Watching One's Step

Quid est quod ait Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei.? Nunquid offensione lapidum monet custodiri pedem, quando ingredimur domum Dei, id est ecclesiam Dei? Quamvis semper honeste et cum timore ac silentio debeamus ingredi domum Dei, tamen non pedem corporis docet custodiendum, sed pedem animae, id est ingressum corporis, ut in conspectu Dei mundas preces effundamus. Et est sensus: Quando ingrederis domum Dei, videlicet ecclesiam, custodi pedem tuum, id est, ingressum mentis tuae, ne offendas in cogitationibus malis, ut oratio tua pura dirigitur ad Deum. Honorius Augustodunensis, Quaestiones Et Ad Easdem Responsiones In Duos Salomonis Libros, In Ecclesiasten, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 172.340b-c

Why is it he says, 'Watch your step when you enter the house of God'? 2 Does he warn us to keep our step from the stone of offence, 2 when we enter the house of God, which is the Church of God? Although we should always enter into the house of God uprightly and with fear and in silence, however he does not teach us here to watch the step of the body, but of the soul, that is, that having entered in the body we may pour forth pure prayers to God. This is his meaning: when you enter the house of God, that is, the Church, watch your step, that is, with the entry of your mind, do not give offence with evil thoughts, so that you may direct your pure prayer to God. Honorius of Autun, Questions and Answers on Two Books of Solomon, On Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4 1 Eccl 4.17 2 Isaiah 8.14, Rom 9.33, 1 Pet 2.8

Fear And Offence

Verba eorum ne timeas, et vultus eorum ne formides, quia domus exasperans est. Ideo boni timendi sunt ne offendantur, ne forte per eos ille provocetur ad iram, qui eorum corda semper inhabitat. Nam, sicut superius dictum est, si malos offendimus, timere minime debemus, quoniam illis nostra actio displicet, quibus nec justitia creatoris placet. Quid ergo timendum est, si nobis ingrati sunt, qui Deo amabiles non sunt? Unde recte nunc dicitur: Verba eorum ne timeas, et vultus eorum ne formides, quia domus exasperans est. Ac si aperte diceretur: Timendi essent, nisi me in suis actibus exasperarent. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Primus, Homilia IX Source: Migne PL 76.881c

Do not fear their words and do not be dismayed by their faces, because theirs is a house that provokes. 1 That is, the good are fearful lest they offend and lest perhaps they provoke the wrath of Him who is always dwelling in their hearts. For as we have said previously, we should not fear if we offend the wicked, since what we do displeases those who are not pleased with the righteousness of the Creator. Why, then, should there be fear if we are not liked by those who are not loveable before God? Whence rightly it is said: 'Do not fear their words, and do not be dismayed by their faces, because theirs is a house that provokes.' As if it were plainly said: 'Rather let them fear lest they provoke me with their behaviour.' Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 1, from Homily 9 1 Ezek 2.6

Appearances Corrected

Εἰ καὶ κρύπτεις τὸ ἤττημα, ἀλλὰ φαίνῃ φυσώμενος πέρα καὶ τοῦ γένους, καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος, καὶ τῆς ἀξίας σου φρυαττόμενος. Ἢ τοίνυν σύμμετρον σαυτῷ κτῆσαι φρόνημα, ἢ ἴσθι παρὰ πάντων γελώμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΙΒ’ Ἄμμονιῳ Source: Migne PG 78.188a

Even if you hide what is worst, yet you appear puffed up because of your lineage and your strength and your lofty arrogance. Either, then, have a mind that is appropriate to yourself, or be ridiculous to everyone. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 12 To Ammonius 1 Levit 23.3

A Dangerous Way

Ὁ μὴ γινώσκων τὰ κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀμφίκρημνον ὀδὸν κατὰ νοῦν διαβαίνει, καὶ ὑπὸ παντὸς ἀνέμου ῥᾳδαίως ἀνατρέπεται· ἐπαινούμενος γαυριᾷ καὶ ψεγόμενος ἐρεθίζεται, εὐωχούμενος ἀσελγαίνει, καὶ κακοπαθῶν ἀποδύρεται, συνιὼν φανητιᾷ, καὶ μὴ νοῶν σχηματίζεται, πλουτῶν ἀλαζονεύεται, καὶ πτωχεύων ὑποκρίνεται, κορεσθεὶς θρασύνεται, καὶ νηστεύων κενοδοξεῖ, τοῖς ἐλέγχουσι φιλονεικεῖ, καὶ τοῖς συγγνώμην αὐτῷ ἀπονέμουσιν ὡς ἀνοήτοις ἐφυβρίζει. Ἐὰν μήτε οὖν κατὰ χάρι Χριστοῦ γνῶσιν ἀληθείας καὶ φόβον Θεοῦ αἰτήσηται, οὐ μόνον ἐκ τών παθῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν συμβάσεων δεινῶς τραυματίζεται. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65.957d

He who does not know the judgements of God walks on a perilous way of the mind, and he is easily shaken by any wind. If he is praised he becomes boastful, if he is reproved he is angered. He is raucous at a feast, and lustful when drinking. If he is afflicted with evils he laments. If he understands something he parades it about, and if he does not understand he pretends that he does. Becoming wealthy, he becomes proud, and being poor he feigns that he is rich. When he is well supplied he is overbearing, and when he fasts he is vainglorious. Just like a fool he considers it an insult when others forgive him. Thus if it is not according to the grace of Christ and in the fear of God that one seeks knowledge of the truth, it is not only grave things that deeply wound one but even trivial things. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works

The Mustard Seed And Other Seeds

Simile est regnum coelorum grano sinapis etc. Regnum coelorum praesens Ecclesia dicitur, quae diversis figuris, non secundum se totam, sed secundum aliquam partem sui comparatur. Hic autem grano sinapis secundum fidem assimilatur, quod homo, id est Christus seminavit in agro, id est in cordibus credentium, quod minimum est omnibus seminibus. Fides enim nostra vilior omnibus doctrinis philosophicis videtur. Quid enim stultius sapientibus hujus mundi aestimabatur, quam in occisum et sepultum credere, visibilia contemnere, et invisibilibus iuhiare? Caetera autem semina, scilicet libri philosophorum excellere videntur, quia de maximarum rerum agunt subtilitate, et ornati sunt rhetorica compositione. Sed, ut ait Apostolus, quod infirmum est Dei, fortius est hominibus, ideo cum crescit in mente recipientis, et in toto mundo exaltatur, major apparet omnibus oleribus, et fit arbor, ita ut, etc. Scientiae philosophicae enim sunt olera, sed ad nullius utilitatis robur perveniunt. et ideo facile ex vanitate sua arescunt. Rami vero hujus arboris sunt partes fidei multiplices, in quibus habitant volucres coeli, id est animae fidelium delectantur et pascuntur, quae pennis virtutum ad coelestia volant. Unde dictum est: Quis dabit mihi pennas sicut columbae, et volabo, et requiescam? Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput XIII Source: Migne PL 162.1374d-1375b

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed... 1 He speaks of the present Church by the use of different figures, for not in its totality but according to its different parts it has its comparisons. Here, then, the mustard seed is likened to faith, which a man, that is, Christ, sowed in a field, that is, in the hearts of the believers, and it is the smallest of all the seeds. Indeed our faith seems to be more valueless than all the teachings of the philosophers. What shall be judged more foolish by the wise of this world than to have belief in a man who was killed and buried, and to scorn visible things and to desire things unseen? And there are other seeds, that is, the books of the philosophers which seem to be excellent because they treat subtly of the greatest things and they are composed in an admirable style, but as the Apostle says, the weakness of God is stronger than men 2 therefore when our seed grows in the mind that receives it, it rises up amid the whole world, and it appears greater than all other herbs, and indeed is like a tree. The teachings of the philosophers are the other herbs, but the strength of their usefulness comes to nothing, and therefore on account of their vanity they wither away. But the branches of our tree are the many parts of the faith which with the wings of virtue fly off to heavenly things. Whence it has been said, 'Who shall give to me the wings of a dove, that I might fly away and be at peace?' 3 Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 6 1 Mt 13.31-32 2 1 Cor 1.25 3 Ps 54.7

Advancing In Wisdom

Νόμιζε μοι τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν μητέρα τινὰ εἶναι, καὶ νῦν μὲν τῷ νηπίῳ τὸν μαστὸν ἐπιδιδοῦσαν, καὶ βοῶσαν, Καλὸν, καλον, τοῦτό γε, εἶθ' ὕστερον πρὸς τὴν στερεὰν τροφὴν τὸν παῖδα ἐλαύνουσαν, καὶ χολῇ τὸν μαστὸν περιχρίουσαν, καὶ κράζουσαν συνεχῶς, Σαπρὸν, σαπρὸν τοῦτό γε. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΚϚ, Βενιαμιν Ἑβραιῳ Source: Migne PG 79.137a

Think, as I do, that the wisdom of God is something like a mother, who now gives her breast to the infant, saying, 'Good, this is good,' and later, so that the growing boy may take to solid food, she smears a bitter herb on the breast, and says to him, 'Bad, this is bad.' 1 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 126, To Benjamin the Hebrew 1 cf 1 Cor 3.1-2

Prayer And Vanity

Σὺ δὲ ὅταν προσεύχῃ, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμεῖόν σου καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου πρόσευξαι τῷ Πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ: καὶ ὁ Πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι. Τί οὖν; ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ μή προσεύξωμαι; Καὶ πάνυ· ἀλλὰ μετὰ γνώμης ὀρθῆς, καὶ ὥστε μὴ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι, ἐπεὶ ὁ τόπος οὐ βλάπτει, ἀλλ' ὁ τρόπος καὶ ὁ σκοπός. Πολλοὶ γοῦν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ εὐχόμενοι, πρὸς ἀνθρωπαρεσκίαν τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 123.204b

And you, when you pray, go into your inner room and close the door and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 1 What then? Shall I not pray in church? Certainly, but with an upright soul, and without ostentation. The harm is not in the place, but in the manner and the intention. Many pray unseen, yet do so to please men. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 6 1 Mt 6.6

Knowledge, Sorrow, And Improvement

Scientia autem ista in primo gradu operatur poenitudinem et dolorem, ut risum in luctum, cantum in planctum, gaudium in moerorem convertat, et incipiant tibi displicere quae vehementer ante placuerant; et illa specialiter horreas quae specialiter appetebas. Sic enim scriptum est, Quia qui addit scientiam, addit et dolorem, ut veracis et sanctae scientiae sit dolor subsequens argumentum. In secundo vero gradu operatur correctionem, ut jam non exhibeas membra tua arma iniquitatis peccato, sed coerceas gulam, jugules luxuriam, superbiam deprimas, et facias servire corpus sanctitati, quod iniquitati ante servierat. Poenitudo enim sine correctione non proderit, sicut Sapiens ait: Unus aedificans, et unus destruens quid prodest eis nisi labor? Unus orans, et unus maledicens; cujus vocem exaudiet Deus? Qui enim baptizatur a mortuo, et iterum tangit eum, nihil proficit lavatio ejus, sed, juxta Salvatoris sententiam, verendum est ne ei aliquid deterius contingat. Sed quia haec diutius haberi non possunt, nisi circa se multa circumspectione mens indefessa vigilet et attendat; in tertio gradu operatur sollicitudinem, ut jam sollicitus incipiat ambulare cum Deo suo, et ex omni parte scrutetur, ne vel in levissima re tremendae illius majestatis offendat aspectus. In poenitudine accenditur, in correctione ardet, in sollicitudine lucet, ut interius et exterius renovetur. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De Tempore, In Vigilia Nativitatis Domini, Sermo II Source: Migne PL 183.96b-d

But for its first step such knowledge brings forth penance and sorrow, so that laughter becomes sorrow, singing becomes groaning, and joy is turned into grief, and what very much pleased you previously begins to displease you, and that which was especially desired becomes particularly horrid. For so it is written, 'He who adds to knowledge, adds to sorrow,' 1 and thus the consequent sorrow is the proof of true and holy knowledge. Now in the second step correction is performed, so that you no longer exhibit your members as arms of iniquity for sin, but you grasp the throat, throttling luxury and choking off pride, in order to make your body a servant of sanctity, that which before had served wickedness. For penance without correction does not profit, as Wisdom says, 'One man builds up, another casts down, and what is the gain for them but the toil of it? One prays and another curses, whose voice does the Lord hear? For he who is washed after touching a corpse, and again he touches it, his washing profits not at all.' 2 And according to understanding of the Lord, one must fear lest something worse befall. 3 But because men shall not able to hold to these things for a long time unless the mind shall be unwearyingly circumspect in watchfulness and attention, so the third step is the work of concern, in which with great care a man begins to walk with His God, for every part must be scrutinised, unless even something which is most light offend the sight of His wondrous majesty. In penance a man is kindled, in correction he catches flame, in concern he gives light, so that the interior and exterior is renewed. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons For The Year, On the Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord, from Sermon 2 1 Eccl 1.18 2 Sirach 34. 23-25 3 Jn 5.14

The Lamp And Good Deeds

Lucerna corporis tui est oculus tuus. Si oculus tuus fuerit simplex, totum corpus tuum lucidum erit. Si autem oculus tuus fuerit nequam, totum corpus tuum tenebrosum erit. Si ergo lumen, quod in te est, tenebræ sunt: ipsae tenebræ quantae erunt? Lucerna, etc. Superius insinuavit, quod nulla bona mala intentione debent fieri, et hoc in proximo ubi dixit: Ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est cor tuum. Quod ita probatur. Ideo pura intentione omnia debetis facere, quia oculus tuus, id est, bona intentio, est lucerna, id est illuminatio corporis tui, id est congeriei bonarum actionum. Si enim oculus tuus, etc. Determinat quomodo oculus est lucerna, scilicet si simplex est intentio, id est pura, non duplex, id est partim propter temporalia, partim propter coelestia, totum corpus lucidum est, id est, tota actio erit bona. Non tamen intelligendum est de malis, si bona intentione fiant, quod, ideo bona sint. Nullum enim per se malum bonum potest esse, etiamsi bona intentione fiat. Furtum enim facere, ut darem pauperibus, non esset bonum. Sed quaedam sunt quae indifferentia existunt, quae possunt flecti ad bona per intentionem, et ad mala. Sicut levare lapidem ut ponam in aedificio templi, et levare lapidem ut feriam hominem, et si dum bonum facio bona intentione, malum tamen inde contingat alicui, non est imputandum mihi pro peccato, sicut si dum levo lapidem in aedificium ecclesiae, lapis super hominem caderet et eum interficeret. Sed bona, si mala intentione fiant, mala sunt: sicut si jejuno propter laudem. Unde sequitur. Si oculus, id est, intentio, est nequam, id est, prava, et totum corpus, id est, tota actio est mala. Si ergo, etc. Et quandoquidem propter malam intentionem bona fiunt mala, ergo mala, per se facta mala intentione quanta erunt? Et hoc est: Ergo si lumen, id est intentio quae debet esse lumen operum, quod in te est, id est, in tua manu, tenebrae sunt, id est, prava et mala per se mala intentione facta, tenebrae quantae erunt, postquam malae intentioni unitae erunt? Vel aliter: Lumen est intentio dicta, quia nota est illi qui intendit. Exitus vero rei, quia incertus est, tenebrae dicitur. Ille enim qui intendit, licet cognoscat quid intendat, nescit tamen quid de facto eveniat, sive bonum sive malum. Ut cum alicui aliquid do vel ago, nescio utrum bono cedat illi an malo. Dicit ergo: Si intentio qua facis quae tibi nota est, appetitu temporalium sordidatur, quanto magis ipsum factum, cujus exitus dubius est? Quod etsi bene cedat alicui, quod non bona intentione facis, nihil tibi prodest, quia quomodo feceris tibi imputatur, non quomodo illi evenit. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput VI Source: Migne PL 162.1311a-1311d

The eye is the lamp of the whole body. If your eye is clear, the whole of your body will be lit up. But if your eye is wicked, your whole body will be in darkness. If, therefore, the light which is in you is darkness, how great shall the darkness be? 1 'The lamp...' Previously He has said that no good should be done with evil intent, 2 and just before this passage He said, 'Where is your treasure, there is your heart.' 3 Which thus is demonstrated. Therefore you should do everything with pure intent, because your eye, that is, your intent, is the lamp, that is, the illumination of your body, that is, for the acquirement of good acts. 'If your eye...' He determines how the eye is a lamp, that is, if it is simple in intent, pure, not twofold, that is, if it does not have a part for temporal things, and a part for heavenly things, then the whole body is light, that is, all action will be good. Regarding evil it must not be thought that if things are done with good intent, that therefore they are good. For no evil can be good even if it is done with good intent. To become a thief so that you may give to the poor is not a good. But those things which are indifferent, these may be turned to good by intention, or to evil. Just as I may lift up a stone and place it in the building of a temple, and then lift up a stone to cast it at a man. And if I do good with good intent, but evil touches it, sin must not be imputed to me, just as if I were to raise up a stone for the building of a church, but the stone falls on a man and kills him. Yet if goods are done with evil intent they are evils, as if I fast for the sake of praise. Whence it follows, 'If your eye,' that is your intent, 'is wicked,' that is, depraved, 'the whole body', that is the total action, is evil. 'If, therefore...' And whenever on account of evil intent we make goods evil, then how greater are the evils which are done with evil intent? And this is: 'Therefore if the light,' that is your intent, which should be the light of works, 'which is in you,' that is, in your hand, 'is darkness,' that is, depraved and evil, made so by evil intent, 'how great shall the darkness be?' after, when it is united with the evil intent? Or otherwise, the light is spoken for intent because it is known to him who intends, but the outcome of the thing, because it is uncertain, is called darkness. For to him who intends it is possible to know what he intends, however he does not know how the matter will fall out, whether it will be good or bad. Then when I give something to someone or do something to someone, I do not know whether it will turn out good or bad for him. Therefore, He says, if the intention by which you act, which is known to you, is defiled with temporal desire, how much more what is done, of which the outcome is doubtful? Because even if it falls out well for someone, because you did not act with good intent, it profits you not at all, because how you acted is imputed to you, not how things turned out. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 6 1 Mt 6.22 2 Mt 6.1-18 3 Mt 6.21

Judgement And Joseph

Joseph autem vir ejus esset justus, et nollet eam traducere, voluit occulte dimittere eam. Bene justus, quoniam justitiae custos erat, videbat namque sponsam concepisse suam, quam noverat a nullo viro fuisse attactam; videbat gravidam, quam vere noverat castam, et quia legerat in propheta de radice Jesse exiet virga, et flos de radice ejus ascendet, et noverat beatam Mariam originem duxisse de stirpe David, qui fuit filius Jesse, legeratque etiam: Ecce Virgo in utreo concipiet, et pariet filium, idcirco non discredebat, vel diffidebat hanc prophetiam esse implendam in ea, et cum esset justus, et omnia juste vellet agere, dignum existimavit ut haec nulli proderet, et tamen eam non acciperet uxorem, sed, mutato proposito nuptiarum, dimitteret eam, ut maneret sponsa sicuti fuerat. Et hoc est quod dicit evangelista, et nollet eam traducere, id est palam facere, sed occulte voluit dimittere, id est tempus nuptiarum mutare; quod si fecisset, perpauci essent qui non magis autumarent eam meretricem quam virginem, et idcirco repente consilium Joseph divino mutatum est consilio, nam haec eo cogitante, ecce angelus Domini in somnis apparuit ei. Justo Joseph, juste omnia cogitanti, et disponenti bene justus directus est nuntius, qui ad conservandam Virginis famam monuit ut eam acciperet uxorem. Hinc beatissimus Ambrosius ait: Maluit Dominus quosdam de suo ortu, quam de matris pudore dubitate; maluit aliquos modum suae conceptionis ignorare, quam castitatem suae Genitricis infamare; hoc est magis elegit ut filius fabri diceretur, quam ut ejus mater adultera vocaretur. Per hoc vero quod angelus in somnis apparuit Jospeh, requies designatur mentis, et quia requiescebat a curis saecularibus, idcirco angelica visitatione pariter et locutione meruit perfrui. Remigius Antissiodorensis, Homilia IV Source: Migne PL 131.887a-d

Joseph, her man, was righteous, and unwilling to disgrace her, he wished to send her away quietly... 1 Certainly he was a righteous man, because he was a guardian of righteousness, for he saw his betrothed had conceived, whom he knew no man had touched, he saw her pregnant whom he truly knew to be chaste, and because he had read in the prophet, 'From the root of Jesse shall come forth a shoot, and a flower from the root shall rise up,' 2 and he knew the blessed Mary's lineage to be of the seed of David, who was the son of Jesse, and he had also read, 'Behold a virgin shall conceive in her womb and she shall give birth to a son,' 3 therefore he did not disbelieve or doubt that this prophecy had been fulfilled in her, and since he was righteous and wished to do everything justly, he judged it best that he would not give her over to disgrace. Yet he did not receive her as his wife, but changing the intention of marriage, he wished to send her way, so that she would remain betrothed just as she was. And this is what the Evangelist says, 'And unwilling to disgrace her,' that is, to do so publicly, 'he wished to send her away quietly,' that is to postpone the time of marriage, which if he had done, there would have been few who would not have deemed here a harlot rather than a virgin, and therefore suddenly the plan of Joseph was altered by the Divine plan, for as he was thinking on this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. To the righteous Joseph, who thinking of all things rightly, and well disposed, was yet directed by a messenger, who admonished him to preserve the reputation of the Virgin by taking her as his wife. Hence the most blessed Ambrose says that the Lord preferred that some should doubt the mother's birth than her modesty, and to be ignorant of her conception than question the mother's chastity, that is, He chose that He should be called the son of a carpenter than his mother be called an adulteress. And then through this, that an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph, the mind's rest is indicated, even that because it rested for worldly cares it thus merited the enjoyment of an angelic visitation together with its speech. Remigius of Auxerre, from Homily 4 1 Mt 1.19 2 Isaiah 11.1 3 Isaiah 7.14

The Shadowing Of Mary

Et respondens angelus, dixit ei: Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi. Non virili, inquit, quod non cognoscis, semine, sed Spiritus sancti quo impleris, opere concipies, Erit in te conceptio, libido non erit. Concupiscentiae non erit aestus, ubi umbram faciet Spiritus sanctus. Verum in eo quod ait, Et virtus Altissimi obumbravit tibi, potest etiam incarnati Salvatoris utraque natura designari. Umbra quippe a lumine solet et corpore formari. Et cui obumbratur, lumine quidem vel calore solis quantum sufficit reficitur, sed ipse solis ardor, ne ferri nequeat, interposita vel nubecula levi, vel quolibet alio corpore temperatur. Beatae itaque Virgini, quia quasi pura homo omnem plenitudinem divinitatis corporaliter capere nequibat, virtus Altissimi obumbravit, id est, incorporea lux divinitatis corpus in ea susceptit humanitatis. Sanctus Beda,In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, Liber Primus Source: Migne PL 92.318d-319a

And the angel answered her, saying, 'The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you.' 1 You shall not conceive by man's seed, which you do not know, but by the Holy Spirit, by whom you shall be filled. There shall be in you a conception without lust. When the Holy Spirit brings shade there shall be no heat of concupiscence. Truly in this which is said, 'And the power of the Most High will cover you,' it is indeed possible to distinguish the incarnation of the Saviour in both natures. Certainly a shadow is accustomed to be formed by the sun and a body. And the one who is shadowed from the light or the heat of the sun is refreshed in as much as shade is provided, and so against that blaze of the sun, lest it not be able to be borne, there is interposed a light cloud, or some other body, which tempers it. Therefore the power of the Most High shadowed the blessed Virgin, because even a pure human cannot corporeally contain the whole plenitude of Divinity, that is, the incorporeal light of Divinity that was taking up a human body in her. Saint Bede, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 1 1 Lk 1.35

A Troubling Word

...turbata est in sermone ejus.. Ecce causa turbationis. Turbatur enim in sermone, non de sermone : quia ea quae sermo dixit, ipsa in oratione petivit. Sed quia in sermone, sermonem ad eam tam humilem convertit, ideo turbata est. Fuit enim sermo terribilis in auditu, profundus in sensu, et admirabilis in dictis. Locutio enim Angeli ad Moysen terribilis fuit: quod dicit Apostolus, ad Hebr. Ita terribile erat quod videbatur, quod ipse Moyses qui primus inter homines fuit, dicit: Exterritus sum, ettremebundus. Et ideo dicitur in Psalmo lxxvi: Vox tonitrui tui, Deus, in rota, hoc est, sonus terribilis Angeli in Galilaea. Job, XXVI: Cum vix parvam stillam sermonis ejus audierimus, quis poterit tonitruum magnitudinis illius intueri? Propter quod etiam dicitur, Joan. XII, cum blande de clarificatione Pater loqueretur ad Filium, turbae adstantes existimabant tonitruum factum esse. Et similiter, Act. IX, cum de caelo Christus loqueretur Paulo, ipse Paulus corruit: et caeteri qui comitabantur cum eo stabant stupefacti. Ista autem Virgo omnibus constantior et fortior non cecidit, nec confusionem passa est: sed in sermone humanum et puellare aliquid passa, est turbata. Sanctus Albertus Magnus Commentarium In Evangelium Lucam, Caput I Source: Here p68

...she was troubled at his word... 1 Observe the cause of her trouble. She is troubled at the word not about the word, for what that word said she had sought in prayer. But because it is 'at his word,' it turns on the word that was addressed to her so humbly, because of which she was troubled. For the word was wondrous to hear, profound in meaning, admirable in telling. The word of the angel to Moses was wondrous, whence the Apostle says in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews: 'Thus it was wondrous what he saw, because Moses who was the best among men said, 'I am terrified, and I am shaking.' 2 And therefore in the seventy sixth Psalm: 'The voice of your thunder, O God, in your circuit,' 3 that is, the wondrous sound of the angel in Galilee. In the twenty sixth chapter of Job, 'When we will scarcely hear the slight dew of His word, who shall be able to endure the great magnitude of His thunder?' 4 On account of which it is said in the twelfth chapter of John that when the Father spoke to the Son softly for clarification, the crowd standing nearby reckoned it had thundered. 5 And similarly in the ninth chapter of Acts when Christ speaks to Paul from heaven, Paul collapses, and the others who were with him stand by stupefied. 6 But the Virgin, more constant and stronger than all these, did not fall, nor did she suffer confusion, but because the speech was delivered in such a kindly fashion and in a way befitting a girl, she was troubled. Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Luke, Chapter 1 1 Lk 1.29 2 Heb 12.21 3 Ps 76.19 4 Job 26.14 5 Jn 12.29 6 Acts 9.3-7

The Words Of The Wise

Quare verba sapientium stimulis et clavis assimilantur? Sic enim dicit Salomon: Verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi? Aptissime verba sapientium, stimuis et clavis comparantur, qui peccatorum culpas nesciunt palpare, sed pungere. Qui enim sunt veraciter sapients, eorum procul dubio verba clavi sunt et stimuli, qui peccatores non blandimentis fovent, sed aspera increpatione redarguut, et secretas eorum conscientias quasi pungendo, ad lamenta et ad laborem excitant ut corrigantur. Honorius Augustodunensis, Quaestiones Et Ad Easdem Responsiones In Duos Salomonis Libros, In Ecclesiasten, Caput XII Source: Migne PL 172.345b-c

Why are the words of the wise compared to nails and goads, so that Solomon says, 'The words of the wise are like goads, and as nails hammered deeply within.'? 1 Most aptly are the words of the wise compared to goads and nails because they do not know how to indulge the faults of sinners, but they strike them. Without doubt the words of those who are truly wise are nails and goads, since they do not delight sinners with pleasant speech, but bitterly dispute with them, and as if striking the secrets of their conscience, they drive them to laments and toil so that they might improve themselves. Honorius of Autun, Questions and Answers on Two Books of Solomon, On Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12 1 Eccl 12.11

Truth And Reward

Ἔστιν ὁ ἀλήθειαν λέγων καὶ ὑπὸ ἀφρόνων μισούμενος, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον· καὶ ἔστιν ὁ ὑποκρινόμενος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀγαπώμενος. Ὅμως οὐδέτερον τῶν ἀνταποδόσεων τούτων πολυχρόνιον γίνεται, διότι ὁ Κύριος, ἐν ἰδίῳ καιρῷ, ἐκάστῳ τὸ δέον ἀνταποδίδωσιν. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65.957b

He who speaks the truth shall have the hatred of the mindless, according to the Apostle, 1 and he who lies shall be loved because of that. But neither of these rewards last for a long time, rather it is the Lord who to each in his own time shall give the fitting reward. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works 1 Jn 8.40

Mourning And Comfort

Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Οἱ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι πενθοῦντες, οὐχὶ ἐπὶ τινι τῶν βιωτικῶν· πενθοῦντες δὲ εἴπε, τουτέστιν, ἀεὶ καὶ οὐχ ἅπαξ· καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτημάτων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοῦ πλησίον. Παρακληθήσονται δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα· ὁ γὰρ πενθῶν δι' ἁμαρτίαν, χαίρει πνευματικῶς· καὶ ἐκεῖ δὲ πολλῳ μᾶλλον. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ E' Source: Migne PG 123.188b

Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 1 They who mourn sins, not temporal things. And He speaks of mourning here as something that is being done continually and not just once, and that this is not only for our own sins but even for the sins of our neighbours. And 'they shall be comforted' even here, for he who mourns on account of sin, he rejoices spiritually, and there shall much more. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.5