State super vias et videte et interrogate de semitis antiquis quae sit via bona et ambulate in ea et invenietis refrigerium animabus vestris

31 Jan 2016

Words and the Serpent's Wisdom


Serpens autem erat ibi prudentissimus quidem, sed omnium bestiarum quae erant super terram, quas fecerat Dominus Deus.  
Translato enim verbo dictum est, prudentissimus, vel sicut plures latini codices habent, sapientissimus, non proprio quo in bonum accipi solet sapientia vel Dei, vel Angelorum, vel animae rationalis; tamquam si sapientes apes etiam formicasque dicamus, propter opera velut imitantia sapientiam. Quamquam iste serpens non irrationali anima sua, sed alieno iam spiritu, id est diabolico, possit sapientissimus dici omnium bestiarum. Quantumlibet enim praevaricatores angeli de supernis sedibus suae perversitatis et superbiae merito deiecti sint, natura tamen excellentiores sunt omnibus bestiis propter rationis eminentiam. Quid ergo mirum si suo instinctu diabolus iam implens serpentem, eique spiritum suum miscens, eo more quo vates daemoniorum impleri solent, sapientissimum eum reddiderat omnium bestiarum secundum animam vivam irrationalemque viventium? Abusione quippe nominis ita sapientia dicitur in malo, quemadmodum in bono astutia; cum proprie magisque usitate in latina duntaxat lingua sapientes laudabiliter appellentur, astuti autem male cordati intellegantur. Unde nonnulli, sicut in plerisque codicibus invenimus, ad usum latinae locutionis, non verbum, sed potius sententiam transferentes, astutiorem omnibus bestiis istum serpentem, quam sapientiorem dicere maluerunt

Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, The Literal Interpretation of Genesis

'The serpent was the most wise of all the creatures that were upon the earth which God had made.'1

The word translated wise, or as many Latin books have it, most wise, should not be understood in the good sense of the wisdom of God or angels or rational animals, but as when we say bees and ants are wise, that is, on account of their works which are like an imitation of wisdom. Yet this serpent was not able to called the most wise of all the beasts by its own irrational animal nature, but by a foreign spirit, that is, of the devil. Irrespective of their greatness, despite how more excellent their natures were to beasts according to the eminence of reason, the unfaithful angels for their perversity and pride were thrown from their high seats. Why then be amazed if by his own instinct the devil entered the serpent, mixing in it his own spirit, as demons are accustomed to possess seers, making it the most wise of all the beasts by  living and irrational soul? Certainly it is by an abuse that wisdom is used in association with evil which the good would describe as cunning, for it is more familiar in the Latin tongue to employ 'wise' as a laudable title and that cunning should be understood as the product of a bad heart. So it is that in a few books we find that, for the Latin way of speaking, not a word, but rather the meaning is translated, and thus it is they have preferred to say that this serpent was 'more astute' than every beast than 'more wise'. 

Saint Augustine of Hippo, De Genesi Ad Litteram

1 Gen 3.1

30 Jan 2016

The Noonday Demon


Ὁ τῆς ἀκηδίας δαίμων͵ ὃς καὶ μεσημβρινὸς καλεῖται͵ πάντων τῶν δαιμόνων ἐστὶ βαρύτατος· καὶ ἐφίσταται μὲν τῷ μοναχῷ περὶ ὥραν τετάρτην͵ κυκλοῖ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ μέχρις ὥρας ὀγδόης. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τὸν ἥλιον καθορᾶσθαι ποιεῖ δυσκίνητον ἢ ἀκίνητον͵ πεντηκοντάωρον τὴν ἡμέραν δεικνύς. Ἔπειτα δὲ συνεχῶς ἀφορᾶν πρὸς τὰς θυρίδας καὶ τῆς κέλλης ἐκπηδᾶν ἐκβιάζεται͵ τῷ τε ἡλίῳ ἐνατενίζειν πόσον τῆς ἐνάτης ἀφέστηκε͵ καὶ περιβλέπεσθαι τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μή τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν.  Ἔτι δὲ μῖσος πρὸς τὸν τόπον ἐμβάλλει καὶ πρὸς τὸν βίον αὐτόν͵ καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἔργον τὸ τῶν χειρῶν· καὶ ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπε παρὰ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἡ ἀγάπη καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ παρακαλῶν· εἰ δὲ καί τις κατ΄ἐκείνας τὰς ἡμέρας εἴη λυπήσας τὸν μοναχόν͵ καὶ τοῦτο εἰς αὔξησιν τοῦ μίσους ὁ δαίμων προστίθησιν. Ἄγει δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν τόπων ἑτέρων ἐν οἷς ῥᾳδίως τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν καὶ τέχνην μετελθεῖν εὐκοπωτέραν μᾶλλον καὶ προχωροῦσαν· καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τόπῳ τὸ εὐαρεστεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ προστίθησιν· πανταχοῦ γάρ͵ φησί͵ τὸ θεῖον προσκυνητόν.  Συνάπτει δὲ τούτοις καὶ μνήμην τῶν οἰκείων καὶ τῆς προτέρας διαγωγῆς· καὶ χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς ὑπογράφει μακρόν͵ τοὺς τῆς ἀσκήσεως πόνους φέρων πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν· καὶ πᾶσαν τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον κινεῖ μηχανὴν ἵνα καταλελοιπὼς ὁ μοναχὸς τὴν κέλλαν φύγῃ τὸ στάδιον. 

Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Ὁ Πρακτικός
The demon of acedia, who is also called the 'noonday', is of all the demons the most burdensome. He imposes itself on the monk at about the fourth hour, encircling his soul until about the eighth hour. First he makes it seem that the sun has slowed down or stopped moving, the day appearing to be fifty hours long, then it continually makes the monk look out of his window and impels him to rush out of his cell to study the sun to see how much longer it is to the ninth hour, and to look round to see if any of the brothers are about. Then it places in him a hatred for the place and his life and his manual labour, for it seems there is no charity left among the brethren, no one being there to comfort him. And if anyone has grieved the monk recently, the demon adds this too to increase his hatred. He inclines the monk to desire other places where he can easily find what he needs and practice a craft more suitable to him and that will profit him more. 'For indeed, pleasing the Lord is not dependent on place,' says the demon, 'God is to be worshiped everywhere.' It joins to this the memory of family and the monk's former way of life, and explains to him that he still has a long time to live, bringing before his eyes the toils of the ascetic. And so, as it is said, he uses every device to move the monk to abandon his cell and flee the arena. 

Evagrius Ponticus, The Praktikos

28 Jan 2016

Pride, Envy and the Devil


In hoc autem opere quaerendum est secundum sanctam Scripturam, quid de diabolo dicendum sit. Primo, utrum ab initio ipsius mundi sua potestate delectatus abstiterit ab illa societate et caritate, qua beati sunt Angeli qui fruuntur Deo; an aliquo tempore in sancto coetu fuerit Angelorum, etiam ipse pariter iustus, et pariter beatus. Nonnulli enim dicunt ipsum ei fuisse casum a supernis sedibus, quod inviderit homini facto ad imaginem Dei. Porro autem invidia sequitur superbiam, non praecedit: non enim causa superbiendi est invidia, sed causa invidendi superbia. Cum igitur superbia sit amor excellentiae propriae, invidentia vero sit odium felicitatis alienae, quid unde nascatur satis in promptu est. Amando enim quisque excellentiam suam, vel paribus invidet, quod ei coaequentur; vel inferioribus, ne sibi coaequentur; vel superioribus, quod eis non coaequetur. Superbiendo igitur invidus, non invidendo quisque superbus est. Superbiam amoremque sui perversum fontes esse omnium malorum.

Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, De Genesi Ad Litteram

In this work we seek in accordance with Sacred Scripture what might be said of the devil. First, whether at the beginning, delighting in his own power, he fell away from that society and love by which the blessed angels are nourished, or whether for some time he was just and blessed. Some say that the fall from the high seats was on account of his envy of man made in the image of God. However, envy follows pride, it does precede it; the cause of pride is not envy but the cause of envy is pride. Since therefore pride is the love of one's excellence, envy is hatred of the happiness of another, from whence it is visibly born. Indeed someone loving his own excellence either envies equals because they are his equals, or inferiors lest they become equal, or superiors that they are not equal. Therefore the envious are proud, the proud are not envious. Pride, perverse love of self, is the font of all evil.

Saint Augustine of Hippo, The Literal Interpretation of Genesis

26 Jan 2016

Criticising Critics


O invidia primum mordax tui! O Satanae calliditas semper sancta persequens! Nullae aliae Romanae urbi fabulam praebuerunt, nisi Paula et Melanium, quae contemptis facultatibus, pignoribusque desertis, crucem Domini quasi quoddam pietatis levavere vexillum. Si balneas peterent, unguenta eligerent, divitias et viduitatem haberent materiam luxuriae et libertatis, dominae vocarentur, et sanctae. Nunc in sacco et cinere formosae volunt videri, et in gehennam ignis cum jejuniis, et pedore descendere: videlicet non eis licet applaudente populo perire cum turbis. Si gentiles hanc etiam carperent, si Judaei haberent solatium non placendi eis, quibus displicet Christus. Nunc vero, pro nefas! homines Christiani, praetermissa domorum suorum cura, et proprii oculi trahe neglecta, in alieno oculo festucam quaerunt. Lacerant santum propositum, et remedium poenae suae arbitrantur, si nemo sit sanctus: si omnibus detrahatur: si turba sit pereuntium: si multitudo peccantium.

Sanctus Hieronymus, Epistola XLV Ad Asellam

Source: Migne PL 22 481-2 
O envy, biter first of yourself! O cunning of Satan, that always persecutes the holy! No other Roman lady was exposed to gossip but only Paula and Melanium, who, despising possessions and deserting families, lifted the Lord's cross as a standard of piety. If they had attended the baths, chosen perfumes, and used their wealth and status as widows to luxuriate and be independent, they would have been acclaimed as ladies of high rank and saints. But now since in sackcloth and ashes they wish to appear beautiful, they with their fasting and their dirt will tumble into the Gehenna of fire, for certainly it could not be that they would perish with the crowd whom the people applaud. If it were Gentiles snapping at them, if it were Jews they had not cared to please, well, so these too Christ displeased. But, in truth and for shame, it is Christians who overlook care for their own households and neglecting the beams in their own eyes look for motes in the eyes of others. They tear apart the holy way and so judge that they have found a remedy for their own punishment if no one is holy, if they can detract from every one, if they can show that the many perish and sinners are the multitude.

Saint Jerome, from Letter 45, To Asella

24 Jan 2016

Temptation and the Devil


Iterum assumpsit eum diabolus in montem excelsum valde, usque, et gloriam eorum. 

Mystice mons iste superbiam diaboli significat, qua ipse deceptus est et alios decipere gestit, et ostendit ei omnia regna mundi. Non ergo ei amplificare poterat visum, aut ignotum aliquid ostendere, sed vanitatem pompae mundanae, quam ipse quasi speciosam diligebat, et ideo in amorem Christo venire desiderabat. Aliter, ostendit ei omnia regna mundi, id est, homines huius saeculi, quorum alii propter fornicationem, alii propter avaritiam decepti, a diabolo reguntur in mundo.

Et dixit illi: Haec omnia tibi dabo, si procidens adoraveris me.


 Antiquus hostis contra primum hominem tribus tentationibus se erexit, id est, gula, vana gloria et avaritia, iisdem vitiis secundum vincere tentavit; gula cum dixerat: Dic, ut lapides isti panes fiant; vana gloria, cum dixit: Mitte te deorsum; avaritia, quando dixit: Haec omnia dabo tibi, si procidens adoraveris me; sed eo modo a secundo victus excessit quo se primum vicisse gloriabatur.

Tunc dicit ei Iesus: Vade, Satanas. 


Subauditur in aeternam damnationem. Si autem secundum aliud exemplar quis voluerit legere, Vade retro, Satanas, potest ita sentire, quod retro anteriora tempora respiciat, quibus sibi reum diabolus tenebat mundum; quasi Dominus diceret: Attende retro, quando decepisti primum hominem, et posteros eius per varios idolorum cultus deludebas, et sufficiat tibi usque huc: nunc autem non solum me subvertere non valebis, sed a potestate quam te habere plaudebas per me proiiceris.

Sanctus Beda, In Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, Cap IV
'Again the devil took him up to an extremely high mountain...and the glory of them.'1

Spiritually the mountain signifies the pride of the devil, by which he himself is deceived, and he brings others here to deceive them, and he shows to Him all the kingdoms of the world. He was not able to reveal to Him something unseen, or to show something unknown, but only the vanity of mundane pomp, the sight of which he himself loved, and so he desired it to induce the love of Christ. In another way he showed to him all the kingdoms of the world, that is, the men of this age, some of whom on account of fornication, some on account of avarice, are deceived and are ruled in the world by the devil.

'And he said to him, I will give you all this if you will fall down and worship me.'

The old enemy set three temptations against the first man, that is, gluttony, vainglory and avarice, and with these same vices he tried again to conquer. Gluttony when he said, 'Speak, that these stones become bread.' Vainglory when he said, 'Throw yourself down' Avarice, when he said, 'All this I will give you if you fall down and worship me.' But in this second attempt he was defeated and he who gloried to have conquered the first was driven away.

Then Jesus said to him, 'Begone, Satan'

Here understand eternal damnation. If however according to another sense someone wished to read it as, 'Get behind me, Satan,' it is possible to understand it in that way, so that behind is before in respect of time when the devil took to himself the erring world; as if the Lord had said: 'Look behind, to when you deceived the first man and after that when you deluded him by various cults of idols, and let that suffice for you. Now you are not only unable to overthrow me, but by a power which you rejoiced to have you are thrown down by me.'

Saint Bede,Commentary on Matthew, Chap 4


1. Mt 4.8

22 Jan 2016

Aid In Trouble

Και ὅλως ἐφ' ἑκάστος Χρείας ἐλέγχῃ, ῥήματι μὲν τὸν Θεὸν ὀνομάζων καταφυγὴν, ἔργῳ δὲ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἀνωφελῶν καὶ ματαίων βοήθειαν ἐπισπώμενος. Ἔστι δὲ τῷ δικαίῳ ἀληθινὴ βοήθεια ὁ Θεος. Ὥωπερ τις στρατηγὸς ὁπλιτικὸν γενναῖον ἐξηρτημένος ἔτοιμος ἀεὶ βοηθεῖν τῷ καταπονουμένῳ μέρει· οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς βοηθὸς ἡμῶν ἐστι, καὶ σύμμαχος παντι τῷ στρατευομένῳ κατὰ τῆς μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου, ἀποστέλλων τὰ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα πρὸς τὴν συωτηρίαν τῶν δεομένων. Εὑρίσκει δὲ ἡ θλίψις πάντα τὸν δίκαιον διὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου ἐπιτὴδευσιν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐκκλίνων μὲν τὴν πλατεῖαν καὶ εὐρύχωρον ὁδὸν, ὁδεύων δὲ τὴν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην, εὑρσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν θλίψεων. Ἐμψύχως τὸν λόγον ἐσχημάισεν ὁ Προφήτης εἰπών· 'Ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὐρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα.' Ὡωπερ γὰρ ζῶα ἔμψυχα καταλαμβάνουσιν ἡμᾶς, ἐργαζόμεναι ὑπομονὴν, καὶ διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς δοκιμὴν, καὶ διὰ τῆς δοκιμῆς ἐλπίδα. Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολός φησι· Διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ, Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων. Ἀλλ' ὁ γενναίως καὶ ἀτεράχως τὸν ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως πειρασμὸν ὑπομείνας ἐρεῖ, ὅτι Ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. Καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει ἀπαυδᾷν καὶ ἀποκνεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, ὅτι καὶ καυχὴματος ἀφορμὴν τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῶν κακῶν ποιεῖται λέγων, ὅτι 'Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμενοι ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι.

Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμός ΜΕ'

Source: Migne PG 29.417b-420b
For in sum each necessity will disgrace you when you name God as your refuge but the affair that drives you to seek that assistance is worthless and vain. The true help of God is for the righteous. As a general always directs his aid to those who labour most of all the army, thus God is our refuge and fellow fighter in every struggle against the assaults of the devil, sending an administrating spirit for the salvation of those who call. And the righteous man meets with every sort of trouble through the course of his life, for declining the wide and easy road, he travels on the narrow and difficult way and he is beset by tribulation. 1 Of this way of life the prophet speaks, saying, 'Tribulations have beset us everywhere.' 2For like wild animals they seize upon us, thus fashioning our endurance and through endurance is proof and through proof there is hope. Whence the Apostle says 'Through many troubles it is necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven.' And: 'Many are the tribulations of the righteous.' 3But those who stay true and strong in the trials of their tribulations shall say, ' All these things we have conquered by your love for us.' 4And as for the one who gives up exhausted and shrinks away from troubles, even being overcome by the bad is the beginning of our boast, for,'Not only that, but we glory in tribulations.' 5

Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 45

1 Mt 7.13-14
2 Ps 45.2
3 Rom 5.3-4, Acts 14.21, Ps 33.20
4 Rom 8.37
5 Rom 5.3

20 Jan 2016

Hope For Weeds



Ne forte colligentes zizania, eradicetis simul cum eis et triticum

Sic imperiti erant cultores, sic operis nescii, sic discretionis scientiam non habentes, ut evellentes zizania, eradicarent et triticum? Ubi sunt prophetae per Dei spiritum prophetantes? Ubi Petrus cui Pater revelat? Ubi Paulus in quo operatur et loquitur Christus? Ubi omnes sancti, plane sancti, sed servi, tantum scientes, quantum singulis scientiarum largitor indulsit? Sed dicis, Hoc occultuum nil erat, nil erat ibi occultum, quando aliud videbatur in specie; aliud habebatur in flore; et quod hodie erat ziania, cras in triticum vertebatur: sic hodie habetur haereticus, qui crastina fit fidelis; et qui ad praesens peccator cernitur, ad furturm justus assistit. Hinc est etiam quod auctor utraque referebat ad messem, id est, usque ad judicium divinae patientiae sua et nostrae poenitentiae tempus, ut qui de se malo commutarit ad bonum, Dominicum deputetur in triticum, coelestibus horreis aggregandusl qui se de fideli fecerit infidelem, gehennae deputetur incendio. Et quid plura? Si zizaniis non Dei paetinetia subveniret, nec Matthaeum de Publicano evangelistam, nec Paulum de persecutore apostolum Ecclesia possideret. Denique Ananias eradicare tritcum tunc quaerebat, quando ad Sauleum missus, de Paulo talia querebatur: Domine, quanta mala fecit sanctis tuis, hic est, eradica zizania; quid ad lupum ovis? quid ad contumacem devotus? quid ad persecutorem talis praedictor missus? Sed cum Ananias videret Saulum, Paulum Dominus tunc videbat; cum Ananias persecutorem diceret, tunc Dominus praedictorem sciebat; et cum ille eum zizania judicaret inferni, Christus eum vas electionis, triticum in coelesti horreo jam ponebat.

Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo XCVII, De Parbola Zizaniorum


Source: Migne PL 52.473c-474b
Lest perhaps when collecting the weeds you tear up the wheat with them. 1

Were the workers in the field so unskilled, so ignorant of their work, so lacking in the knowledge of distinguishing things that when plucking up the weeds they would uproot the wheat? Where are the prophets through the spirit of God prophesying? Where is Peter to whom the Father granted revelation? Where is Paul in whom Christ worked and spoke? Where are all the saints, saints but servants, only wise because He who gives granted them wisdom? But, you say, nothing was hidden, nothing there was hidden, since something appeared, another thing was found in the flower. What today is a weed may be turned into wheat tomorrow. So today a man may be a heretic who tomorrow will be made faithful, and he who is presently noted as a sinner in the future may stand as one of the righteous. So when the author refers to the harvest, it is that which is within the judgement of the Divine patience and the time of our repentance, that he who is evil may change to good, the Lord harvesting him as wheat and adding him to the celestial granary, and he who from faith made himself unfaithful will be pruned for the fire of hell. And what more? If there was no patience of God for the weeds, neither Matthew the tax collector would have become an Evangelist, nor would Paul the persecutor of the Church have become an Apostle. Ananias sought to pull up the wheat when being sent to Saul, for he complained, 'Lord, he does much evil to your holy ones!' 2 That is, Tear up the weeds!. Why indeed send a sheep to a wolf? Why send the devout to the proud? Why send such a preacher to a persecutor? But when Ananias saw Saul, The Lord saw Paul, when Ananias spoke of a persecutor, then the Lord knew a preacher, and when Ananias judged him to be a weed fit for the infernal fire, Christ marked him as a vessel of election, wheat to be placed in the heavenly granary.

Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 97, On The Parable of the Wheat And Tares

1 Mt 13.19
2 Acts 9.10-17

18 Jan 2016

Letting Down One's Guard

Πόθεν, ἔφης, οἱ πονηροὶ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχονται, καὶ κοινοῦσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον; Ἐκ τοῦ καθεύδειν τοὺς γεωργοὺς ἐγρηγορέναι· ὀφείλοντας, καὶ φυλάττειν τοῦ καλοῦ σπέρματος τὸν καρπὸν ἀναθάλλοντα. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ κόρῳ καὶ κάρῳ τὴν ἑαυτῶν φυλακὴν προδεδώκειμεν, τὴν θείαν εἰκόνα μολύναντες, τουέστι τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα νοθεύσαντες, ὁ τῶν ζιζανίων σπορεὺς οὐκ ἂν εὖρε παρείαδυσιν, καὶ ἄξια πυρὸς ζιζάναι ἐν ἡμῖν κατειργάσατο.

Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡϟΔ', Ὠριονι Μονακῳ

Source: Migne PG 78.305d-308a
Whence, you say, comes wickedness from the heart to speak to men? From the slumber of the farmers it is made, they who should be guarding the fruit that has sprung up from good seed. For if we have not guarded ourselves from indolence and sleep beforehand, the Divine image is contaminated, that is, the good seed is debased, and the sower of weeds is not discovered by watching, and the weeds worthy of fire are thrust deep within us.

Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 194, to the Monk Orion

16 Jan 2016

A Theologian Condemned

Grandem sollicitudinem atque excubias super gregem suum pastor habere approbatur. Similiter et ex alta turre causa civitatis diu noctuque cautus speculator observat. Magister providus navis hora tempestatis et periculi magnam patitur animi jactationem, ne procellis atque asperrimis fluctibus navis elidatur in saxa. Pari animo vir sanctus et honorabilis Theophilus, frater et coepiscopus noster, circa salutis commoda non desinit vigilare, ne Dei populus per diversas Ecclesias Origenem legendo, in magnas incurrat blasphemias. Conventus litteris memorati, convenio sanctitatem tuam, ut sicuti nos in urbe Roma positi, quam Princeps Apostolorum statuit et fide sua confirmavit gloriosus Petrus, ne quis contra praeceptum legat haec quae diximus, damnavius, et cum magnis precibus postulavimus, ut Evangeliorum instituta, quae ex ore suo Dei et Christi docuit censura, ab hac recedi omnino non debere, sed illud in memoriam deduci quod Paulus venerabilis Apostolus praedixit atque commonuit: 'Si quis vobis evangelizaverit praeter quod evangelizatum est vobis, anathema sit.' Igitur hoc praeceptum tenentes, illud quidquid est fidei nostrae contrarium, ab Origene quondam scriptum, indicavimus, a nobis esse alienum atque punitum

Sanctus Anastatius I Papa, Epistula Simpliciano

It is befitting that a shepherd should have great care and vigilance for his flock. In similar fashion as from his high tower the cautious watchman keeps watch day and night on behalf of the city. In the hour of tempest and danger the soul of the captain of the vessel suffers great anxiety lest the gale and the rough waves smash his vessel against the rocks. With like soul the holy and honourable Theophilus, our brother and fellow bishop, does not cease to watch over the things that provide for salvation, that God's people in the different churches may not in the reading of Origen encounter grave blasphemies. Informed by a letter of the aforesaid man, we inform your holiness that likewise we who are set in the city of Rome in which the prince of the Apostles, glorious Peter, founded the church and by his faith strengthened it, that no man may contrary to commandment read that which we have mentioned and censured, and we have with many prayers urged the instructions of the Gospels, which from the mouth of God and Christ has taught judgement, from which no one should withdraw, but rather that a man should place in his mind what the venerable apostle Paul said and warned: 'If any preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.'1 Therefore holding to this precept, we have declared that whatever was written by Origen and is contrary to our faith is by us rejected and condemned.

Saint Anastasius I, Letter to Simplicianus

1. Gal 1.8

14 Jan 2016

Words And Deeds

Et quia paucorum esset viam angustam invenire, fraudulentiam eorum qui eam se quaerere mentirentur exponit, dicens: 'Attendite a psuedoprophetis, qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ovium, etc.' Blandimenta verborum et mansuetudinis simulationem admonet fructu operantionis expendi oportere: ut non qualem quis se verbis referat, sed qualem se rebus efficiat spectamus; quia in multis vestitu ovium rabies lupina contegitur. Ergo, ut spinae uvas, ut tribuli ficus non afferunt: ita ne in istis quidem consistere docet boni operis effectum; et idcirco omnes cognoscendos esse de fructibus. Regnum enim coelorum sola verborum officia non obtinent: neque qui dixerit: 'Domine, Domine,' haeres illius erit. Quid enim meriti est Domino dicere, 'Domine, Domine?' Numquid Dominus non erit, nisi fuerit dictus a nobis? Et quae officii sanctitas est nominis nuncupatio; cum coelestis regni iter obedientia potius voluntatis, non Dei nuncupatio repertura sit? 

Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, In Evangelium Matthaei Commentarius

And because there are few who discover the narrow way, the deceit of those who think themselves to be seeking it is exposed, and it is said, ' Watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing'. Against pleasant words and simulation of meekness he warns that the fruit of works should be weighed, that we do not look only to someone's words but to the things they produce, for there are many ravenous wolves cloaked in sheep's clothing. So, as with thorn bushes and grapes, as with thistles that do not bring forth figs, so it is taught that neither do these produce good works, and therefore all should be known by their fruit. Indeed the kingdom of heaven is not obtained by the employment of words alone, nor will those who have said, 'Lord, Lord' be inheritors of it. What is merited by saying to the Lord, 'Lord, Lord?'  Will he not be the Lord unless we have said that he is? And what sort of holy service is it to utter a name when it is rather obedience to His will, not the pronouncement of the word God, that finds the way to the Kingdom of Heaven?

Saint Hilary of Poitiers, from the Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew

12 Jan 2016

Four Kinds Of Apostles



Quatuor autem genera apostolorum sunt. Unum, quod neque ab hominibus est, neque per hominem, sed per Jesum Christum, et Deum Patrem; aliud, quod a Deo quidem est sed per hominem; tertium, quod ab homine, non a Deo; quartum, quod neque a Deo, neque per hominem, neque ab homine, sed a semetipso. De primo genere potest esse Isais, caeterique prophetae, et ipse apostolus Paulus, qui neque ab hominibus, neque per hominem, sed a Deo Patre et Christo missus est. De secduno, Jesus filius Nave, qui a Deo quidem est apostolus constitutus, sed per hominem, Moysen. Tertium genus est, cum hominum favore et studio aliquis ordinatur. Ut nunc videmus plurimos non Dei judicio, sed redempto favore vulgi in sacerdotium subrogari. Quartum est pseudoprophetarum et pseudoapostolorum, de quibus apostolus: 'Istiusmodi, inquit, pseudoapostolorum, operarii iniquitatis, transfigurantes se in apostolos Christi, qui dicunt: Haec dicit Dominus: et Dominus non misit eos.'

Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum in Epistolam ad Galatas, Liber Primus

Source: Migne PL 26.312

There are four kinds of Apostles. The first is the one who is sent not by men nor through men but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. 1 The second is from God but through man. The third is sent by man but not by God. The fourth is sent not by God, nor by man, nor from men, but from the man himself. Of the first type are Isaiah, the other Prophets, and the Apostle Paul himself, who was sent not by man nor through men but by God the Father and Christ. Of the second type are Joshua son of Nun, he who was made an apostle of God but through the man Moses. The third type is when someone is ordained because of the favour and support of the people, as now we see many appointed to the priesthood not because God has deemed them worthy but because they have gained the favour of a mob. The fourth type is of false Prophets and false Apostles, about whom the Apostle says, 'False prophets like these are workers of iniquity, transforming themselves into Apostles of Christ, those who say that the Lord said these things, and the Lord has not sent them.' 2

Saint Jerome, from the Commentary on the Letter of St Paul To The Galatians, Book 1


1 Galat 1.1 
2 2 Cor 10.13

10 Jan 2016

The Church and the Bride

Παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, ἐν ἱματισῷ διαχρύσῳ περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη.  

Περὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἤδη διαλέγεται, περὶ ἥς ἐν τᾡ Ἂσματι μεμαθήκαμεν, ὅτι μία ἐστὶ τελεία τοῦ Χριστοῦ περιστερὰ, ἥτις εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν χώραν τοῦ χριστοῦ λαμβάνει τοὺς ἐπ' ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς γνωριζομένους, διακρίνουσα ἀπὸ τῶν φαύλων, ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν διακρίνει τοὺς ἄρνας ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων. Παρίσταται οὖν ἡ Βασίλισσα, ἡ τῷ νυμφικῷ Λόγῳ καθηρμοσμένη ψυχὴ, ἡ μὴ βασιλευομένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ χριστοῦ βασιλείας μετέχουσα, ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐν ἱματισμῳ διαχρύσῳ· τουτέστιν, ἐν δόγμασι νοεροῖς καθυφασμένοις καὶ πεποικιλμένοις, σοβαρῶς ἑαυτήν καὶ ἱεροπρεπῶς κατακοσμοῦσα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ μονοειδῆ τὰ δόγματα, ἀλλὰ ποικίλα καὶ πολύτροφα, ἠθικούς τε καὶ φυσικοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐποπτικοὺς λεγομένους περιέχοντα λόγους, διὰ τοῦτο πεποικιλμένον εἶναι τὸν ἱματισμὸν τῆς νύμφης ὁ λόγος φησίν.

Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμός ΜΔ'

She stands at your right hand in vestments interwoven with gold, inset with variety.

This is spoken of the Church, concerning which in the Song of Songs we have learned that she is the one perfect dove of Christ, given a place the right hand of Christ on account of her good works, being removed from the thoughtless, as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. So stands the queen, the soul bound to the spousal Word, not subject to the rule of sin, but one who shares in the kingdom of Christ, by the Saviour's right hand in vestments interwoven with gold, that is, with spiritual teachings embroidered and varied, since by these cloths religion is fittingly adorned. Teachings are not of one kind but diverse and varied, embracing moral and natural and mystical subjects, so Scripture says the vestments of the bride are inset with variety.

Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, Psalm 44


8 Jan 2016

Bringing Greater Gifts

Καλὸν μὲν τὸ τιμᾷν τοὺς μάρτυρας τῆς εὐσεβείας τοῖς ἀναθήμασιν, ὅπερ αὐτὸς πεποίηκας. Κρεῖττον δὲ τὸ θεραπεύειν αὐτοὺς οἴς ἐποίησαν κατορθῶμασιν. Οἴς τοίνυν προσενήνοχας τὸν κόσμον, καρποφόρεσον αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸν τρόπον.

Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΠΘ', Σερηνῳ
Beautiful it is to honour the witnesses of the faith with offerings, that which you have done. But better it is to cultivate that by which they achieved success. To those whom you have adorned, bring also the fruits of your conduct.

Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1 Letter 189, to Serenus


6 Jan 2016

Finding the Lord


Ostendam sane quomodo Dominus possit aut inveniriant cognosci, si tamen est animus videndi. Si vis videre Dominum, requirit mendicum, suscipe peregrinum, visita infirmum, curre ad carcerem. Si vis videre Deum, vincula captivitatis absolve, nodos iniquitatis incide. Audi de hoc Dominum dicentem: Esurivi, et dedistis mihi manducare; sitivi,et dedistis mihi bibere; hospes fui, et suscepistis me; nudus fui, et cooperuistis me; infirmus fui, et visitastis me; in carcere eram, et venistis ad me. Moneo ita que ne despicias nudum, ne caeco manum subtrahas, ne involutum pannis contemnas. ln hac enim veste primum Dominus cum a Magis quaereretur, inventus est.

Sanctus Valerianus Cemeliensis, Homily I

I shall show how the Lord can be found and known, if only a soul would see. If you wish to see the Lord, seek out the beggar, receive the wanderer, visit the sick, run to the prison. If you wish to see God, loose the captive's chains, cut the knots of iniquity. Listen to Christ himself speaking about this: ' I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me.'1 So I, too, warn you not to despise the naked, nor withdraw your hand from the blind, nor scorn the man wrapped in rags. In such clothing was the Lord found when the Magi first found him.

Saint Valerian of Cimelium, First Homily

1 Mt 25. 35-36

4 Jan 2016

The First Virtue and the First Vice

Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, ὅσα περὶ τὴν θείαν καθοπᾶται φύσιν, ὑπερπίπτει τῷ μέτρῳ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως· ἡ δὲ ταπεινότης συμφυής τις ἡμῖν ἐστι καὶ σύντροφος τοῖς χαμαὶ ἐρχομένοις, καὶ ἐκ γῆς τὴν σύστασιν ἔχουσιν, καὶ εἰς γῆν καταῥῥέεουσιν· ἐν τῷ κατὰ φὺσιν σὺ καὶ δυνατῷ τὸν Θεὸν μιμησάμενος, τὴν μακαρίαν αὐτὸς μορφήν. Καὶ μηδεὶς ἄπονον οἰεσθω. Καὶ μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης ἐκποριζόμενον τὸ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης κατόρθωμα. Τὸ ἐναντίον μὲν οὖν παντὸς οὐτινοσοῦν τῶν κατ' ἀρετὴν ἐπιτηδευομένων, τὸ τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν ἐπιπονώτερον. Δια τί; ὅτι καθεύδοντος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ τὰ καλὰ σπέρματα δεξαμένου, τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς ἐναντίας σπορᾶς παρὰ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν τὸ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἐῥῥιζώθη ζιζάνιον. Δι' ὦν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἑαυτὸν εἰς γῆν κατέῥῥαξεν, τῷ αὐτῷ πρόπῳ τὸ δείλαιον γένος τὸ ἀνθρώπινον πρὸς τὸ κοινὸν πτῶμα ἑαυτῷ συγκατέβαλεν· καὶ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἄλλο τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν τοιοῦτον κακὸν, ὡς τὸ δι' ὑπερηφανίας. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐμπέφυκέ πως τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἔπαρσιν πάθος παντὶ σχεδὸν τῷ κοινωνοῦντι τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, διὰ τοῦτο ἐντεῦθεν τῶν μακαρισμῶν ὁ Κύριος ἄρχεται, οἶον ἀρχέγονόν τι κακὸν ἐκβάλλων ἐκ τῆς ἔξεως ἡμῶν τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν, ἐν τῷ συμβουλεύειν μιμήσασθαι τὸν ἐκουσίως πτωχεύσαντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἀληθῶς μακάριος, ἵνα ἐν ῷ δυνάμεθα καθὼς ἂν οἶοί τε ὦμεν ὁμοιωθέντες ἐκ τοῦ πτωχεῦσαι κατὰ προαίρεσιν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ κοινωνίαν ἐφελκυσώμεθα. Τοῦτο γὰρ φρονεῖτε, φησὶν, ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ὅς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἀρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβών.

Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Εἰς Τους Μακαρισμους,

So, then, whereas every other thing which pertains to the Divine nature exceeds the measure of human nature, humility is indeed something natural to us, for from earth we have been fashioned and into earth we shall be resolved, and so if you imitate God in what is natural to us and within our power, it is a form of blessedness. But do not think that humility is without toil; without leisure the achievement of humility is gained. In contrast to every other virtue humility requires more practice and effort. And why? Because man being asleep, he who had received the beautiful seed, the source of what is opposite to it was sown by the enemy of our life and the weed of pride took root. That which caused him himself who sowed it to crash down to earth, and by it he brought the wretched race of man to a new fall. There is nothing else in our nature so evil as pride. So, then, since this defect is to be found flourishing in almost everyone, for the renewal of the nature of humanity, with it our Lord begins the Beatitudes. This primary source of evil, this pride, he expels from our character by encouraging us to imitate one who of his own free will became poor, he who is truly blessed, so that we might choose the likeness of poverty and share in the community of the blessed. As Paul says, 'Think this among yourselves which did Christ, he who having the form of God, did not set himself to be the equal of God but he emptied himself and took on the form of a slave.'1

Saint Gregory of Nyssa, On The Beatitudes

1 Phil 2.5-7

3 Jan 2016

Darkness And Light

Σκοτίαν δὲ ὀνομάζει τὴν τοῦ φωτίζεσθαι δεομένην φύσιν καθόλου, τοῦτ' ἔστι, τὴν γενητήν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτὸν ὠνόμασε τὸ φῶς, ἑτέραν οὗσαν ἐπιδεικνύων τὴν ἐπιδεᾶ καὶ ἀμέτοχον αὐτοῦ κτίσιν λογικὴν, εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον περιτρέπει τοῦ σημαινομένου τὴν δύναμιν, οὐκ ἀπὸ σκοποῦ κατά γε τὸν ἡμέτερον οῦν, καὶ τοῠτο ποιῶν, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο δὴ πάντως καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἐννοήσας, ὅτι τῶν γενητῶν ἡ φύσις, οὐδὲν ὅλως ἐξ αὐτης πηγάζουσα, σύμπαν δὲ τὸ εἶναι καὶ τὸ εὖ εἶναι τοιῶσδε τυχὸν δεχομένη παρὰ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ, δικαίως ἀκούει· Τί γὰρ ἔχεις ὅ οὐκ ἔλαβες; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις, καὶ αὐτὸ θεοδοτον ἔχει τὸ φῶς, οὐκ ἔχουσα δηλονότι λαμβάνει· τὸ δὲ φῶς ούκ ἔχον ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, πῶς οὐκ ἄν εἴη τὸ ἐναντίον; ἤ πῶς οὐκ ἄν λέγοιτο σκοτία; Πιθανὴ γὰρ, μάλλον δὲ ἤδη καὶ ἀναγκαιοτάτη λίαν ἀπόδειξις, τοῦ τὴν μὲν κτίσιν εἴναι σκοτίαν, φῶς δὲ πάλιν τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, τὸ φαίνειν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ τὸ φῶς. Εἰ γὰρ δέχεται τῶν γενητῶν ἡ φύσις τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον κατὰ μετουσίαν, ὡς φῶς, ἤ ὡς ἐκ φωτὸς, αὔτη μὲν ὡς σκοτία  δηλονότι λαμβάνει· φαίνει δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ, καθάπερ ἐν σκοτιᾳ τὸ φῶς, ὁ Υἱος, εἰ καὶ οὐκ οἴδε πάντως ἡ σκοτία τὸ φῶς· τοῦτο γὰρ, οἴμαι, σημαίνει τὸ, Ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. Ἄπασι μὲν γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐλλάμπει τοῖς ἐλλάμψεως δεκτικοῖς, καὶ φωτίζει καθόλου τὰ φύσιν ἔχοντα τοῦ φωτιζεσθαι δεκτικήν· ἀγνοεῖται δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς σκοτίας.
 

Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ἰωαννην Εὐαγγελιον,  Λογος Δευτερος, , Ἅγιος Κυριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας 
Darkness he calls the nature lacking illumination, that is, the beginning. For since he calls Him the Light, he shows that the rational creation which lacks and does not share in it is different, and he turns the force of the term to the opposite, doing this so not without purpose, but himself thinking above all that the nature of things in the beginning, producing nothing from itself, received its whole being and well being, such as it is, from its Creator, and it rightly hears, 'What have you that you did not receive?' 1 And since, along with the rest, it has light given by God, it does not possess it but receive it. But that which has not light, how will it not be the contrary, or how will it not be called darkness? For certainly it is not just probable but rather necessary to admit that creation is darkness and the Word of God Light. For if the nature of things receive the Word of God by participation, as Light, or as of Light, it then possesses of itself darkness, and the Son shines in it, as the light does in darkness, even though the darkness does not know the Light. For this, I suppose, is the meaning of 'The darkness comprehended it not.' 2 For the Word of God shines upon all things that are receptive of His radiance, and He illumines everything which has a nature receptive to being illuminated. But the darkness does not know Him.




Saint Cyril of Alexandria, On The Gospel of Saint John, Book I

1 1 Cor 4.7 

2 Jn 1.5

1 Jan 2016

On the Beginning

Λέγεται μὲν οὖν ἀρχὴ καὶ ἡ πρώτη κίνησις· ὡς, Ἀρχὴ ὁδοῦ ἀγαθῆς τὸ ποιεῖν δίκαια· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν δικαίων πράξεων πρῶτον κινούμεθα πρὸς τὸν μακάριον Βίον· λέγεται δὲ ἀρχὴ καὶ ὄθεν γίνεταί τι, τοῦ ενυπάρχοντος αὐτῷ ἑτέρου, ὡς ἐπὶ οἰκίας θεμέλιος, καὶ ἐπὶ πλοίου ἡ τρόπις, καθὸ εἴρηται· Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου. Οἴον γὰρ κρηπὶς καὶ βάθρον πρὸς τὴν τελείωσιν ἡ εὐλάβεια. Ἀρχὴ δὲ καὶ τῶν τεχνικῶν ἔργων ἡ τέχνη· ὡς ἡ σοφία Βεσελεὴλ, τοῦ περὶ τὴν σκηνὴν κόσμου. Ἀρχὴ δὲ πράξεων πολλάκις καὶ τὸ εὔχρηστον τέλος τῶν γινομένων· ὡς τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης ἡ παρὰ Θεοῦ ἀποδοχὴ, καὶ πάσης τῆς κατ' ἀρετὴν ἐνεργείας τὸ ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις ἀποκείμενον τέλος. Τοσαυταχῶς οὗν λεγομένης τῆς ἀρχῆς, σκόπει εἰ μὴ πᾶσι τοῖς σημαινομένοις ἡ παροῦσα φωνὴ ἐφαρμόσει. Καὶ γὰρ ἀφ' οὖ χρόνου ἤρξατο ἡ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου σύστασις, δυνατόν σοι μαθεῖν, ἐάν γε, ἐκ τοῦ παρόντος εἰς τὸ κατόπιν ἀναποδίζων, φιλονεικήσῃς. εὐρεῖν τὴν πρώτην ἡμέραν τῆς τοῦ κόσμυ γενέσεως. Εὐρήσεις γὰρ οὕτως, πόθεν τῷ χρόνῳ ἡ πρώτη κίνησις, ἔπειτα, ὅτι καὶ οἰονεὶ Θεμέλιοι τινες καὶ κρηπῖδες προκατεβλήθησαν ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆεῖτα, ὅτι ἔστι τις τεχνικὸς λόγος ὁ καθηγησάμενος τῆς τῶν ὁρωμένων διακοσμήσεως, ὡς ἐνδείκνυται σοι ἡ φωνὴ τῆς ἀρχῆς· καὶ τὸ μὴ εἰκῆ μηδὲ μάτην, ἀλλὰ πρός τι τέλος ὠφέλιμον καὶ μεγάλην χρείαν τοῖς οὖσι συνεισφερόμενον ἐπινενοῆσθαι τὸν κόσμον, εἴπερ τῷ ὄντι ψυχῶν λογικῶν διδασκαλεῐον καὶ θεογνωσίας ἐστὶ παιδευτήπριον.

Ἅγιος Βασιλειος Καισαρείας, Εις Την ῾Εξαημερον

The first movement, then, is called a beginning: ' The beginning of the good way is to do right.' For just actions are truly the first steps towards a happy life. Again, we call a beginning the essential and first part from which a thing proceeds, such as the foundation of a house, the keel of a vessel, and it is in this sense that it is said, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,' 2 that is to say that piety is, as it were, the groundwork and foundation of perfection. Art is also the beginning of the works of artists, the skill of Bezaleel beginning the adornment of the tabernacle. Often even the good which is the final cause is the beginning of actions. Thus the approbation of God is the beginning of giving alms, and the end laid up for us in the promises is the beginning of all virtuous efforts. Such being the different senses of the word beginning, see if we have not all the meanings here. You may know the age when the formation of this world began, if, ascending into the past, you endeavour to discover the first day. You will thus find what was the first movement of time; then when the creation of the heavens and of the earth were like the foundation and the groundwork, and afterwards that an intelligent reason, as the word beginning indicates, presided in the order of visible things. And you will finally discover that the world was not conceived by chance and without reason but for a useful end and for the great advantage of all beings, since it is really the school where reasonable souls exercise themselves, the training ground where they learn to know God.

Saint Basil of Caesarea, Hexameron, Homily 1

1 Prov 16.7
2 Prov 9.10