[Yet people] observe these days (Advent) out of stale routine, without devotion or emotion.
Further—and still worse—the remembrance of this condescension is turned into a pretext for the flesh. During those days you may see them preparing splendid clothes and special foods with utmost care—as if Christ at his birth would be seeking these and other such things and would be more worthily welcomed where they are more elaborately offered!
Listen to [Jesus] as he says, With someone who has a proud eye and a greedy heart I shall not eat. Why do you so ambitiously prepare clothes for my birthday? Far from embracing pride, I detest it. Why do you so assiduously store up quantities of food for this season? Far from accepting pleasures of the flesh, I condemn them. Clearly you are greedy of heart when you prepare so much and over so long a time, when far less would satisfy the body—and could more easily be found. As you celebrate my coming, you honor me with your lips, but your heart is far from me. You do not worship me, but your god is your belly and your glory is in your shame. Unhappy is the person who worships pleasure pf the body and A the emptiness of worldly glory; but happy the people whose God is the Lord.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
On the Lord’s Advent, Sermon 3, On the Seven Plillars
