Bringing The Soul To Life

Inposuisti homines super capita nostra, transivimus per ignem et aquam et induxisti nos in refrigerium. Introibo in domum tuam in holocaustis, reddam tibi vota mea Tentationum autem  genera et diversas martyrium victorias contuentes, scimus quibus modis anima ponatur in vitam, cujus contemptu desaevientibus poenarum ingeniis, a fidei gressu et testimonio non moventur. Alii enim in vinculis carcerum gloriantur, alii caesi in verberibus gratulantur, alii potestati irreligiosorum desecanda felicium capitum colla submittunt: plures in exstructos rogos currant, et trepidantibus poenae ministris, ignem saltu devotae festinationis insiliunt: alii in profundum demergendi, non in aquas necaturas; sed in refrigerium aeternae beatitudinis decidunt, toto ipso se corpore Deo hostiam tamquam holocausta praebentes. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum LXV Source: Migne PL 9.432c

'You placed men over our heads, we passed through fire and water, and you led us into rest. I shall enter into your house with sacrifices, I shall return my vow to you.' 1 Observing the types of trial and the victories of the martyrs, we know by what ways the soul is brought to life, of which is contempt for the savage cunning of punishments, that they do not move one from the position of faith. Some gloried in prison's chains, some rejoiced amid a flurry of blows, others submitted the necks of their happy heads to the cleaving power of the irreligious, many ran to the heaped pyre and amid the fearsome ministers of punishments leaped into the fire with swift and devout bound, others in the depths were drowned, not into killing waters but passing into the rest of eternal life, offering the whole body to God as sacrifice. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 65 1 Ps 65.12-13