Peter On Paul, Paul On Peter

Sicut et charissimus frater noster Paulus secundum datam sibi sapientiam scripsit vobis. Paulum illis scripsisse commemorat, quia etsi Paulus ad quasdam specialiter scripsit Ecclesias, omnibus tamen generaliter, quae per orbem sunt, quaeque unam catholicam faciunt, scripsisse probatur Ecclesiis. Et notandum quod hic Petrus Pauli sapientiam laudat, ipse autem Paulus de se dicit: Ego enim sum minimus apostolorum, qui non dignus vocari apostolus, quoniam persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei. Ecce se Paulus priscae suae infidelitatis memor humiliat, et aliorum apostolorum innocentiam praefert. Ecce primus apostolorum, quasi oblitus sui prioratus, et datarum sibi clavium regni, datam Paulo sapientiam miratur. Quia nimirum moris est electorum ut aliorum magis quam suas mirentur virtutes, per quas se ad profectum excitent. Itemque notandum quod Paulus in Epistolis suis  dicit: Cum autem venisset Cephas Antiochiam, in faciem ei restiti, quia reprehensibilis erat. Reprehendit ergo Paulus in Epistolis suis Petrum, et tamen ipse Petrus, easdem epistolas relegens, laude eas dignas judicat. Quia nimirum hoc ipsum quod se in illis merito reprehensum invenit, non quasi injuriam aspernanter, sed gratulanter quasi officium devotionis accepit. Tales esse ad invicem non quilibet mortalium, sed illi soli norunt, qui didicerunt a Domino mites esse et humiles corde, qui sciunt honore invicem praevenire. Sancta Beda,  In II Epistolam Sancti Petri Migne PL 93 83-84

As even our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you. 1 He recalls that Paul wrote to them, because even if Paul wrote to certain designated churches, yet to everyone in general, throughout the whole world, whoever are of the one Catholic faith, he has written what is approved by the churches. And it should be noted here that Peter praises the wisdom of Paul, that same Paul who said concerning himself, 'I am the least of the Apostles, one who is not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.' 2 Behold Paul humbling himself in the recollection of his old unfaithfulness and bringing forward the innocence of the other Apostles. And behold the first of the Apostles, first because he forgets his own priority and the giving to him of the keys of the kingdom, 3 and admires the wisdom given to Paul. Truly it is the way of the elect that they admire more the virtues of others than their own, by which they rouse themselves to improvement. And again let us note that Paul said in his letters 'When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was worthy of reproach.' 4 Thus in his letters Paul reproves Peter, and yet when Peter composes his own letters, he judges Paul worthy of praise, because he finds that he did indeed merit reproof in these things, and he smarts at it not as an injury, but gladly receives it as the duty of devotion. That such things be is not given to mortal men, but they alone know it who are taught by the Lord to be meek and humble in heart, who understand that they should come before one another with honour. 5 Saint Bede, from the Commentary on the Second Letter of Saint Peter 1 2 Pet 3.15 2 1 Cor 15.9 3 Mt 16.19 4 Galat 2.11 5 Rom 12.10

Kindness And Discipline

Implecat sine dubio bonitatis ac disciplinae opus beatissumus Petrus, cum et tanquam vere bonus medicus oblatos sibi curaret infirmos, et ut disciplinae coelestis fundator justa puniret ultione mendaces. Probavit nimirum bonitatis ejus gratiam Aeneas ille debilis, qui claudus ab infantia sedens in porta templi atque mendicans, in nomine Jesu Christi, apostoli curantis imperio, antiquam recepit sanitatem. Probaverunt etiam disciplinae ejus severitatem Ananias et Sapphira, qui distrahentes agrum quem vendere nemo cogebat, dum quantitatem pretii mentiuntur apostolo, mortem sibi falsitate mercati sunt. Quo facto edocuit gloriosissimus Petrus inesse sibi bonitatem ac disciplinam, dum et remedium praestat infirmo, et competentem sumit de mendacibus ultionem. Quod eum recte sancteque fecisse coelestis judicii consensus ostendit. De scientiae ejus perfectione quis ambigat qui Christum Dominum vivi Dei esse Filium de coelo sibi Patre revelante cognovit? Et quia bonitas ei ad disciplinam scientiamque non deerat, pascendas illi Dominus suas commendavit oviculas. Tenuit bonitatem ac disciplinam gloriosissimus Paulus, qui, ut ejus scripta testantur, et virgam correctionis, et spiritum  mansuetudinis praetendebat: propter quod faciebat eum omnibus et amabilem bonitas, et disciplina terribilem. Nam ut inter ipsa promordia fidei bonitatem ac disciplinam Christi doceret Ecclesias, et removeri peccantem jussit a communione sanctorum, et eumdem recipi resipiscentem. De scientia autem ejus quid nos dicemus, cum omnes eum noverint in coelestibus didicisse quae doceret in terris, ubi talia se memorabat edoctum, qualia loqui ei mortalibus non liceret? Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia CVII Source: Migne PL 57.500-501

The most blessed Peter without doubt fulfilled the work of kindness and discipline, when even like the good physician he had care for the sick who were brought to him, and as one who establishes heaven's discipline he justly punished liars. That infirm Aeneas certainly approved the grace of his kindness, he who was lame from infancy and sat begging in the gateway of the temple, and who in the name of Jesus Christ, by the command of the caring Apostle, received health. 1 His discipline was proved by Ananias and Sapphira who having sold a field no one had forced them to sell, then lied to the Apostle about the amount of money it yielded, and by a lie sold themselves to death. 2 By which deeds the glorious Peter taught that in him there was both kindness and discipline, he who while he provided a remedy for the sick, took up appropriate punishment for deceivers. Which  shows him to be in right and holy agreement with heaven's judgement. And the perfection of his knowledge who doubts, to whom was revealed by the Father the knowledge of Christ Jesus the son of the Living God? 3 And because kindness was his, with no lack of the knowledge of discipline, so the Lord commended him to feed his sheep. 4 And the most glorious Paul also held to kindness and discipline, he who, as his writings testify, carried the stick of correction and spiritual meekness before him, 5 on account of which kindness made him loveable to everyone and discipline fearful. For as among the first things of faith he teaches kindness and discipline to the churches of Christ, and he commands that the sinner be removed from the communion of the saints, 6 and that those repentant should be received. And regarding his knowledge what shall we say when everyone knows that in the heavens he learned what he taught on earth, when such things he recalls learning which he is not permitted to speak among mortals? 7 Saint Maximus of Tours, from Homily 107 1.Acts 9.32-34, Acts 3.1-8 2 Acts 5. 1-11 3 Mt 16.16-17 4 Jn 21.15-18 5 1 Cor 4.21  6 1 Cor 5 7 2 Cor 12.1-4

Opening The Gate

Σιδηρᾶ πύλη ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἀπάγουσα, ἐστὶ σκληρὰ καρδὶα. Τῷ δὲ κακοπαθοῦντι καὶ τεθλιμμένῳ αὐτομάτη ἀνοιχθήσεται, καθὼς καὶ τῷ μακαρίῳ Πέτρῳ. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Νόμου Πνευματικοῦ  Source: Migne PG 65 9 08

An iron gate leading into a city is a hard heart. But to him who suffers evils and tribulations of his own will, it shall be opened, as with the blessed Peter. 1 Saint Mark The Ascetic, from On The Spiritual Law. 1 Acts 12 9-10

Tribulations And Relief

Εν θλίψει ἐπλάτυνὰς με. Παυλος γ' οὖν ἤκουσεν· Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμις μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Καὶ οἱ διελάσαντες δὲ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τοὺς βρόχους, καὶ οἱ ἐν πίστει τελειωθέντες καὶ θλίψεις ὑπὲρ Χριστου καὶ αἰκίας ἀναδεξάμενοι τοῖς ἄνωθεν ἐντρυφήσουσιν ἀγαθοῖς. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τους Ψαλμους, Ψαλμός Δ' Source: Migne PG 69.733,755

In tribulation you brought me relief. 1 And indeed then Paul heard, 'Let my grace be enough for you; for my power is perfected in weakness.' 2 And those who thrust through the snares of sin, and those who have a perfected faith, bear tribulations for Christ and grief in the enjoyment of heavenly goods. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 4  1 Ps 4.2  2 2 Cor 12.9

Apostles And Poverty

Ὅτι ἐῥῥύσατο πτωχὸν ἐκ δυνάστου, καὶ πένητα ᾦ οὐχ ὑπῆρχε βοηθός. Ἀντὶ του· Ὅτι ἐῥῥύσατο πτωχὸν ἐκ δυνάστου ὁ Σύμμαχος· Ὅτι ἐξελεῖται πένητα οἰμώζοντα. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἤδη γεγενημένα, ἀλλ' ὡς μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι ταῦτα θεσπίζει. Ὅρα δὲ ὀσάκις τοῦ πτωχοῦ μνημονεύει, πρῶτον εἰπῶν· Κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ τους πτωχοὺς ἐν κρίσει· δεύτερον, Κρινεῖ τοὺς πτωχοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ σώσει τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν πενήτων· καὶ νῦν πάλιν· Ὅτι ἐῥῥύσατο πτωχὸν ἐκ δυνάστου καὶ πένητα ᾦ οὐχ ὑπῆρχε βοηθός· καὶ αὖθις· Φείσεται πτωχοῦ καὶ πένητος, καὶ ψυχὰς πενήτων σώσει. Οἶμαι δὲ διὰ τούτων ἀπάντων πτωχοὺς καὶ πένητας καλεῖν τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, οἵ, τὴν δι' αὐτὸν πτωχείαν ἀνειληφότες, τὴν εἰς ἄκρον ἀρετῆς ἐλαύνουσαν κατώρθουν φιλοσοφίαν· δι' ὃ περὶ αῡτῶν Ἠσαϊας μὲν προανεφώνει λέγων· Εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς ἀπέσταλκέ με. Αὐτος δὲ ὁ Σωτὴρ, αὐτοῖς προσομιλῶν, ἔλεγε· Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Εὐσέβιος ὁ Καισάρειος, Ὑπομνηματα Ἐις Τους ψαλμους, ψαλμος ΟΑ' Source Migne PG 23.809

For He freed the poor man from power, and the needy one who had no helper. 1   And in distinction to 'For he freed the poor man from power,'  the translation of Symmachus has:'For He will deliver the poor man who cries out.'   For not concerning things already done but about things to be it makes prophecy. And observe how many times the poor man is mentioned in this Psalm. First it says, 'To judge your people in justice and your poor ones in judgement.' 2 Secondly, 'He shall judge the poor of the people and He shall save the sons of the poor.' 3 And now again. 'Because He freed the poor man from power and the needy one who had no helper.' 4 And again, 'He is merciful to the poor and needy, and He saves the souls of the poor.' 5 I judge that this, in every place, tells of the Apostles and disciples of the Lord our Saviour, and they are called poor and needy who on account of their taking up of poverty, carried off the high and pure philosophy of virtue. And concerning this Isaiah declares: 'To evangelize the poor He sent me.' 6 And the Saviour Himself speaking to them says, 'Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' 7 Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 71 1 Ps 71. 12 2 Ps 71. 2 3 Ps 71.4 4 Ps 71. 12 5 Ps 71.13 6 Isai 61. 1 7 Mt 5.3

Jacob And The Monks

Τὸ λέγειν τὸν Ἰακώβ· Ἐὰν δῷ μοι Κύριος ἄρτον φαγεῖν, καὶ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέσθαι, τὴν τῶν μοναχῶν διαγορεύει ζωήν. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΟΘ'  Λιμενιῳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 79 152

When Jacob says, 'If the Lord give to me bread for the eating and a garment to wear,' 1 he clearly declares the life of monks. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 179 to Limenius the Monk 1 Gen 28.20

Advice For Wine Drinkers

Μετὰ βουλῆς οἰνοπότει Ἡδοναῖς ἢ διδαχαῖς ἀλλοτρίαις τὸν σὸν πλοῦτον μὴ δώσεις. Μετὰ βουλῆς οἰνοπότει. Τὸν τῆς ἀληθενῆς ἀμπέλου πίνων οἶνον, τὴν τῶν Γραφῶν ἑρμηνείαν, καὶ τὴν τῶν ὄντων θεωρίαν, μετὰ πολλῆς προσέρχου διακρίσεως τῇ τῆς διανοίας ἐπισκέψει. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Παροιμίας Σολομώντος Εξηγήσεων, Κεφ ΛΑ' Migne PG 39.1644

With prudence he drinks wine. 1 Do not spend your wealth on the pleasures of strange teachings. With prudence he drinks wine. Drinking the wine of the true vine, he ponders the interpretation of the Scriptures and the contemplation of verities with much discrimination in the exertion of the mind. Didymus the Blind, On Proverbs, fragment   1 Prov 31.4

The Body And The Eagles

Ubi fuerit corpus, ibi congregabuntur et aquilae. Itaque prius quae sint aquilae conjiciamus, ut quod sit corpus definiamus. Justorum enim animae aquilis comparantur, quod alta petant, humilia derelinquant, longaevum ducere ferantur aetatem. Unde et David animae suae dicit: Renovabitur sicut aquilae juventus tua. Si igitur intelleximus aquilas, de corpore jam dubitare non possumus, maxime si meminerimus quod a Pilato Joseph corpus acceperit. Nonne tibi videntur aquilae circa corpus Maria Cleophae, et Maria Magdalene, et Maria mater Domini, apostolorumque conventus circa Domini sepulturam? Nonne tibi videntur aquilae circa corpus, quando veniet cum intelligibilibus nubibus Filius Hominis: Et videbit eum omnis oculus, et qui eum compunxerunt? Est etiam corpus de quo dictum est: Caro mea vere est cibus, et sanguis meis vere est potus. Circa hoc corpus aquilae sunt, quae alis circumvolant spiritalibus. Sunt et circa corpus aquilae quae credunt Jesum in carne venisse; quia omnis spiritus qui confitetur Jesum Christum in carne venisse, de Deo est. Ubi ergo fides, ibi sacramentum, ibi diversorium sanctitatis. Est etiam corpus Ecclesia, in qua per baptismi gratiam renovamur spiritu, et occidua senectutis in redivivas reparantur aetates. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, Liber VIII Source: Migne PL 15.1782

Where the body will be, there the eagles will gather. 1 First let us consider what the eagles may be, then let us discuss the body. The souls of the righteous are like eagles, for they seek the heights, and they forsake low things, that they be led and brought to long life. Whence even David says of his own soul: 'It shall be renewed like the young of the eagle.' 2 If, therefore, we have understood the eagles, we are not able to doubt concerning the body, especially if we remember that Joseph received the body from Pilate. 3 Does it not seem to you that the eagles around the body are Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of the Lord, and the gathering of the Apostles around the tomb of the Lord? Does it not seem to you that there will be eagles around the body when the Son of Man comes with the intelligible clouds, and every eye shall see him, even those who have pierced him? 4 And this is the body of which it has been said: 'My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.' 5 Around this body are the eagles, who fly around on spiritual wings, and the eagles around the body are those who believe that Jesus has come in the flesh, because every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. 6 Where are the faithful, there is sacrament, there is a diversity of sanctity. And again the body is the Church in which through the grace of baptism we are renewed by the Spirit, and the decline of old age is repaired in the second life. Saint Ambrose, from the Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 8 1 Lk 17.37 2 Ps 102.5 3 Jn 19.38 4 Apoc 1.7 5 Jn 6.56 6 1 Jn 4.7

Feasting In Heaven

Ἀκούσας δέ τις τῶν συνανακειμένων ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῷ: μακάριος ὅστις φάγεται ἄρτον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ.   Εἰκὸς δή που τὸν ἄνθρωπον οὕπω μὲν εἶναι πνευματικὸν, ψυχικὸν δὲ μᾶλλον, καὶ ἀνεπιτηδείως ἔχοντα πρὸς σύνεσιν ἀκριβῆ τῶν λαλουμένων παρὰ Χριστοῦ· ἦν γὰρ τῶν ἀπίστων ἔτι καὶ οὕπω πεφωτισμένων· ᾠἡθη δὲ οὖν σωματικάς ἔσεσθαι τῶν ἁγίων τὰς ἁμοιβὰς ὦν ἂν δράσειαν, εἰς ἑτέρους ἀγαθουργεῖν ᾑρημένοι. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Κεφ. ΙΔ' Source: Migne PG 72. 788

And hearing this one of the dinner guests said to Him, 'Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God.' 1 Certainly the man here was not yet spiritual, but rather animal, and so he was inept in the accurate understanding of that which was spoken by Christ. 2 For being one of the faithless, he not yet enlightened, and thus he thought that the reward of the holy for the doing of good to others was corporeal. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, from The Commentary on the Gospel of Saint Luke, Chapter 14 1 Lk 14.15 2 cf 1 Cor 2.14

Food Of Paradise

Nunc quae sit illa ratio consideremus, quid sit istud quod cum mandatum daret homini, de illa admirabili beataque vita praescribens, ne contra faciens morte moreretur, de manducando et non manducando putaverit esse mandandum. Sunt enim qui putant nequaquam mandatum istud convenire coeli et terrae atque omnium Creatori; nequaquam dignum incolis paradisi, eo quod illa vita similis angelorum sit. Et ideo non terrenum et corruptibilem hunc cibum esui fuisse possumus aestimare; quia qui non bibunt, neque manducant, erunt sicut angeli in coelo. Cum igitur in cibo neque praemium sit, quia esca nos non commendat Deo; neque magnum periculum sit, quia non quod intrat in os, coinquinat hominem, sed quod exit de ore: videtur sine dubio a tanto auctore non esse praeceptum, nisi hunc cibum ad illum propheticum referas, quia pro magno praemio Dominus sanctis pollicetur suis: Ecce qui serviunt mihi, manducant: vos autem esurietis. Hic est enim cibus in quo vita definitur aeterna, quo quisquis fuerit defraudatus, morte morietur. Quandoquidem panis vivus atque coelestis ipse Dominus est, qui vitam dat huic mundo. Unde et ipse ait: Nisi manducaveritis carnem meam, et biberitis sanguinem meum, non habebitis vitam aeternam. Erat ergo panis aliquis de quo praescripserat edendum paradisi incolis. Quis ille? Accipe quem dicat: Panem, inquit, angelorum manducavit homo. Est enim bonus panis, si facias voluntatem Dei. Vis scire quam bonus panis? Ipse Filius manducat hunc panem, de quo ait: Meus cibus est ut faciam voluntatem Patris mei qui in coelis est. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Paradiso, Caput IX  Source:  Migne PL 14. 294-295

Now let us consider the reason why He gave to man this commandment, prescribing the admirable and blessed life, concerning what he should and should not eat, lest acting contrary to it he die the death. There are indeed some who think that this command does not at all befit the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things, and that it was utterly unworthy of the inhabitants of Paradise, because that life there was like that of the angels. And thus we are able to judge that this food was not earthly and corruptible, because those who neither drink nor eat will be as the angels in heaven. 1 There is no merit, therefore, in food, because food does not commend us to God. Neither is there great danger in it, because 'What goes into the mouth does not defile a man but what comes out of his mouth.' 2 Without doubt, then, it seems that the precept is not from such a Creator unless you understand this food to be prophetic, because as a great reward the Lord makes this promise to His saints: 'Behold they who serve me shall eat and you shall hunger.' 3 This is the food that makes for eternal life, and whoever is deprived of it will suffer death. And the Lord Himself is the living and heavenly Bread which gives life to this world. Hence He says: 'Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you shall not have eternal life.' 4 There was, therefore, some bread, which was prescribed to be eaten by an inhabitant of paradise. And what? Understand when it says: 'Man ate the bread of angels.' 5 It is indeed good bread if you do the will of God. Do you wish to know how good the bread is? The Son of God Himself eats that bread, concerning which He says: 'My food is to do the will of my Father who is in heaven.' 6 Saint Ambrose, from On Paradise, Chap 9  1 Mt 22.30  2 Mt 15.11 3 Isa 65.13 LXX 4 Jn 6.50  5 Ps 77.25  6 Jn 4.34

Feasts And Charity

Ad hanc invitabat, qui stans clamabat, Si quis sitit, veniat ad me et bibat, et flumina de ventre ejus fluent aquae vivae. Hoc, inquit Evangelista, dixit de spiritu, quem accepturi erant credentes in eum. Ecce, quia non bibunt hoc vinum, sive hanc aquam, nisi credentes in eum, sicut non comedunt illum panem, nisi qui triduo sustinent eum: sustineamus et comedamus; credamus et bibamus et comedamus, ut amici efficiamur; bibamus, ut charitate charissimi facti inebriemur. Charitas etenim sicut vinum miscetur, maxime ubi sapientia mensam ponit, vinum miscet, et ad convivium parvulos vocat. Sola namque invitatur humilitas ad convivium sapientiae, ubi panis est veritas, vinum charitas; charitas quoque velut aqua effunditur, ubi ad ablutionem conceditur. Hic ordo nimirum congruus est, ut accessurus ad mensam, prius manus lavet. Lavamini, inquit, mundi estote. Et alibi: Si laverit Dominus sordem filiarum Sion, in spiritu judicii et spiritu ardoris. Hoc desiderans Propheta, orat: Amplius lava me, Domine, ab iniquitate mea, et a peccato meo munda me. Et alibi: Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas, et circumdabo altare tuum, Domine. Altare Domini mensa est, unde manducamus et bibimus carnem Christi, qui vere est cibus, et sanguinem euis, qui vere est potus. Baptismus abluit, altare pascit; sed sine charitate, quae fructus est, neutrum proficit. Charitas ergo totum efficit, sine qua non valet quidquid fit. Charitas ergo est aqua, quae levat; vinum, quod inebriat. Lavat a vitiis, inebriat virtutibus. Lavat inquinatos amore hujus mundi, inebriat mundatos amore Dei. Lavat sordidato amore sui, inebriat purgatos amore proximi. Charitas autem Spiritus est, quia Spiritus est charitas. Itaque veritas cibat, charitas potat, virtus corroborat. Veritas Filius, charitas Spiritus, Pater virtus. Per veritatem et charitatem, quae ad nos propter nos missae sunt, perveniemus ad virtutem, quando ad Patrem. Pater autem omnimodam collaturus est satietatem, sicut scriptum est, Satiabor, cum apparuerit gloria tua Isaac, Cisterciensis Abbas, Sermo XLIV In Die Pentecotes II Source: Migne PL 194. 1840

To this He invited, He who standing cried out, 'If someone thirst, let him come to me and drink' and 'the waters of life shall flow from his stomach.' 1 Here the evangelist speaks of the Spirit, which they receive who believe in Him. And, behold, they do not drink this wine, or this water, unless they believe in Him, as they do not eat the bread unless for three days they have endured with Him; let us endure and let us eat. Let us believe and let us drink and let us eat that we be friends; let us drink that we are intoxicated with the love that makes beloved. Love indeed is mixed like wine, especially when wisdom sets the table, there wine is mixed and the little ones are called to the feast. For only the humble are invited to the feast of wisdom, where is the true bread and the wine of love, wine that is poured out like water, when the washing has been done. And this order that one come to table with washed hands is indeed fitting. 'Be washed and be clean,' it says. 2 And elsewhere, 'If the Lord shall have washed the filth from the daughters of Sion, in a spirit of judgement and in a spirit of love.' 3 Desiring this the Prophet prays, 'Lord, wash me completely from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.' 4 And again: 'I shall wash my hands among the innocent and I shall circle around your altar, O Lord.' 5 The altar is the table of Christ where we shall eat and drink, the flesh of Christ, who is the true food, and His blood, which is truly the drink. Baptism has cleansed, the altar feeds, but without charity, which is the fruit, there is no benefit. Charity, therefore, does all, without which we are able to do nothing. Charity, then, is the water which cleanses, and the wine which intoxicates. It washes from vice, it intoxicates to virtue. It washes the iniquitous from the love of this world, it intoxicates the clean with the love of God. It washes those who are dirty from self love, it inebriates the pure with the love of neighbour. Charity is the Spirit, because the Spirit is charity. Therefore truth feeds, charity gives the drink, virtue strengthens. The truth is the Son, charity is the Spirit, the Father is virtue. By truth and charity, which to us and for us have been sent, we shall come to virtue, to the Father. And being gathered to the Father is the satiety of all things, as it is written, 'I shall be satisfied when your glory appears.' 6 Isaac of Stella, from Sermon 44, For Pentecost II 1 Jn 7. 37-38 2 Isai 1.16   3 Isai 4. 4 4 Ps 50.4 5 Ps 25.6 6 Ps 16.15

Becoming Sons

Sed dicit aliquis, grandis labor est inimicos diligere, pro presecutoribus supplicare. Nec nos negamus, fratres, non parvus quidem labor est in hoc saeculo, sed grande erit praemium in futuro; per amorem enim unius hominis inimici efficieris amicus Dei, imo non solum amicus, sed etiam filius, sicut ipse Dominus dicit, 'Diligite inimicos vestros, benefacite iis qui oderunt  vos, ut sitis filii Patris vestri qui in coelis est.' Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia LXIV Source: Migne PL 57.382

But some say that it is a great labour to love enemies and to pray for persecutors. I do not deny it, brothers. It is not a little task in this world, but it gains great reward in the future, for indeed by the love of one man who is an enemy you are made a friend of God, and not only a friend, but even a son, as the Lord himself says, 'Love your enemies, and do good to those who hate you, that you be sons of your Father who is in heaven.' 1 Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 64 1. Lk 6.35

The Three Witnesses

Sane falli te nolo in Epistola Ioannis apostoli, ubi ait: Tres sunt testes; spiritus, et aqua, et sanguis; et tres unum sunt. Ne forte dicas spiritum et aquam et sanguinem diversas esse substantias, et tamen dictum esse: tres unum sunt; propter hoc admonui ne fallaris. Haec enim sacramenta sunt, in quibus non quid sint, sed quid ostendant semper attenditur: quoniam signa sunt rerum, aliud existentia, et aliud significantia. Si ergo illa quae his significantur, intellegantur, ipsa inveniuntur unius esse substantiae; tamquam si dicamus: Petra et aqua unum sunt, volentes per petram significare Christum; per aquam, Spiritum Sanctum: quis dubitat petram et aquam diversas esse naturas? Sed quia Christus et Spiritus Sanctus unius sunt eiusdemque naturae; ideo cum dicitur: Petra et aqua unum sunt; ex ea parte recte accipi potest, qua istae duae res quarum est diversa natura, aliarum quoque signa sunt rerum quarum est una natura. Tria itaque novimus de corpore Domini exisse, cum penderet in ligno: primo, spiritum; unde scriptum est: Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum; deinde, quando latus eius lancea perforatum est, sanguinem et aquam. Quae tria si per se ipsa intueamur, diversas habent singula quaeque substantias; ac per hoc non sunt unum. Si vero ea, quae his significata sunt, velimus inquirere, non absurde occurrit ipsa Trinitas, qui unus, solus, verus, summus est Deus, Pater et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus, de quibus verissime dici potuit: Tres sunt testes, et tres unum sunt; ut nomine spiritus significatum accipiamus Deum Patrem: de ipso quippe adorando loquebatur Dominus, ubi ait: Spiritus est Deus. Nomine autem sanguinis, Filium; quia: Verbum caro factum est. Et nomine aquae Spiritum Sanctum: cum enim de aqua loqueretur Iesus, quam daturus erat sitientibus, ait evangelista: Hoc autem dixit de Spiritu, quem accepturi erant credentes in eum. Testes vero esse Patrem et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, quis Evangelio credit, et dubitat, dicente Filio: Ego sum qui testimonium perhibeo de me: et testimonium perhibet de me, qui misit me, Pater? Ubi etsi non est commemoratus Spiritus Sanctus, non tamen intellegitur separatus. Sed nec de ipso alibi tacuit, eumque testem satis aperteque monstravit. Nam cum illum promitteret, ait: Ipse testimonium perhibebit de me. Hi sunt tres testes: et tres unum sunt, quia unius substantiae sunt. Quod autem signa quibus significati sunt, de corpore Domini exierunt, figuraverunt Ecclesiam praedicantem Trinitatis unam eamdemque naturam: quoniam hi tres qui trino modo significati sunt, unum sunt; Ecclesia vero eos praedicans, corpus est Christi. Si ergo tres res quibus significati sunt, ex corpore Domini exierunt: sicut ex corpore Domini sonuit, ut baptizarentur gentes in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. In nomine; non: In nominibus; hi enim tres unum sunt, et hi tres unus est Deus. Si quo autem alio modo tanti sacramenti ista profunditas, quae in Epistola Ioannis legitur, exponi et intellegi potest secundum catholicam fidem, quae nec confundit nec separat Trinitatem, nec abnuit tres personas, nec diversas credit esse substantias, nulla ratione respuendum est. Quod enim ad exercendas mentes fidelium in Scripturis sanctis obscure ponitur, gratulandum est, si multis modis, non tamen insipienter exponitur. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Contra Maximinum Episcopum Arianorum, Lib II. Cap XXII Source: Migne PL 42 794-795

I would certainly not want you to err in the letter of John the Apostle, where he says, 'There are three witnesses: the spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three are one.' 1 Lest perhaps you say that the spirit and the water and the blood are different substances, and yet it is said, 'the three are one' on which account I have warned you not to err. For these are mystical expressions, in which not what they are but what they are signs of should always be considered, because they are signs of things, and one thing is the essence and another the signification. If therefore the things signified are understood, we find them to be of one substance, as if we might say, 'The rock and the water are one,' meaning by the rock, Christ and by the water, the Holy Spirit, and who doubts that rock and water are different substances? But because Christ and the Holy Spirit are of one and the same nature, therefore when it is said that the rock and the water are one, this can be rightly be grasped, that these two things with different natures are yet signs of other things with one nature. Three things then we know to have issued from the Body of the Lord when He hung on the cross: first, the spirit, of which it is written, 'And He bowed His head and gave up the spirit' 2 ; then, when His side was pierced by the spear, 'blood and water.' 3 Which three things if we consider them as they are in themselves, each have their own substance, by which they are not one. If, however, we wish to enquire into the things they signify, there not unreasonably occurs to us the Trinity itself, which is the One, Only, True, Supreme God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, of whom it can most truly be said, 'There are Three Witnesses,' and 'the Three are One,' so that by the name Spirit we should understand God the Father to be signified; as indeed it was concerning the worshiping of Him that the Lord was speaking when He said, 'God is a Spirit,' 4 and by the term, blood, the Son, because 'the Word was made flesh,' 5 and by the term water, the Holy Spirit, for when Jesus spoke of the water which He would give to those who thirst, the Evangelist says, 'But this He said about the Spirit which they that believed in Him were to receive.' 6 Moreover, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are witnesses, who that believes the Gospel can doubt, when the Son says, 'I am one who bears witness to myself; and the Father who sent me, He bears witness to me.' ? 7 Where, even if the Holy Spirit is not mentioned, yet He is not to be thought separated from them. For concerning Him He was not silent elsewhere, and that He too is a witness has been sufficiently and openly shown. For in promising Him He said, 'He shall bear witness to me.' 8 These are the 'Three Witnesses,' and 'the Three are One', because there are of one substance. And because the signs by which they were signified issued from the Body of the Lord, they were a figure of the Church preaching the one and same nature of the Trinity, since these Three in threefold manner signified are One, but the Church that preaches them is the Body of Christ. If then the three things by which they are signified issued from the Body of the Lord, likewise from the Body of the Lord came the voice telling them to baptize the peoples 'In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' 9 In the name, not, In the names,  for 'these Three are One,' and One God is these Three. And if in any other way this depth of mystery which we read in the letter of John can be expounded and understood in accordance with the Catholic faith, which neither confounds nor divides the Trinity, nor denies three persons, nor believes in diverse substances, it must on no account be rejected. For that which exercises the minds of the faithful in things expressed obscurely in Holy Scripture, must be welcomed, even if in many ways, but not unwisely, it is explained. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Against Maximinus Bishop of The Arians, Book 2, Chap 22 1 1 Jn 5.8 2 Jn 19.30 3 Jn 19.34 4 Jn 4.24 5 Jn 1.14 6 Jn 7.39 7 Jn 8.18 8 Jn 15.26 9 Mt 28.19

Spirit And Trinity

Εἰ δέχεται ὁ πρὸς σὲ διενεχθεὶς αἱρετικὸς, καθὼς γέγραφας, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν δογματιστὴν ἀξιόπιστον, αὐτὸς διδάσκει τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ προσκυνητοῦ τῆς ἐνότητος Πνεύματος, ἑν ὄνομα τῆς θείας Τριάδος ἀποφηνάμενος, τῆς μιᾶς οὐσίας σημαίνων τὴν ἔνωσιν. Εἰ δὲ αὐτῷ μὴ πιστεύει, τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ συγγενοῦς σημαίνοντι Πνεύματος, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ νοῦν ἀνθρώπινον ἐκδιδάσκοντι, περιττὴ τυγχάνει τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων ἡ σύστασις· ἐπειδὴ τὸ γεῶδες σκῆνος μόλις εὑρίσκει τὰ ἐν ποσί. Τὰ δὲ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀπόκρυφα, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν αἴσθησιν ὑπερβαίνοντα, αὐτὸς καὶ ἀποκαλύπτει, καὶ ἐπίσταται ὁ κατοικῶν τὸν οὐρανόν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή Κ' Ἱερακι Λαμπροτατῳ Source:Migne PG 78. 195

If the heretic with whom you have contention, as you write you do, receives the Son of God with the teaching worthy of the faith, then that same teaching teaches about the essence of the worshipful unifying Spirit, in the pronouncement of the one name of the Divine Trinity signifying the conjunction and union of the one essence. But if he has no faith in Him, since the sublimities of the united Spirit are things which are beyond the human mind to teach thoroughly, superfluous is the counsel of our words. One finds that the things of the terrestrial tabernacle are scarcely able to be known, and so the things hidden in heaven, which far exceed our thoughts, He reveals who knows, having heaven for His dwelling place. 1 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 20, To Hierax  1 2 Cor 5.4

One Like Us

Et dixit Deus: Ecce Adam factus est tamquam unus ex nobis in cognoscendo bonum et malum.  Quoniam hoc, per quodlibet et quomodolibet dictum sit, Deus tamen dixit, non aliter intellegendum est quod ait, unus ex nobis, nisi propter Trinitatem numerus pluralis accipiatur; sicut dictum erat: Faciamus hominem; sicut etiam Dominus de se et Pater: Veniemus ad eum, et mansionem apud eum faciemus. Replicatum est igitur in caput superbi, quo exitu concupiverit quod a serpente suggestum est: Eritis sicut dii : Ecce, inquit: Adam factus est tamquam unus ex nobis. Verba enim sunt haec Dei, non tam huic insultantis, quam caeteros ne ita superbiant deterrentis, propter quos ista conscripta sunt. Factus est, inquit, tamquam unus ex nobis in cognoscendo bonum et malum. Quid aliud intellegendum, nisi exemplum timoris incutiendi esse propositum, quod non solum non fuerit factus qualis fieri voluit, sed nec illud quod factus fuerat, conservavit? Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, De Genesi Ad Litteram, Liber XI, Caput XXXIX Source: Migne PL 34 451

And God said, 'Behold, Adam is become one like us in the knowing of good and evil.' 1 Since this passage, however and in whatever manner it may be said, by God was said, what He said with 'one like us' must not be otherwise understood unless with reference to the Trinity the plural number is grasped, as it was said, 'Let us make a man', 2 and as the Lord said concerning Himself and the Father, 'We shall come to him and we will make our dwelling with him.' 3 And it refers back to the source of pride, by which to death he had desired what was proposed by the serpent, 'You shall be like gods,' 4 'Behold,' He says, 'Adam is become one like us.' These are the words of God, not so much said for the purpose of mockery but rather to deter others from being proud, on account of whom these things were written. 'He is become one like us in the knowing of good and evil,' He says. And what else may be understood of this but that it was given to instill a fearful precedent, that not only will Adam not be what he wished to be, but neither had he preserved what he was. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from On Genesis To The Letter, Book 11, Chap 39 1Gen 3.22 2 Gen 1.26 3 Jn 14.23 4 Gen 3.24

Names And The Trinity

Trinitas appellata quod fiat totum unum ex quibusdam tribus, quasi Triunitas; ut memoria, intellegentia et voluntas, in quibus mens habet in se quandam imaginem divinae Trinitatis. Nam dum tria sint, unum sunt, quia et singula in se manent et omnia in omnibus. Pater igitur et Filius et Spiritus sanctus trinitas et unitas. Idem enim unum, idem tria. In natura unum, in personis tria. Unum propter maiestatis communionem, tria propter personarum proprietatem. Nam alius Pater, alius Filius, alius Spiritus sanctus: sed alius quidem non aliud, quia pariter simplex pariterque incommutabile bonum et coaeternum. Pater solus non est de alio; ideo solus appellatur ingenitus. Filius solus de Patre est natus; ideo solus dicitur genitus. Spiritus sanctus solus de Patre et Filio procedit; ideo solus amborum nuncupatur spiritus. In hac Trinitate alia appellativa nomina, alia propria sunt. Propria sunt essentialia, ut Deus, Dominus, Omnipotens, Inmutabilis, Inmortalis. Et inde propria, quia ipsam substantiam significant qua unum sunt. Appellativa vero Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, Ingenitus et Genitus et Procedens. Eadem et relativa, quia ad se invicem referuntur. Cum enim dicitur Deus, essentia est, quia ad se ipsum dicitur. Cum vero dicitur Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, relative dicuntur, quia ad se invicem referuntur. Nam Pater non ad se ipsum, sed ad Filium relative dicitur, quia est ei filius: sic et Filius relative dicitur, quia est ei pater: sic et Spiritus sanctus, quia est Patris Filiique spiritus. His enim appellationibus hoc significatur, quod ad se invicem referuntur, non ipsa substantia qua unum sunt. Proinde Trinitas in relativis personarum nominibus est; deitas non triplicatur, sed in singularitate est; quia si triplicatur, deorum inducimus pluralitatem. Nomen autem deorum in angelis et sanctis hominibus ideo pluraliter dicitur, propter quod non sint merito aequales.  De quibus Psalmus: Ego dixi: Dii estis. De Patre autem et Filio et Spiritu sancto propter unam et aequalem divinitatem non nomen deorum, sed Dei esse ostenditur, sicut ait Apostolus: Nobis tamen unus Deus, vel sicut voce divina dicitur: Audi Israel, Dominus Deus tuus Deus unus est, scilicet ut et Trinitas sit, et unus Dominus Deus sit. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, Etymologiae, Lib VII, Cap IV Source: Migne PL 82.271

The Trinity is so named because from a certain three is made one whole, as a 'Tri-unity', like memory, intelligence, and will, in which the mind has in itself a certain image of the Divine Trinity. For while they are three, they are one, because while being in themselves as individuals, they are all in all. Therefore the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are a Trinity and a unity, for they are one and they are three. In nature one, in person three. One because of shared majesty, three because of the persons. For the Father is one person, the Son another, the Holy Spirit another, but another person, not another thing, because they are equally a single thing and equally immutable, good, and coeternal. The Father alone is not from another; therefore He is named Unbegotten. The Son alone is born of the Father; therefore He is named Begotten. The Holy Spirit alone proceeds from the Father and the Son; therefore is alone called the Spirit of both. In this Trinity some names are appellative, and some are proper. The proper ones refer to the essence, such as God, Lord, Almighty, Immutable, Immortal. And they are proper because they signify the very substance by which they are one. However appellative names are Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Unbegotten and Begotten and Proceeding. And these are relational because they relate to one another. When one says 'God,' it is the essence, because He is being named with respect to Himself. But when one says Father and Son and Holy Spirit, these names are spoken relationally, because they relate to one another. For 'Father' is not with respect to Himself, but with respect to His relation to the Son, because He has a Son; and so 'Son' is spoken relationally, because He has a Father; and so with 'Holy Spirit,' because it is the Spirit of the Father and the Son. By these appellatives is signified that by which they relate to one another, but not the substance itself in which they are one. Hence the Trinity exists in the relational names of the persons. Deity is not tripled, but is in singleness, for if it were tripled we would introduce a plurality of gods. For that reason the name of gods in the plural is spoken of about angels and holy men, because they are not His equal in merit. Concerning which the Psalm says, 'I have said: You are gods.' 1 But for the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, because of their one and equal Divinity, the name is shown to be not gods but God, as the Apostle says: 'But for us there is one God,' 2 or as it is said by the Divine voice, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God,' 3 as He is both the Trinity and the one Lord God. Saint Isidore of Seville, from The Etymologies, Book 7, Chap 4 1 Ps 81.6 2 1 Cor 8.6 3 Mark 12.29, Deut 6.4

The Finger And The Spirit

Ὅτι μὲν ἔφης, κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἡ βλασφήμια, δῆλον ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῆς λεγούσης, Ὅς ἂν εἴποι κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ. Καὶ ὅτι ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἀγίου ἐκδικεῖται ἡ βλασφημία σαφές. Ὅτι δὲ τῆς θείας ἐστὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον οὐσίας, τοῦτο σὺ ᾔτηας Γραφικῶς τρανωθῆναι. Ἔξεστί σοι ἀγχινοῦντι καὶ μικρὸν προελθόντι ἐκ τῶν ἐν χερσὶ τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῶν καὶ τὴν λύσιν εὑρεῖν. Εἰ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ  υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν; Εἰ δὲ πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω ταῦτα, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βσαιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἔν τῷ ἑτέρῳ σαφέστερον εἰρηκὼς εὐαγγελιστὴς, Εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια. Δάκτυλον Θεοῦ, τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγων τὸ ἅγιον. Δάκτυλος δὲ, ὡς ἐν ὑποδείγματι τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς, τῆς οὐσὶας ἐστὶ τοῦ σώματος. Τὴν τοίνυν ἀχώρισιον καὶ συγγενῆ τῆς θείας οὐσίας τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ὑπόστασιν, τῷ τοῦ δακτύλου ὀνόματι ἐφανέρωσε. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον ΞΒ' Θεοπομπῳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 78. 221

What the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit may be, which you ask, the voice of the Lord makes clear when He says, 'If someone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him.' 1 And so know that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall be punished. And then you enquire where it is clearly witnessed in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is of the Divine nature. With a little attention and advancement you will find the solution in your hands by the voice of Lord. He says, 'For if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? And if I cast them out by the spirit of God, then undoubtedly the kingdom of heaven has come among you.' 2 And another Evangelist speaks more openly: 'If I cast out demons by the finger of God.' 3 In which passage the finger of God is to be understood as the Holy Spirit. And the finger, which is given us as a figure, is of the essence of the body. So inseparable from and cognate with the Divine essence is the person of the Holy Spirit, which is declared by the word of finger. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 62, To the Monk Theopompos 1 Mt 12.32 2 Mt 12.27 3 Luc 11.10

The Holy Spirit And Adherence

Μὴ ἀπορρίψῃς με ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιόν σου μὴ ἀντανέλῃς απ' ἐμοῦ. Τῶν σπουδαίων ἀδιαστάτως τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ προσώπῳ παρισταμένων ὁ ἀπορρίπτεται. Μὴ πάθοιμι δὲ τουτο, φησὶ, περιεχόμενος τῆς θείας κατανοήσεως· μηδὲ τοῦ δοθέντος μοι θείου Πνεύματος γυμνωθείην. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς,, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος Ν' Source: Migne PG 39 1397-1400

'Do not cast me from your face and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.' 1 While the righteous continually stand before the face of God, the sinner is cast out from Him. May I not suffer this, he says, the Divine vision encompassing me; may I not be stripped of the Holy Spirit which has been given to me. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 50 1 Ps 50.13

Knowing The Disciples

Αὕτη γάρ ἐστι τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ εἰκὼν, ὁ χαρακτὴρ τῶν  τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλων, τὸ γνώρισμα τῶν ἀποστόλων· Ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ γνώσονται πάντες, φησίν, ὅτι μαθηταί μου ἐστε. Ἐν τίνι, εἰπέ; ἆρα ἐν τῷ νεκροὺς ἐγείρειν, ᾒ λεπτοὺς καθαίρειν, ἤ δαίμονας ἀπελαύνειν; Οὐχὶ, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐκεῖνα παραδραμὼν, Ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται πάντες, φησὶν, ὅτι μαθηταί μου ἐστὲ, ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους.   Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος Περὶ Ἀκαταληπτου, Λόγος Πρῶτος Source: Migne PG 48 702

Love is the image of the Lord's disciples, the stamp of the servants of God, the mark of the Apostles. Christ said: 'For by this they will all know that you are my disciples.' 1 By what? Tell. Was it by raising the dead, or by curing lepers, or by the driving out of demons? No. Christ passed over all these signs and wonders and said: 'By this they will all know that you are my disciples: that you love one another.' Saint John Chrysostom, On The Incomprehensible Nature Of God, From the First Homily 1 Jn 13.35

The Temple And The Spirit

Ἔτι δὲ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ναοῦ ἐρῶ ὑμῖν, ὡς πλανώμενος οἱ ταλαίπωροι εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἤλπισαν, καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτούς, ὡς ὄντα οἶκον θεοῦ. Σχεδὸν γὰρ ὡς τὰ ἔθνη ἀφιέρωσαν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ναῷ. Ἀλλὰ πῶς λέγει Κύριος καταργῶν αὐτὸν, μάθετε· Τίς ἐμέτρησεν τὸν οὐρανὸν σπιθαμῇ ἢ τὴν γῆν δρακί; οὐκ ἐγώ; λέγει Κύριος· Ὁ οὐρανός μοι θρόνος, ἡ δὲ γῆ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν μου· ποῖον οἶκον οἰκοδομήσετέ μοι, ἢ τίς τόπος τῆς καταπαύσεώς μου; Ἐγνώκατε, ὅτι ματαία ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν. Πέρας γέ τοι πάλιν λέγει· Ἰδού, οἱ καθελόντες τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον αὐτοὶ αὐτὸν οἰκοδομήσουσιν. Γίνεται. Διὰ γὰρ τὸ πολεμεῖν αὐτοὺς καθῃρέθη ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν· νῦν καὶ αὐτοι οἱ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑπηρέται ἀνοικοδομήσουσιν. Καὶ ὁ λαὸς Ἰσραὴλ παραδίδοσθαι, ἐφανερώθη. Λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή· Καὶ Κύριος τὰ πρόβατα τῆς νομῆς καὶ παραδώσει καὶ τὸν πύργον αὐτῶν εἰς καταφθοράν. Καὶ ἐγενετο καθ’ ἃ ἐλάλησεν Κύριος. Ζητήσωμεν δέ, εἰ ἔστιν ναὸς θεοῦ. ἔστιν, ὅπου αὐτὸς λέγει ποιεῖν καὶ καταρτίζειν. γέγραπται γάρ· Καὶ ἔσται, τῆς ἑβδομάδος συντελουμένης οἰκοδομηθήσεται ναὸς θεοῦ ἐνδόξως ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Εὑρίσκω οὖν, ὅτι ἔστιν ναός. Πῶς οὖν οἰκοδομηθήσεται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου, μάθετε. Πρὸ τοῦ ἡμας πιστεῦσαι τῷ Θεῷ ἦν ἡμῶν τὸ κατοικητήριον τῆς καρδίας φθαρτὸν καὶ ἀσθενές, ὡς ἀληθῶς οἰκοδομητὸς ναὸς διὰ χειρός, ὅτι ἦν πλήρης μὲν εἰδωλολοτρείας καὶ ἦν οἶκος δαιμονίων διὰ τὸ ποιεῖν, ὅσα ἦν ἐναντία τῷ Θεῷ. Οἰκοδομηθήσετα δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Προσέχετε δέ, ἵνα ὁ ναὸς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνδόξως οἰκοδομηθῇ. πῶς, μάθετε. Λαβόντες τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ ἐλπίσαντες ἐπὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἐγενόμεθα καινοί,´πάλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κτιζόμενοι· διὸ ἐν τῷ κατοικητηρίῳ ἡμῶν ἀληθῶς ὁ Θεὸς κατοικεῖ ἐν ἡμῖν. Πῶς; ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ τῆς πίστεως, ἡ κλῆσις αὐτοῦ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἡ σοφία τῶν δικαιωμάτων, αἱ ἐντολαὶ τῆς διδαχῆς, αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν προφητεύων, αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν κατοικῶν, τοὺς τῷ θανάτῳ δεδουλωμένους ἀνοιγων ἡμῖν τὴν θύραν τοῦ ναοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν στόμα, μετάνοιαν διδοὺς ημῖν, εἰσάγε εἰσ τὸν ἄφθαρτον ναόν. Ὁ γὰρ ποθῶν σωθῆναι βλέπει οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλ’ εἰς τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικοῦντα καὶ λαλοῦντα, ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἐκπλησσόμενος, ἐπὶ τῷ μηδέποτε μήτε τοῦ λέγοντος τὰ ῥήματα ἀκηκοέναι ἐκ τοῦ στόματος μήτε αὐτός ποτε ἐπιτεθυμηκέναι ἀκούειν. Τοῦτό ἐστιν πνευματικὸς ναὸς οἰκοδομούμενος τῷ Κυρίῳ.  Ἐπιστολή βαρνάβα Migne PG 2 772-774

And I will also speak with you concerning the Temple, of how the wretched erred by putting hope in a building, and not in the God who made them, so to be a real house of God. For almost like the Gentiles they consecrated him in the Temple. But learn how the Lord speaks, making that valueless, 'Who has measured the heaven with a span, or the earth with a hand? Have not I? says the Lord. Heaven is my throne, and the earth the footstool of my feet; what house will you build for me, or what is the place of my resting?' 1 You know that their hope was vain. Furthermore he says again, 'Behold, they who destroyed this temple, the same shall build it.' 2 So it is. For by war it was destroyed by the enemy, and now even the servants of the enemy will build it up again. And that the people of Israel were to be delivered up was made manifest. For the Scripture says, 'And the Lord shall hand over the sheep of his pasture and their tower to destruction.' 3 And so it was as the Lord said. But let us seek if a temple of God exists. It does, where He himself said that He makes it and perfects it. For it is written, 'And it shall come to pass when the week is ended that a temple of God shall be built gloriously in the name of the Lord.' 4 I find then that a temple exists. And learn how it will be built in the name of the Lord. Before we believed in God, the dwelling of our heart was corrupt and weak, truly like a temple built with hands, because it was full of idolatry and was the house of demons through the doing of things which were opposed to God. 'But it shall be built in the name of the Lord.' And attend, in order that the temple of the Lord may be built gloriously. Learn how. Receiving forgiveness of sins, and putting our hope in the Name, we became new, being created again from the beginning, whence in that dwelling God truly dwells in us. And how? His word of faith, the calling of His promise, the wisdom of the ordinances, the commands of the teaching, Himself prophesying in us, Himself dwelling in us who have been enslaved in death, opening to us the door of the Temple, that is, the mouth, giving repentance to us, and thus leading us into the incorruptible Temple. For he who desires to be saved looks not to the man, but to Him who is dwelling and speaking in him, and he is amazed at him, for he has never heard him speak such words with his mouth, nor has he himself ever desired to hear them. This is a spiritual temple being built for the Lord. from The Letter of Barnabas 1 Isai 40.12, 46.1 2 Isai 49.17 LXX 3 Enohc 89.56 4 Dan 9. 24-27; Haggai 2.10

Lighting Coals

Ἄνθρακας ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλονότι οἱ ἅγιοι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον ἐστὶν, οἱ τὸν Θεὸν θεωροῦντες τῇ καθαρότητι, ἄνθρακες εἰκότως προσαγορεύονται, τῇ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐνώσει πυρούμενοι, καὶ φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ φαινόμενοι.  Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή Β', Δωροθεῳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 78. 181

Burning coals are from Him, 1 that is, manifestly the holy are from God. For since our God is a consuming fire, 2 they who in purity contemplate God are with good reason named coals, on whom he sets His fire, and they shine as lights in the world. 3 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 2, To Dorotheus the Monk 1 Ps 17.9 2 Hebr 12.29 3 cf Philipp 2.15

Grace And The Spirit

Haec est, delictissimi, praesentis diei gratia. Convicti sumus de repina, et quod solvere non posuimus, solvit pro nobis Christus. Facti sumus liberi, sed nondum amici; evasimus de praeterito, sed securi non fuimus de futuro, et quis iterum adversus justitiam ejus stare poterit, si charitas ejus nihil remittit, quis eum celare poterit, si charitas non operit? Hoc totum quod tam prolixe tractamus, considerans popheta David, paucis absolvit: Ante faciem, inquit, frigoris ejus, id est ante rigorem inflexibilis justitiae ejus cuncta, observantis ac imputantis, quis sustinebit? Emittes, inquit, verbum suum, id est Christum, et liquefaciet, id est solvet ea. Chrsitus enim omnia solvit, qui opera diaboli solvere venit: Flabit, inquit, spiritus ejus, sicut hodie, cum factus est de coelo sonus, tanquam adventientis spiritus, id est venti, vehementis: et quae solutae erant aquae per Verbum, fluent sine impedimento in vitam aeternam. Datur itaque per Spiritum sanctum gratia post justitiam; et servus qui dimissus est liber per Filium, efficitur hodie amicus per Spiritum. Hodie post justitiam de injuria acceptam, osculatur Dominus servura, imo amicus amicum osculo oris sui. Si enim Filius os Patris recte intelligitur, recte Spiritus osculum oris dicitur. Osculum ergo signaculum est in posterum dilectionis et charitatis. Charitatis enim diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis. Charitas omnia operit, nihil imputat, omnia portat, omnia excusat, omnia condonat. Septies in die cadit per seipsum justificatus per Christum; septies in die erigitur per Spiritum. Isaac, Cisterciensis Abbas, Sermo XLV In Die Pentecotes III Source: Migne PL 194. 1843

This is the grace of the present day, beloved. Convicted of theft and unable to release ourselves, Christ gives us release. We have been made free, then, but we are not yet friends. We have avoided the prison but we are not secure regarding the future, for who again will be able to stand against his justice if his charity he does not resend? Who will be able to hide us, if charity does not cover us? All this we have said with excessive words, which matter the prophet David considering with few resolved it, saying, 'Before the face of His cold,' 1 That is, the comprehensive rigor of His inflexible justice, whose observation and imputation, who can endure? Then he continues, 'You shall send forth your word,' that is, Christ, 'and He shall melt it,' that is, He shall provide release. Christ indeed gives release in all things, He who came to undo all the works of the devil. Then he says: 'He shall breathe out His Spirit,' as today, when came the sound from heaven, the loud coming of the Spirit, as a wind, and those things dissolved into water by the Word will flow without impediment into eternal life. Grace thus is given through the Holy Spirit after justice, and the released slave freed through the Son is today made a friend through the Spirit. Today after justice for a wound received, the Lord shall be kissed by those saved, for a friend is made a friend with the kiss of the mouth. Indeed if the Son is rightly understood as the mouth of the Father, rightly is the Spirit said to be the kiss of the mouth. The kiss is a sign that follows delight and love, and love is spread in our heart by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Love covers all things, imputes nothing, bears all, excuses all, suffers everything. Seven times a day he falls on account of himself who is justified by Christ, seven times a day he is lifted up by the Spirit. Isaac of Stella, from Sermon 45, For Pentecost III 1 Ps 147.17-18