St. Bernard’s feast is tomorrow, so this is your head’s up on cooking for the day.

Bernard is the patron of bees, beekeepers, and candlemakers (a pretty big deal when he lived almost 1000 years ago in the days of no electricity or refined sugar), and this is an easy connection for celebration food.  There are so many options for using honey in recipes: baklava, honey pound cake, honey dijon sauce on your grilled chicken … even simply serving peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch will make the connection.  (Extra points for lighting a candle while you eat!)

There’s a lot more to Saint Bernard than a delicious snack opportunity though.

Bernard came from a very holy family and founded a monastery which soon attracted over 700 other monks.  He wrote extensively, and was an adviser to a pope.  He fought heresy, helped heal a split in the Church, and was eventually named a Doctor of the Church; a title given to only 35 men and women in the whole history of Catholicism!  It’s said that his first thought upon waking up each morning was “Why have I come here?” and his second was a reminder that he was there to live a holy life; a good daily thought for each of us!

Saint Bernard is also the author of the Memorarae, a really nice way to start your family’s prayer time tomorrow.

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.