, it must be completed.” Mary, according to Saint Bernard, is “the shortest and safest path to Christ” (Sermon 2 on the Assumption of Mary).
The saints, as fellow warriors in this battle, also serve as examples and helpers. Ludovico of Granada, in his Guide for Sinners, reminds us: “The saints, who have already triumphed, intercede for us, encouraging us not to abandon the fight.” Saint Bernard emphasizes that the saints “fought with the same weapons we do, and now offer us their intercession and their example” (Sermon 47 on the Song of Songs).
7. Perseverance: The Virtue of the Saints
Spiritual combat is not a one-day battle. It is a constant war that lasts a lifetime. Saint Bernard teaches that perseverance is the greatest sign of fidelity to God. “Only he who perseveres until the end will be crowned” (Sermon 67 on the Song of Songs). Saint Ignatius of Loyola also insists that the final victory does not belong to the strongest, but to the one who perseveres in grace, even in the most difficult moments.
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori assures us that “the true strength of the soul is revealed in its ability to resist, to rise after every fall, and to keep fighting until the end.” This perseverance, fueled by God’s grace, is the key to winning the spiritual combat. Saint Bernard tells us: “The soul that never stops trusting in God will never be defeated” (Sermon 18 on the Song of Songs).
Conclusion: The Path to Victory
The spiritual battle is not merely a matter of the soul’s survival but a burning pursuit of the greatest Love, the highest good, which is God. Every fall and every rising, every prayer whispered in the silence of the night, every act of humility, and every inner struggle are the invisible weapons that forge the soul on its path to eternity. As the saints and doctors have taught, this struggle is nothing less than an echo of Christ’s own Passion, a participation in His victory over sin and death.
Saint Bernard reminds us that this battle, though hidden from the world’s eyes, is the most glorious of all because in it, the soul is transformed, purified, and finally united to God. It is not human strength that wins this war, but total dependence on divine grace. Like the Virgin Mary, whose humility opened the gates of heaven, the soul that fully trusts in God and perseveres to the end will be crowned in glory.
This combat, though arduous and unrelenting, is an invitation to participate in the very life of God. It is not a battle without meaning but the only path to eternal peace. Each victory in this inner war brings us closer to the fullness of our being in God, and though the soul may bear many scars, they are the marks of a battle well fought and a life given in service to the Truth.
Bibliography:
• Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs.
• Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica.
• Saint Augustine of Hippo, Confessions, The City of God.
• Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises.
• Saint Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life.
• Saint John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul.
• Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ.
• Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
• Ludovico of Granada, Guide for Sinners.
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