St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), the author of the ‘Memorare’, had an incredible gift for speaking and thereby bringing souls to God. He was on fire for both Love of God and neighbor. He labored so diligently for the salvation of his brethren and exhorted them to give up their lives of sin. Better than that, he made possible for them a way to escape the distractions and lies of the world. Whenever he spoke, he touched the hearts of men so deeply that many of them would leave their normal lives and join a monastery. He was so well known in fact, for this marvelous talent that, whenever he visited a town, the abbots would order more habit material for vocations, and all the women would try to keep their husbands, brothers or sons from even listening to him preach, for fear they would leave their current lives for a higher one.
As one would reasonably expect, the first to follow St. Bernard’s example were his own brothers. They soon shared his holy desires and resolved, with him, to leave the world behind. As the five brothers were leaving their earthly father’s grand estate - only to inherit the illustrious one of their father in Heaven - Guido, the eldest, embraced his youngest brother, Nivard, to prepare him for their goodbye.
“Dost thou see this castle and these lands?” Guido said gently “All will be thine—thine alone.”
His little brother was not impressed with this apparent generosity. Although his brothers possessed years of age that young Nivard did not, he shared their wisdom. Knowing himself to be too young to leave, Nivard looked Guido right in the face and said:
“Are you going to take Heaven for yourselves and leave the earth for me? It is not fair.”
But little Nivard was not left the earth, which passes away. When he became of age, he followed his brothers into an inheritance which lasts for eternity.