A Certain Sight

Καὶ ἀφελῶ τὴν χεῖρα καὶ τὸτε ὅψει τὰ ὁπίσω μου· τὸ δὲ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ὀφθήσεται σοι. Ἡ μὲν προκόσμιος ὕπαρξίς τε και θειότης δηλοῦται διὰ τοῦ προσώπου· ἡ δὲ δημιουργία καὶ πρόνοια διὰ τῶν ὀπίσω. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Την Ἐξοδον Source: Migne PG 39.1116a

'I shall remove my hand and you shall see behind me, but my face you shall not see.' 1 The Divine nature which has existed from before the beginning of the world, is what 'face' indicates, and creation and providence is what 'behind' signifies. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Exodus, Fragment 1 Exod 33.23

The Good Of Misfortune

Nam cum tanta, quantam semper admiror, indole tua, ab ineunte adolescentia adhuc infirmo rationis atque lapsante vestigio humanam vitam errorum omnium plenissimam ingredereris; excepit te circumfluentia divitiarum, quae illam aetatem atque animum, quae pulchra et honesta videbantur avide sequentem, illecebrosis coeperat absorbere gurgitibus, nisi inde te fortunae illi flatus, qui putantur adversi, eripuissent pene mergentem. Si res secundae studio sapientiae obsint. An vero si edentem te munera ursorum et nunquam ibi antea visa spectacula civibus nostris, theatricus plausus semper prosperrimus accepisset; si stultorum hominum, quorum immensa turba est, conflatis et consentientibus vocibus ferreris ad coelum; si nemo tibi auderet esse inimicus; si municipales tabulae te non solum civium, sed etiam vicinorum patronum aere signarent; collocarentur statuae, influerent honores, adderentur etiam potestates, quae municipalem habitum supercrescerent; conviviis quotidianis mensae opimae struerentur; quod cuique esset necesse, quod cuiusque etiam deliciae sitirent, indubitanter peteret, indubitanter hauriret, multa etiam non petentibus funderentur; resque ipsa familiaris diligenter a tuis fideliterque administrata, idoneam se tantis sumptibus paratamque praeberet: tu interea viveres in aedificiorum exquisitissimis molibus, in nitore balnearum, in tesseris quas honestas non respuit, in venatibus, in conviviis, in ore clientium, in ore civium, in ore denique populorum humanissimus, liberalissimus, mundissimus, fortunatissimus, ut fuisti, iactareris: quisquam tibi, Romaniane, beatae alterius vitae, quae sola beata est, quisquam, quaeso, mentionem facere auderet? Quisquam tibi persuadere posset, non solum te felicem non esse; sed eo maxime miserum, quo tibi minime videreris? Nunc vero quam te breviter admonendum tot et tanta, quae pertulisti adversa fecerunt? Non enim tibi alienis exemplis persuadendum est quam fluxa et fragilia, et plena calamitatum sint omnia, quae bona mortales putant; cum ita ex aliqua parte bene expertus sis, ut ex te caeteris persuadere possimus.  Illud ergo, illud tuum, quo semper decora et honesta desiderasti; quo te liberalem magis quam divitem esse maluisti; quo nunquam concupisti esse potentior quam iustior, nunquam adversitatibus improbitatibusque cessisti: illud ipsum, inquam, quod in te divinum nescio quo vitae huius somno veternoque sopitum est, variis illis durisque iactationibus secreta providentia excitare decrevit. Evigila, evigila, oro te; multum, mihi crede, gratulaberis quod pene nullis prosperitatibus quibus tenentur incauti, mundi huius tibi dona blandita sunt: quae meipsum capere moliebantur quotidie ista cantantem, nisi me pectoris dolor ventosam professionem abicere et in philosophiae gremium confugere coegisset. Ipsa me nunc in otio, quod vehementer optavimus, nutrit ac fovet: ipsa me penitus ab illa superstitione, in quam te mecum praecipitem dederam, liberavit. Ipsa enim docet, et vere docet nihil omnino colendum esse, totumque contemni oportere, quidquid mortalibus oculis cernitur, quidquid ullus sensus attingit. Ipsa verissimum et secretissimum Deum perspicue se demonstraturam promittit, et iam iamque quasi per lucidas nubes ostentare dignatur. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, Contra Academicos, Liber I Source: Migne PL 32.906-097

With such great innate talent, as ever makes me wonder, from your earliest youth, when reason's progress is but weak and faltering, you entered into this human life abundant with every error.  An excess of riches flowed around you, which at that age of the soul which avidly follows what seems beautiful and good would have begun to overwhelm it by the floods of pleasure, unless it was then that the winds of fortune, which are thought adverse, snatched you away, just when you were on the point of sinking. But truly if in giving bear fights and spectacles never seen before by our cities, you were always received with the most abundant applause of the spectators, if you were borne off to the skies by the unanimous and united voices of foolish men, the crowd of which is very great, if no one ever dared to be your foe, if municipal tablets were to proclaim in bronze that you are a benefactor not only of your fellow citizens but also of the neighbouring peoples, if they raised up statues of you, poured out honours on you, and even added to the powers greater than is customary in municipal appointments, if every day your tables were sumptuously strewn with feasts, if any man might without worry ask of you whatever he needed, or his delicacy desired, and be assured of receiving it, and if many things were lavished even on those who did not seek them, if your estate itself, carefully and faithfully administered by your own people, were sufficiently capable and organized to meet such great expenses, and if meanwhile you yourself were to live in exquisite buildings in luxury, in shinning baths, amid dice-games honour does not forbid, and with hunting, and with feasting, if in the mouths of your dependents and your fellow citizens and all the people you were proclaimed as a most kind man, most generous, most elegant, and most fortunate, would anyone, Romanianus, I ask you, dare to make mention to you of another happiness which alone is happiness? Who would be able to persuade you, since it did not appear to you that it was so, that not only were you not happy but that you were especially wretched? Now, however, have you not been swiftly admonished concerning all such things by the many reverses that you have suffered? Indeed one need not persuade you with examples of others concerning how fleeting, unreliable, and full of calamities are all things which mortals think good, when by you we will able to persuade others. That part of you, then, by which you have ever desired the honourable and the good, by which you have preferred to be generous rather than wealthy, by which you have never desired to be more powerful but more just, by which you have never given yourself up to adversity or dishonesty, that which in you, I say, is Divine, which has somehow been lulled to sleep by the long dream of this life, Providence, by various hard blows, working in secret, has decided to rouse up in you. Wake up, wake up, I beg you. Believe me, you will be most joyful that this world had scarcely charmed you with its gifts, by which it lays hold of the unwary, which things strove to seize me, I who sang of them every  day, had not chest pains compelled me to give up my profession of windy rhetoric and flee to the lap of philosophy. She now nourishes and cherishes me in that leisure which we have so much desired. She has freed me entirely from that heresy into which I had cast you along with myself. For she teaches, and teaches truly, that nothing should be worshipped and that all such things should be spurned which are discerned by mortal eyes, or are the object of any sense-perception. She promises to make known clearly the true and hidden God and is indeed now on the very point of condescending to present Him as through shining clouds. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Against the Academics, from Book 1

A Warning To One Who Would Go Back

Τί σοι καὶ τῇ ὁδῷ Αἰγύπτου, πιεῖν ὕδωρ Γηών; πρὸς τὸν παλίνστροφον λαὸν ὁ προφήτης φησὶν, ἢ μᾶλλον δι' ἐκείνου Θεός. Τί σοὶ καὶ τῇ συγχύσει ἥς ἀπηλλάγης χειρὶ Θεοῦ κραταιᾷ και βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ; Τί τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀψάμενος, καὶ τῆς ἄκρας φιλοσοφίας γευσάμενος, εἰς κακίαν παλινοστεῖς, οὐκ ἔχων τὸ Γραφικὸν κατὰ νοὺν. Τὸν ἀποστρέφοντα ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν ἐτοιμάσει ὁ Κύριος εἰς ῥομφαίαν; Φυγε τὸν κλύδωνα, καὶ φύγε τὰ κύματα. Ἐπετίμησε Χριστὸς τῷ ἀνέμῳ. Οὐδείς σε χειμῶνος καταλήψεται πεῖρα, εἰ τὸν λιμένα κρατοίης Χριστόι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΙΕ', Ἠλιᾳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 78.260c

'Why do you go on the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Geon?'1 as the Prophet said to a fugitive people, or rather as God said through him. Why are you so confused that you would take yourself from the hand of God and the uplifted arm? Why after attaining to virtue and tasting the heights of philosophy, would you turn back to evil, not having that passage of Scripture in mind which says:'God has prepared a sword for him who turns from righteousness to sin'? 2 Flee the tempest, flee the waves. Christ commanded the wind. You would be in no danger from the storm if you held to the port of Christ. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 115, To Elias the Monk 1 Jer 2.18 LXX  2 cf Ezek 18.24

Hope And Liberation

Ὁ τὰ ἐνεστῶα θλιβερὰ προδοκίᾳ τῶν μεταγενεστέρων ἀγαθῶν προσδεχόμενος γνῶσιν ἀληθείας εὕρηκε, καὶ ὀργῆς καὶ λύπης ταχέως ἀπαλλαγήσεται. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source:  Migne PG 65.953d

He who is prepared for grievous troubles in the hope of goods to come has discovered the knowledge of truth, and he is swiftly delivered both from anger and sorrow. Saint Mark The Ascetic, from On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works

Wickedness And Judgement

θαυμάσαι πρόσωπον ἀσεβοῦς οὐ καλόν οὐδὲ ὅσιον ἐκκλίνειν τὸ δίκαιον ἐν κρίσει. Ὁ τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν τῷ διαβόλῳ κακίαν ἀποδεχόμενος, καὶ κατ' αὐτὴν ἐνεργῶν θεωρίᾳ καὶ λόγῳ, οὗτος θαυμάζει τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς· τὸ δίκαιον δὲ ἐν κρίσει, ἐν λόγῳ τε σωμάτων, οὐ καλὸν ἐκκλῖναι ὅσιον. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας  Source: Migne PG 17.204a

To admire the person of a godless man is not good, nor is it holy to fall from righteousness in judgement.1 He who by his own evil receives the devil into himself, thus thinking and pondering according to his rule, is the one who admires the person of the godless. It is not good for righteousness in judgement, nor the appraisal of corporeal things, to fall from holiness. Origen, On Proverbs, Fragment 1 Prov 18.5 LXX

Dealing With Anger

Rex. Utinam, pater, retribuere possim inimicis meis juxta impetum et desiderium irae meae : irasci possum et plusquam volo, sed retributionem in mea non habeo potestate ; ille qui omnia potest retribuat abundanter facientibus mihi superbiam et accipiat anima mea de illorum confusione laetitiam. Abbas. Illustrissime rex, proprium est hominis quandoque irasci, sed cavendum est ne ira convertatur in odium et peccatum, sicut scriptum est: Irascimini, et nolite peccare. Prohibet autem Deus ne cadat Sol super iracundiam vestram, et, ut hoc simpliciter exponamus, induret ira nostra a mane usque ad vesperum. Habeamus itaque in omnibus patientiam: si quis offenderit nos, personae peccatum habeamus odio, non personam; hoc enim perfectorum odium sive perfectum, sicut scriptum est: Perfecto odio oderam illos. Abjectis ergo maledictionibus reddamus maledicentibus et malefacientibus bona pro malis: habeamus exemplum in beato Stephano, qui pro persequutoribus suis oravit et obdormivit in Domino. Ille etiam, qui docet hominem scientiam, suo nos docet et informat exemplo, dum pro suis crucifixoribus orans, Pater, inquit, dimitte illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt. Si maledixerimus hominibus, maledictio convertetur in sinum nostrum, et ira quam habemus erga illum, qui Dei est imago, omnem nobis reddet iratum. Si quis, pater, multos haberet filios et aliquis illorum alium flagellaret in oculis patris, credo quod non irasceretur filio pater flagellato, sed potius flagellanti. Coelesti ergo patri reservemus omne judicium, nec faciamus malum aut oremus malum malefactoribus nostris, ne nobis fiat oratio nostra in peccatum. Petrus Blenensis, Dialogus Inter Regem Henricum II et Abbatem Bonaevallensem Source:  Migne PL 207.980a-d

King: That, father, I might return to my enemies according to the passion and desire of my anger. I am able to be angry and more I wish to do it, but in me I do not have the power to return it. That one who is able to do everything, may he return it abundantly to those who are proud before me and may my soul receive joy from their confounding. Abbot: Illustrious king, sometimes anger comes upon a man, but let us be wary lest we turn our anger into hate and sin, as it is written, 'Be angry and sin not.' 1 Indeed God prohibits us from letting the sun go down on our anger, 2 and if we may explain this simply, makes numb our anger from morning to night. So let us have patience in all things. If someone offends us, let us hate the sin of the person, but not the person, for this is the hatred of those who are perfect, or the perfect hatred, as it is written, 'With perfect hatred I have hated them.' 3 Therefore let a refusal to speak ill of those who speak ill of us be our return to those who speak ill of us and to evil doers let us return good for evil. Let us have an example in blessed Stephen, who prayed for his persecutors and slept in the Lord. 4 He who indeed teaches men wisdom 5 teaches and fashions us with His example, praying during his Crucifixion: 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' 6 If we curse men, the curse returns into our own laps, and the anger which we have against another, he who is an image of God, shall be returned to us. If there is a father of many sons, and one of them whips another before the eyes of his father, I believe that the father will not be angry with the one who is whipped but rather with the one who is doing the whipping. To our heavenly Father is reserved all judgement. Let us neither do evil to those who do evil to us, nor let us pray for evil to come to them, lest our prayer be accounted a sin. Peter of Blois, from a Dialogue Between King Henry the Second and the Abbot of Bonneval 1 Ps 4.5 2 Ephes 4.26 3 Ps 138.22 4 Acts 7.59 5 Ps 93.10 6 Lk 23.34

Mercy And Benvolence

Fidelis sermo: et de his volo te confirmare; ut solliciti sint ad effectum bonorum operum ii, qui crediderunt Deo. Haec sunt bona et utilia hominibus. Nihil tam apertum, quia misericordia atque humanitas bona ad praesens, et utilis in futurum; et hic enim habet laudem, et in judicii die coronam. Omnis enim Deo credens, misericordiae debet studere, per quam vivit. Ut in haec ergo esset sollicitus rector populi, admonetur. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Titum Source: Migne PL 17.503a-b

The saying is true, and in these things I wish to strengthen you, that they who believe in God be anxious for the doing of good works. Those things which are good and useful for men.  1  Nothing is so clear that mercy and benevolence are goods in the present and useful in the future; here it has praise and on the day of judgement a crown. For all who believe in God should be eager for mercy, by which mercy they live. Thus he admonishes him about these things that he be a vigilant guide of the people. Ambrosiaster, from the Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul To Titus 1 Titus 3.8

God And Righteousness

Dic mihi, quibus modis facit Deus justitiam cum sanctis suis? Respondit : Tribus : monstrat, ut sciant; persuadet, ut diligant; adjuvat, ut perficiant. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, De Veteri et Novo Testamento Quaestiones, Quaestio XVII Source:  Migne PL 83.203c

Tell me, in what ways does God make righteousness with his saints? Answer: In three ways. He reveals that they might know it, persuades that they might love it, aids that they might be perfected. Saint Isidore of Seville, Questions on the Old and New Testaments, Question 17

Thy Kingdom Come

Ἐλθέτω ἡ Βασιλεία σου. Ἴνα καταργηθῇ μὲν πᾶσα ἀρχὴ καὶ ἐξουσία καὶ δύναμις, ἔτι δὲ καὶ πᾶσα βασιλεία τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ ἡ βασιλεύουσα ἐν τοῖς θνητοῖς ἡμῶν σώμασιν ἁμαρτία· πάντων δὲ τούτων βασιλεύσῃ ὁ Θεός. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λουκαν Ἐπαγγελιον Source : Migne PG 17 353c

Thy kingdom come. 1 That is, that every rule and authority and power perish, and likewise every kingdom of the world, and the sin ruling over our mortal bodies, but that God rule over all these things. Origen,On the Gospel of Luke, Fragment 1 Lk 11.2

Striking And Healing

Quoniam quem tu percussisti persecuti sunt... Et forte non injuste, quem Deus percusserit, persecuti esse videantur. Ac de his, quae percussa a Deo sint, quid sentiri oporteat ante tractandum est: ut quatenus et haec percussio salutaris, et illa percussi persecutio impia sit, possit intelligi. Percussit Dominus Sodomam et Gomorrha ultimis sceleribus pollutas et abominatas: et invenio his ad misericordiae reconciliationem id quod percussae sunt profecisse; cum tolerabilius his in die judicii sit futurum, quam his civitatibus, in quibus de Apostolorum pedibus pulvis excussus sit. Percussam quoque synagogam Dathan et Abiron plaga dignissima cognitum est:  sed in animis eorum ea, quibus maxime peccaverant, sanctificata sunt opera. Et ne per singula quae sunt multa discurram, cum et Apostolus in interitum carnis ad salutem spiritus tradat; Dominus ipse quid percutiens proficiat ostendit dicens: Videte, videte quia ego sum, et non est Deus praeter me. Ego interimam, et ego vivificabo; percutiam, et ego sanabo: ut percutiendi causam proficisci ex causa sanationis ostenderet. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum LXVIII Source: Migne PL 9.483b-484a

Because him whom you have struck they have persecuted.. 1 And perhaps not unjustly the one whom God shall have struck shall seem to have been persecuted. But concerning those who are struck by God, one should consider beforehand how it should be grasped how much the strike is for the sake of salvation, and if it is a strike against the impious. The Lord struck Sodom and Gomorrah for the pollution and abomination of most wretched crimes; 2 and I find here that those struck may be helped toward the reconciliation of mercy when it is said that it will be more tolerable for them on the day of future judgement than these cities against which the feet of the Apostles have shaken off the dust. 3 And well known is the striking of the gathering of Dathan and Abiron, 4 but the actions against the souls of those who have gravely sinned are holy. And lest I discourse over each one of many strikes, when even the Apostle gives over to the destruction of the flesh for the spirit of salvation, 5 the Lord himself shows how striking profits, saying, 'See, see that I am and there is no God but me. I destroy and I give life, I strike and I heal' 6 that the cause of striking for benefit on account of healing be shown. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, Psalm 68 1 Ps 68.27 2 Gen 19.24 3 Mt 10.15 4 Num 16.32 5 1 Cor 5.5 6 Deut 32.39

Cleansing A Leper

Τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔσται παραλελυμένα. Διὰ τούτων αἰνίττεται μὴ δεῖν συγκρύπτειν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ σκεπάζειν αὐτὰ τὸν τὴν ψυχὴν λελεπρωμένον. Ὥσπερ τοῦ παραλελυμένου τὰ ἱμάτια οὖκ ἐσκέπασται ἡ ἀσχημοσύνη· οὕτως βούλεται πᾶσιν ἐκκεῖσθαι μὴ γενόμενον τάφον κεκονιαμένον. Τὸ δὲ γε περιβεβλῆσθαι τὸ στόμα, ἐστὶ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν παῥῥησίαν ἀνοίξαι τὸ στόμα· τὸ δὲ τῆς δὲ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐξηίχεσθαι, τὸ μηκέτι τοῖς τῶν ἁγίων αὐτὸν συναυλίζεσθαι χοροῖς. Καὶ σφάξουσι τὸ ὀρνίθιον τὸ ἓν εἰς ἀγγεῖον ὀστράκινον. Θύεται τὸ ὀρνίθιον εἰς ἀγγεῖον ὀστράκινον, προεμβληθέντος εἰς αὐτὸ ὕδατος ζῶντος, ἵνα γένηται ὁ καθαρισμὸς ὕδατι καὶ αἵματι, ἂπερ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ Σωτῆρος. Ξύλον δὲ κέδρινόν φησι τὸ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν ξύλον. Τὸ δὲ κεκλωσμένον κόκκινον τύπος ἧν τοῦ τιμίου αἵματος, δι' οὗ καθαίρεται ὁ κόσμος ὅλος. Οἴμαι δὲ τὸν ὕσσωτον, τὴν διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος θερμότητα· τὸ δὲ σπαρτίον τὸ κόκκινον τὴν σάρκα σύμβασιν τοῦ Λόγου δηλοῦν. Τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν πώγωνα ξυρηθήσεται. Ξυρᾶται τὴν κεφαλὴν, κατὰ τὰ κεφαλαιωδέστερα καὶ ἀρχικώτερα τῶν δογμάτων· κατὰ δὲ τὸν πώγωνα, ὅπερ σύμβολόν ἐστι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ἀποτιθέμενος τὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἁμαρτήματα· κατὰ δὲ τὰς ὀφρῦς. πᾶσαν οἴησιν, καὶ ἵν' οὕτως ὀνομάσω, ὀφρύωσιν ἀποτιθέμενος. Σύμβολον δέ φησι ταῦτα προσφύντα καὶ ἐξανθήσαντα τῇ ψυχῇ, νεκρότητος τρίχες ὀνομαζόμενα. Ὠριγένης, Εκλογαί Εἰς  ἐν τον Λευϊτικον Source: Migne PG 12.401d-404b

His garments shall be torn... 1 With this is indicated that sin should not be covered and that the leprous soul should not be hidden. As vestments torn do not cover ugliness, so he wishes leprosy to be revealed to all, that there not be a whitened tomb. And to have a cover around the mouth is not to have the freedom of opening the mouth. And to go out from the camp is not to be admitted to the gathering of the faithful. And one little bird shall be slain in an earthenware vase...2 The little bird is sacrificed in the earthenware pot in which has been poured living water, that there may be cleanliness by water and blood, which came out from the side of the Saviour. Then it names cedar wood as the wood of our salvation. And the twist of scarlet is a type of the precious blood by which the whole world is made clean. And I judge the hyssop to be the heat of the Spirit; but by the scarlet thread is signified the descent of the Word to the flesh His head and beard he shall shave...3 The shaved head concerns the principle teachings, the beard which is a symbol man, is removed with the sins of men, and the removal of the eyebrows is the casting down of arrogance. And so dead hair is the figure of these things which adhering to the soul bring forth evil. Origen, Fragment on Leviticus 1 Lev 13.43 2 Lev 14.5 3 Lev 14.9

Healing And Peace

Φησὶν Ἰερεμίας ὁ προφήτης ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς τὴν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις τραυματωθεῖσαν καὶ λεπρωθεῖσαν ψυχήν· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀνάγω συνούλωσιν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἴαμα, καὶ ἰατρεύσω αὐτὴν, καὶ φανερώσω αὐτοῖς εἰρήνην, καὶ πίστιν, καὶ οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ὦν ἥμαρτόν μοι. Τὸ, ἰδοὺ νῦν ἀνάγω συνούλωσιν, χρήσιμόν ἐστι παραληφθῆναι εἰς τὴν λέπραν ἐν τῳ Λευϊτικῷ γεγραμμένην. Οἶς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν συνούλωσιν ἀνάγει, καὶ οὕς ἰατρεύει, τούτοις καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην τῆς διανοίας, καὶ τὴν πίστιν τὴν ἀδίστακτον καὶ στερεμνίαν φανεροῖ. Οἱ τοίνυν συνουλωθέντες, δὴλον ὅτι τὸ τέλεον καθαρθέντες τὴν ψυχὴν, τὸ χάρισμα τῆς ἀπαθείας κομίζονται. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΔ' Καπιτωνι Διακονῳ Source: Migne PG 79.128c-d

Jeremiah the Prophet speaks out from the face of God about the wounds of errors and the leprous soul: 'Behold I shall draw off their scabs and bring a remedy and I shall heal them and I shall manifest to them peace and faith, and I shall not remember their sins which they have sinned against me.' 1 That is, I shall draw off their scabs that it might be convenient to deal with the leprosy which is described in Leviticus. 2 And with God drawing off the scabs and healing, there shall be given to them peace of thought and faith with no flaw of doubt, but manifested most firmly. By which, with scabs drawn off, they shall be revealed as perfectly purged in the soul and in receipt of imperturbability. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 104, To Capiton the Deacon 1 Jerem 33.6-8 2 Levit 13.14

Healing And Salvation

Succedit deinde in hoc puero post paralysis sanitatem curationi populi de monte descendentis, salus gentium. Jacebat enim puer dissolutus in domo humili, corruptibili, et ingressu ejus cujus tamen egens erat, Salvatoris indigna. Et tribunus scit puerum verbo posse sanarit quia salus gentium omnis ex fide est, et in praeceptis Domini vita est universorum. Igitur jacentes in saeculo, et peccatorum morbis dissolutae gentes existimandae sunt: omnibus undique artibus fluidis, et ad consistendi officium ingrediendique corruptis. Quarum salutis sacramentum in tribuni puero expletur, non tamen ingressuro domum Christo. Licet enim in saeculo demoratus sit, vitia tamen saeculi et peccata non adiit. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, In Evangelium Matthaei Commentarius, Cap VII Source: Migne PG 9.955b-c

Then after coming down from the mount there occurs the curing of the paralytic servant, 1 the salvation of the nations. For the servant was lying in a base and corrupted house and so unworthy of the entry of the Saviour of which he was so much in need. But the tribune knows that the servant will be healed by a word because the salvation of all the nations is by faith, and life for all peoples is found in the teaching of the Lord. Thus should the nations should be reckoned as those lying in the world and undone with the sickness of sin, all their limbs feeble and incapable of entering into and standing fast in what they should. The mystery of their salvation is fulfilled in the servant of the tribune, even though Christ does not go into the house. For although He sojourned in this world, He did not enter into worldly vices and sins.   Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7 1 Mt 8.5-6

Hope Of Escape

Περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου καὶ χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐξετάραξάν με ὠδῖνες ᾅδου περιεκύκλωσάν με προέφθασάν με παγίδες θανάτου καὶ ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαί με ἐπεκαλεσάμην τὸν Κύριον καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεόν μου ἐκέκραξα ἤκουσεν ἐκ ναοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ φωνῆς μου καὶ ἡ κραυγή μου ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ Διδάσκει διὰ τούτων τίνα τρόπον, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν χειμάῥῥων τῆς ἀνομίας ταρασσόμενος, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τὰ προειρημένα πάσχων, ᾔσθετο αὐτοῦ κινδυνεύοντος, ἐπὶ τὸν λιμένα τῆς ἑαυτοῠ σωτηρίας κατέφευγε. Διό φησιν· Ἐμ τῳ θλίβεσθαι ἐπεκαλεσάμεν τὸν Κύριον, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν μου ἐκέκραξα. Εἶτα διδάσκει, ὡς οὐκ ἠστόχησε τοῦ σκοποῦ τοιαῦτα πιστεύσας· ἡ γὰρ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. Διὸ ἐπιφέρει· Ἤκουσεν ἐκ ναοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ φωνῆς μου, καὶ ἡ κραυγή μου ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὰ ὦτᾳ αὐτοῦ. Ναὸν δὲ Θεοῦ ἐν τούτοις ποῐον χρὴ νοεῖν λέγεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ Δαυῐδ, μήπω τοῦ ἐν Ἰεροσολύμοις οἴκου κατεσκευασμένου, ἢ πάντως που τὴν ἐπουράνιον πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν ἄνὡ Ἱεροσαλὴμ, ἧς εἰκὼν ἐτύγχανεν ὁ επὶ τῆς γῆς κατεσκευασμένος νεώς; Εὐσέβιος ὁ Καισάρειος, Ὑπομνηματα Ἐις Τους ψαλμους, ψαλμος ΙΖ' Source:  Migne PG 23.168d-169a

All about me were the terrors of death, and the torrents of iniquity terrified me, the terrors of hell encircled me, and the snares of death rushed upon me, and in my distress I cried out to the Lord and to God I called, and He heard my voice from His holy temple and my cry entered into His ears. 1 By these things he teaches a certain way, that troubled by the torrents of iniquity, and other evils rushing grievously upon him, when he knows himself to be in utter peril, he has a place of refuge to which to fly. So he says, 'In my tribulation I cried out to the Lord and to my God I called.' Thus teaching that being faithful he has not been bewildered by such things, for 'hope does not confound'. 2 Therefore he continues: 'He heard my voice from His holy temple, and my cry entered into His ears.' And this temple of God which is invoked by David, how should it be understood, since the house in Jerusalem had not yet been built, but that it is the heavenly city of God, that supernal Jerusalem, of which the temple built on earth was an image? Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 17 1 Ps 17.5-7 2 Rom 5.5

Dead In Christ

Mens itaque bona , si rationi intendat: sed parum perfecta, nisi habeat gubernacula Christi. Venit enim Dominus Jesus, qui nostras passiones cruci suae affigeret, peccata donaret: in cujus morte justificati sumus, ut totus mundus ejus mundaretur sanguine. Denique in morte ipsius baptizati sumus. Si igitur in illius morte dimittuntur nobis peccata, etiam paccatorum nobis passiones in illius morte moriantur, illius crucis clavis affixae teneantur. Si in illius morte mortui sumus, quid iterum tanquam viventes ad ea quae sunt mundana revocamur? Quid nobis elementis hujus mundi? Quid cum cupiditatilius? Quid cum luxuria atque lascivia quibus cum Christo mortui sumus? Quod si simus in Christo mortui, in Christo resurreximus; cum Christo igitur versemur: cum Christo superiora quae sunt, non quae corruptibilia et terrena quaeramus. Christus resurgens, a mortuis veterem hominem affixum cruci reliquit, novum resuscitavit. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Jocob Et Vita Beata, Liber I, Caput V Source: Migne PL 14.606 b-c

Thus the mind is good if it is directed to reason, but it lacks perfection unless it has the guidance of Christ, The Lord Jesus came who nailed our passions to his cross, to forgive sin, in whose death we are justified, that the whole world might be cleansed with His blood. Then in His death we were baptised. If therefore in His death we are forgiven our sins, the passions for our sins in us die the death, being held with nails to his cross. And if in His death we have died, why again as ones living are we recalled to worldly things? What to us are the elements of the world? Why have we do to with base desires? What is luxury and lasciviousness to those who have died with Christ? For if we are dead in Christ, in Christ we have arisen, by which, therefore, we are turned to Christ, with Christ seeking things above, not things corruptible and mundane. 1 When Christ rose from the dead He left the old man nailed to the cross and lifted up the new man. Saint Ambrose, from On Jacob and the Good Life, Book 1, Chapter 5  1 Col 3.1-2

Confidence And The Resurrection

Certissima fiducia est Christianorum divinitus promissa resurrectio mortuorum. Hanc enim veritas repromisit; Veritas autem mentiri non potest. Vera est igitur de resurrectione corporum promissio veritas, quia Veritas quae mentiri non novit, totum necesse est impleat quod promisit. Hanc autem resurrectionem corporum, ut futuram certissime noverimus, ipse Dominus nobis in suo corpore dignatus est demonstrare. Resurrexit Christus, ut resurrecturum se non dubitet Christianus. Quod enim praecessit in capite, sequitur in corpore. Nosse autem debemus, dilectissimi fratres, duas esse mortes et duas resurrectiones. Dicitur enim mors prima, dicitur et secunda. Porro primae mortis duae sunt partes: una qua peccatrix anima per culpam descedit a Creatore suo, altera qua, judicante Deo, excluditur per poenam de corpore suo. Mors autem secunda ipsa est mors corporis et animae punitio sempiterna. Per mortem ergo primam, anima boni et mali hominis ad tempus a suo corpore separatur. Per mortem vero secundam, anima solius mali hominis in aeternum cum suo corpore cruciatur. Utraque ergo mors omnem hominem tenebat obstrictum, quia naturae transgressio unumquemque peccati propagine tenebat obnoxium. Venit autem Dei Filius immortalis et justus, et ut moreretur pro nobis, carnem mortalem suscepit ex nobis. In qua carne, quia nullum potuit habere peccatum, sine reatu pertulit peccati supplicium. Secundam itaque primae mortis partem, id est solius corporis mortem, Dei Filius pro nobis accepit, per quam a nobis et dominationem peccati, et poenam aeternae punitionis abstersit. Hoc ergo Christus nunc in mundo misericorditer operatur, his quos ad bene vivendum hortatur, donans fidem ut recte credant, tribuens charitatem ut bonis operibus libenter insistant. In novissimo vero die, ad hoc eos corpore resuscitare dignabitur, ut eis aeternam beatitudinem largiatur. Resuscitati ergo in anima per fidem, dilectissimi fratres, cum justitia vivamus, ut etiam corpore ad aeternam laetitiam resurgamus. Sentiemus primae resurrectionis munus quod nobis largitus est Christus, ut, cum, resurrexerimus corpore mereamus cum ipso Salvatore sine fine regnare, quando absorbebitur mors in victoriam et dabitur fidelibus vera vita veraque laetitia, cum idem omnipotens Deus pro meritis fideli, atque bonorum operum dabit suis fidelibus regna coelorum. Qui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen. Odilo Cluniacensis Abbas, Sermo V, De Resurrectione Domini Source: Migne PL 142. 1004b-1005a

Most certain is the confidence of Christians, Divine is the promise of the resurrection of the dead. For this the truth promised, and the Truth is not able to lie. True, therefore, is the promise of the truth concerning the resurrection of bodies; for because the truth does not know how to lie, completely necessary it is that He fulfill what He promised. Indeed this resurrection of the body, that we might know it most certainly will be in the future, the Lord Himself in his own body condescended to demonstrate. Christ rose, that the Christian not doubt his own resurrection. For what goes before in the head follows in the body. We should know, dear brothers, that there are two deaths and two resurrections. 1 For it is said that there is a first death and a second death. However the first death has two parts, one by which the sinful soul is by fault is cut off from its creator, and the other, when by the judgement of God it is shut out as a punishment from its body. The second death is the death of the body and the soul in eternal punishment. By the first death, then, the soul of the good and of the evil man is for a time separated from its body. By the second death, however, only the soul of the evil man along with his body is tormented in eternity. Both deaths, then, have been imposed on every man because by the transgression of nature all were seized by the propagation of sin. But then came the immortal and righteous Son of God, and that He might die for us He took up our mortal flesh. In which flesh, because He was not able to have sin, without guilt He underwent the punishment for sin. The second part of the first death, that is the death of the body alone, the Son of God accepted for us, by which he washed off from us the domination of sin and eternal punishment. Thus Christ in the world acted mercifully, exhorting men to the good life, giving faith that they might believe rightly, offering love that they freely take to good works. However on the last day He will give eternal blessedness to those who are worthy to be raised in the body. Therefore revived in soul by faith, dear brothers, in righteousness let us live, that even in the body we may rise to eternal joy. Let us know the gift of the first resurrection that Christ has given to us, that when we have risen, we merit in the body to rule without end with our Saviour, when death is swallowed up in victory, 2 when true life and joy is given to the faithful, when the same almighty God for the merits of the faithful, and good works, gives to them the kingdom of heaven. He who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God forever and ever. Amen. Saint Odo of Cluny, Sermon 5, On The Resurrection of the Lord 1 Apoc 20.6 2 1 Cor 15.54

Saving The Soul

Τὰ δὲ ἀκόλουθα τοῦ ψαλμοῦ· Σὺ δέ, Κύριε, μὴ μακρύνῃς τὴν βοήθειάν σου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· εἰς τὴν ἀντίληψίν μου πρόσχες· ῥῦσαι ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς κυνὸς τὴν μονογενῆ μου· σῶσόν με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου· ὁμοίως πάλιν διδασκαλία καὶ προαγγελία τῶν ὄντων αὐτῷ καὶ συμβαίνειν μελλόντων. μονογενὴς γὰρ ὅτι ἦν τῷ πατρὶ τῶν ὅλων οὗτος, ἰδίως ἐξ αὐτοῦ λόγος καὶ δύναμις γεγεννημένος, καὶ ὕστερον ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῆς παρθένου γενόμενος, ὡς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπομνημονευμάτων ἐμάθομεν, προεδήλωσα. Καὶ ὅτι σταυρωθεὶς ἀπέθανεν, ὁμοίως προεῖπε. Τὸ γὰρ Ῥῦσαι ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς κυνὸς τὴν μονογενῆ μου· σῶσόν με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου· ὁμοίως μηνύοντος δι' οὗ πάθους ἔμελλεν ἀποθνήσκειν, τοῦτ' ἔστι σταυροῦσθαι· τὸ γὰρ κεράτων μονοκερώτων ὅτι τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐστι μόνου, προεξηγησάμην ὑμῖν. Καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας καὶ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς κυνὸς αἰτεῖν αὐτὸν τὴν ψυχὴν σωθῆναι, ἵνα μηδεὶς κυριεύσῃ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ αἴτησις ἦν, ἵνα, ἡνίκα ἡμεῖς πρὸς τῇ ἐξόδῳ τοῦ βίου γινόμεθα, τὰ αὐτὰ αἰτῶμεν τὸν θεόν, τὸν δυνάμενον ἀποστρέψαι πάντα ἀναιδῆ πονηρὸν ἄγγελον μὴ λαβέσθαι ἡμῶν τῆς ψυχῆς. Καὶ ὅτι μένουσιν αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀπέδειξα ὑμῖν ἐκ τοῦ καὶ τὴν Σαμουὴλ ψυχὴν κληθῆναι ὑπὸ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου, ὡς ἠξίωσεν ὁ Σαούλ. Φαίνεται δὲ καὶ ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν οὕτως δικαίων καὶ προφητῶν ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν ἔπιπτον τῶν τοιούτων δυνάμεων, ὁποία δὴ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐγγαστριμύθῳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων ὁμολογεῖται. Ὅθεν καὶ οὗτος διδάσκει ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τὸ πάντως ἀγωνίζεσθαι δικαίους γίνεσθαι, καὶ πρὸς τῇ ἐξόδῳ αἰτεῖν μὴ ὑπὸ τοιαύτην τινὰ δύναμιν ὑποπεσεῖν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. καὶ γὰρ ἀποδιδοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ εἶπε· Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου, ὡς καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀπομνημονευμάτων καὶ τοῦτο ἔμαθον. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὸ ὑπερβάλλειν τὴν Φαρισαίων πολιτείαν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ συνωθῶν, εἰ δὲ μή γε, ἐπίστασθαι ὅτι οὐ σωθήσονται, ταῦτα εἰρηκέναι ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι γέγραπται· Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Καὶ ὅτι ἠπίστατο τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ πάντα παρέχειν αὐτῷ, ὡς ἠξίου, καὶ ἀνεγερεῖν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν θεὸν προέτρεπεν αἰνεῖν τὸν θεὸν διὰ τὸ ἐλεῆσαι καὶ διὰ τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ σταυρωθέντος τούτου πᾶν γένος τῶν πιστευόντων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ὅτι ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ ἔστη, τῶν ἀποστόλων, οἵτινες, μετὰ τὸ ἀναστῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ πεισθῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ παθεῖν ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ταῦτα αὐτὸν δεῖ παθεῖν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι προεκεκήρυκτο ταῦτα, μετενόησαν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀφίστασθαι αὐτοῦ ὅτε ἐσταυρώθη, καὶ μετ' αὐτῶν διάγων ὕμνησε τὸν θεόν, ὡς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι τῶν ἀποστόλων δηλοῦται γεγενημένον, τὰ λείποντα τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ἐδήλωσεν. Ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα· Διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε. οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον αἰνέσατε αὐτόν, ἅπαν τὸ σπέρμα Ἰακὼβ δοξάσατε αὐτόν, φοβηθήτωσαν αὐτὸν ἅπαν τὸ σπέρμα Ἰσραήλ.  Καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν μετωνομακέναι αὐτὸν Πέτρον ἕνα τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ γεγράφθαι ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασιν αὐτοῦ γεγενημένον καὶ τοῦτο, μετὰ τοῦ καὶ ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου ὄντας, ἐπωνομακέναι ὀνόματι τοῦ Βοανεργές, ὅ ἐστιν υἱοὶ βροντῆς, σημαντικὸν ἦν τοῦ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον εἶναι, δι' οὗ καὶ τὸ ἐπώνυμον Ἰακὼβ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπικληθέντι ἐδόθη καὶ τῷ Αὐσῇ ὄνομα Ἰησοῦς ἐπεκλήθη, δι' οὗ ὀνόματος καὶ εἰσήχθη εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην τοῖς πατριάρχαις γῆν ὁ περιλειφθεὶς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου ἐξελθόντων λαός. Καὶ ὅτι ὡς ἄστρον ἔμελλεν ἀνατέλλειν αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ γένους τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, Μωυσῆς παρεδήλωσεν οὕτως εἰπών· Ἀνατελεῖ ἄστρον ἐξ Ἰακὼβ καὶ ἡγούμενος ἐξ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἄλλη δὲ γραφή φησιν· Ἰδοὺ ἀνήρ, ἀνατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ. Ἀνατείλαντος οὖν καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἅμα τῷ γεννηθῆναι αὐτὸν ἀστέρος, ὡς γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ. οἱ ἀπὸ Ἀρραβίας μάγοι, ἐκ τούτου ἐπιγνόντες, παρεγένοντο καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος, Κεφ ΡΕ' , ΡϚ Source: Migne PG 6 720c-724c

Justin: ...And what follows in the Psalm: 'But you, O Lord, do not remove Your assistance from me; give heed to my help. Deliver my soul from the sword and my only-begotten from the hand of the dog; save me from the lion's mouth, and my humility from the horns of the unicorns,' 1 likewise again is teaching and prediction of the events which would befall Him. For I have already proved that He was the only-begotten of the Father of all things, being begotten from Him in a unique manner Word and Power, and afterwards becoming man through the Virgin, as we have learned from the Gospels. And that He would die by crucifixion is similarly foretold. For: 'Deliver my soul from the sword, and my only-begotten from the hand of the dog; save me from the lion's mouth, and my humility from the horns of the unicorns,' is indicative of the suffering by which He should die, that is, crucifixion. For the horns of the unicorns are a figure of the cross only, as I have already explained to you. And the prayer that His soul should be saved from the sword and the lion's mouth and the hand of the dog, was a prayer that no one should take possession of His soul, so that, when we arrive at the end of life we may ask the same things from God, who is able to turn away every shameless evil angel from the taking of our souls. And that souls survive I have shown to you from the calling up of the soul of Samuel by the witch, as Saul demanded. And it appears also that all the souls of the righteous and the Prophets fell under the dominion of such powers, as must indeed be admitted from the very deeds of the witch.Thus God teaches us by His Son to strive in every way to be righteous, and at death to pray that our souls may not fall under any such power. For giving up His spirit on the cross, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit,' 2 as I have learned also from the Gospels. For He exhorted His disciples to surpass the conduct of the Pharisees and if they did not they might be sure they would not be saved; and these things which were said are written in the Gospels: 'Unless your righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' 3 That He knew His Father would give to Him all that He asked, and would raise Him from the dead, and that He urged all who fear God to praise Him because He had mercy through the mystery of Him who was crucified on all the races of believing men, and that He stood in the midst of His brethren, the Apostles, after He rose from the dead, and after they were persuaded by Him that before His passion He had told them that He must suffer these things and that they were announced beforehand by the Prophets, and they repented their flight from Him when He was crucified, and when He was with them they sang praises to God, as is made clear in the Gospels of the Apostles, the rest of the Psalm declares: 'I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You that fear the Lord, praise Him; all the seed of Jacob, glorify Him. Let all the seed of Israel fear Him.' 4 And when it is said that He changed the name of Peter, one of the Apostles, and when it is written in the Gospels about Him that this so happened, as well as His changing of the names of another two brothers, the sons of Zebedee, to Boanerges, which means sons of thunder, this was an announcement that He was the one by whom Jacob was called Israel, and Oshea called Jesus, that is, Joshua, under whose name the people who survived of those that came from Egypt were conducted into the land promised to the patriarchs. And that like a star He should arise from the seed of Abraham, Moses disclosed, saying, 'A star shall arise from Jacob, and a leader from Israel.' 5 And another Scripture says, 'Behold a man; the East is His name.' 6 Thus when a star rose in heaven at the time of His birth, as is written in the Gospels of His Apostles, the Magi from Arabia, informed by this, came and worshipped Him. Saint Justin Martyr,  from The Dialogue With Trypho, Chapters 105-6 1 Ps 21.20-22 2 Lk 23.46 3 Mt 5.10  4 Ps 21.23-25 5 Num 24.17 6 Zech 6.12

Crowning With Honour

Τιμῇ ἐστεφάνωσας αὐτόν Ἐστεφάνωσε δὲ ἡμᾶς  δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ, δι' ὦν ὑπάρχων Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν ἠλάττωται δι' ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἂν ἡμεῖς ὑπὲρ φύσιν πλουτήσωμεν ἐν αὐτῷ. Συνήγειρε γὰρ ἡμᾶς καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ. Συνεδρεύοντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ, ἐφ' ὅλον τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν δραμεῖται τὸ καύχημα. Οὕτω γὰρ τῇ αὐτοῦ πτωχείᾳ πεπλουτήκαμεν, δι' οὔς καὶ δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφάνωται, καίτοι τῆς δόξης Κύριος ὤν ὡς Θεός. Ἂτιμοι γὰρ ἐν τῇ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ παραβάσει γεγενημένοι, ἐν τῇ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὑπακοῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεδοξάσμεθα. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Την Προς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν Source: Migne PG 74.964b

He has crowned him with honour. 1 He has crowned us with glory and honour, since by being God according to nature He lessened himself for us that we be made rich beyond our nature. 'For He has raised us up and made us sit in the heavens with Christ.' 2 And indeed this sitting with Him is a joy spread across the whole of human nature. For as we have been enriched by His poverty, so by that He is crowned with glory and honour, even as the Lord of glory, being God. For as we were disgraced by the transgression of Adam, so by the obedience of Christ we have been glorified. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, from the Commentary on The Letter to the Hebrews 1 Hebr 2.7 2 Ephes 2.6

Seeking The Risen

Descendisti quidem Filius hominis, nec Patri, cum descenderes, abfuisti: sed descendisti nobis; ut te oculis ac mentibus videremus, ut in te crederemus. Ergo et ascendisti nobis; ut et te sequeremur mentibus, quem oculis videre non possumus. Ascendisti apostolis, quibus dixisti: Qui me videt et Patrem. Denique Joannes ubi te quaereret, scivit. Apud Patrem quaesivit, et reperit, et ideo ait: Et Verbum erat apud Deum. Ascendisti et Paulo, qui non contentus solus te sequi, nos quoque docuit quemadmodum te sequamur, et ubi te reperire possimus, dicens: Si ergo consurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt, quaerite ubi Christus est ad dexteram Dei sedens. Et ne oculorum magis hoc quam animorum putaremus officium, addidit: Quae sursum sunt sapite, non quae super terram. Ergo non supra terram, nec in terram, nec secundum carnem te quaerere debemus, si volumus invenire; nunc enim secundum carnem jam non novimus Christum. Denique Stephanus non supra terra, quaesivit, qui stantem te ad dexteram Dei vidit: Maria autem quia quaerabat in terra, tangere non potuit. Stephanus tetigit, quia quaesivit in coelo; Stephanus inter Judaeos vidit absentem: Maria inter angelos non vidit praesentem. Sed quare non potuerit illa tangere, evangelista ipse nos docuit dicens, quia cum te videret, nesciebat quia tu es; sic enim habes: Conversa est retrorsum, et vidit Jesum stantem, et non sciebat quia Jesus est. Merito tangere non potuit, quae videre non potuerat; nam qui videt tangit. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, Liber X, Cap XXIV Source: Migne PL 15.1843d-1844b

You descended the Son of Man, not being separated from the Father when you descended, but you descended for us, that we see you with our eyes and minds, that we might believe in you. Thus you ascended for us, that we follow you with our minds, whom with eyes we are not able to see. You ascended for the Apostles to whom you said, 'He who sees me, sees the Father.' 1 John knew where he should seek you. With the Father he sought you, and he found you and so he said: 'And the Word was with God.' 2 You ascended for Paul, who was not content to follow you alone, but also taught us how we should follow and where we would be able to find you, saying, 'If therefore you have risen with Christ, seek things above, where Christ is at the right hand of the Father.' 3 And lest we think this is to be done more with eyes than with the soul, he adds: 'Know the things that are above, not the things that are below.' 4 Therefore not upon the earth, nor in the earth, nor according to the flesh should we seek you, if we wish to find you. For now we do not know Christ according to the flesh. Stephen did not seek upon the earth and he saw Him who stands at the right hand of the Father; 5 Mary Magdalen, however, because she sought on the earth, was not able to touch Him. 6 Stephen touched him, because he sought Him in heaven; Stephen among the Jews saw Him absent; Mary among the angels did not see Him present. And why was she not able to touch Him, the Evangelist has taught us, saying that when she saw you she did not know that it was you, for he writes: 'She turned behind her and saw Jesus standing, and she did not know that is was Jesus.' 7 With reason she was not able to touch what she was not able to see, for he who sees, he touches. Saint Ambrose, from the Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Luke, Book 10, Chap 24 1 Jn 14.9 2 Jn 1.1 3 Col 3.1 4 Col 3.2 5 Acts 7.55 6 Jn 29.17 7 Jn 29.1

The Day Before

Τὸ πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, πρὶν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπιφᾶναι τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Αἱ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ὀρνίθων ᾠδαὶ, ἐηηιζούσῃς μὲν ἔω. ἔτι δὲ σκιᾶς ὑπαρχούσης, γίνονται. Ἠλησιαζούσης τοίνυν τῆς ζωοφόρου ἀνατολῆς, ἡ τοῦ ὀρανίου φωνὴ κατήγορος τῆς ἀρνήσεως γέγονε, δηλοῦσα, καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς τῆς ἀρᾶς τὴν κατάλυσιν, καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς τῆς ζωῆς τὴν ἐπίφαυσιν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβίον Α', Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΝΖ' Σελευκῳ Source: Migne PG 78.386c

That time before, when the cock crowed, 1 was the day before the Resurrection shone forth. For likewise the songs of birds arise when the day nears but the darkness is still present. So with that rising which brings life nearing, the voice of the bird was one of condemnation of denial, but with the rising of the light of life the ruin of the night was dispelled. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 357, To Seleucus 1 Mt 26.74-75, Mk 14.53, Lk 22.54, Jn 18.12

The Day Of Death

In ipsa autem hac die manducaverunt; in ipsa autem et mortui sunt. Secundum autem circulum et cursum dierum, secundum quem alia quidem prima, alia autem secunda, alia tertia vocatur, si quis velit diligenter discere, qua die ex spetem diebus mortuus est Adam, inveniet ex Domini dsispositione. Recapitulans enim universum hominem in se ab initio usque ad finem, recapitulatus est et mortem ejus. Manifestum est itaque, quoniam in illa die mortem sustinuit Dominus, obediens Patri, in qua mortuus est Adam inobediens Deo. In qua autem mortuus est, in ipsa et manducavit. Dixit enim Deus: In qua die manducabitis ex eo, morte moriemini. Hunc itaque diem recapitulans in semetipsum Dominus, venit ad passionem pridiei ante sabbatum, quae est sexta conditionis dies, in qua homo plasmatus est; secundam plasmationem ei eam quae est a morte, per suam passionem donans. Sanctus Ireneaus Lugdunensis, Adversus Haereses, Lib V Caput XXIII Source: Migne PG 7.1185b-c

In this same day that they ate, in that they died. 1 But according to the cycle and progress of the days, after which one is termed first, another second, and another third, if anybody seeks diligently to learn what day out of the seven it was that Adam died, he will find it by examining the dispensation of the Lord. For by summing up in Himself the whole human race from the beginning to the end, He has also summed up its death. Thus it is clear that the Lord suffered death,  obedient to His Father, on that day on which Adam died in his disobedience to God. He died on the same day on which he ate. For God said, 'In that day on which you shall eat of it, you shall die the death.' 1 The Lord, therefore, recapitulating in Himself this day, underwent His sufferings upon the day before the Sabbath, which is the sixth day of the creation, on which day man was created, a second creation giving out of death by His passion.   Saint Ireneaus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book 5, Chapter 23 1 Gen 2.17

The Good Thief

Quoniam hesterno die de latrone fecimus mentionem videamus quis iste latro sit, qui in cruce Domino constituto non solum peccatorum suorum veniam consequitur, sed etiam paradisi amoenitate donatur: ut qui propter scelera damnatus fuerat ad poenam, propter fidem transferretur ad gloriam, fueritque illi crux, quam pertulit, non tam supplicii damnatio, quam salutis occasio. In cruce enim positus Dominum credidit crucifixum, et ideo qui consortio passionis utitur, consortio paradisi condonatur. Beatus enim latro, dum supplicium patitur, regnum coeleste consequitur. Ecce reus dicitur, sicut cui damnari ad tempus expedivit. Non enim perveniret ad gloriam, si non contradictus esset ad poenam. Videamus, inquam, cur tantorum criminum reus, tam cito a Salvatore paradisum promeretur; cum alii multorum temporum lacrymis frequentibusque jejuniis, vix delictorum suorum veniam consequantur. Magna, fratres, et multiplex causae est: primum, quod iste latro devotione fidei tam repente mutatus est, ut praesentem poenam despiceret, ac de futura veniam precaretur, et magis crederet utile sibi esse de aeterno judicio petere, quam de temporali supplicio postulare; reminiscens enim sclereum suorum, et poenitudinem gerens, plus incipit avere quod sperat, quam sentire patitur. Potuit enim, nisi de futuris amplius cogitasset, qui in Christum semel crediderat, de praesenti magis supplicio deprecari. Deinde illud ad gratiam ejus majoris est meriti, quod Christum in cruce postium credidit, et passio, quae aliis sandalum fecit, illi ad fidem profecit; crucis enim passio multis scandalum fuit, sicut dicit Apostolus: Nos autem praedicamus Christum crucifixum Judaeis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam. Recte ergo meretur paradisum, qui crucem Christi non putavit scandalum, sed virtutem; dicit enim idem Apostolus: Ipsis vocatis Judaeis Christum Dei virtutem, et Dei sapientiam. Recte plane et Dominus huic donat paradisum, quia quem Judas Scarioth in hortulo paradisi distraxerat, hic in crucis patibulo confitetur. Mira res: confitetur latro quem discipulus abnegavit; mira, inquam, res: latro honorificat patientem, quem Judas prodidit osculantem: ab hoc pacis blandimenta venduntur, ab illo crucis vulnera praedicantur; ait enim Memento mei, Domine, cum veneris in regnum tuum. Haec est fidei plena devotio, ut cum de vulneribus Domini profluus sanguis cernitur, tunc de potestate ejus venia postuletur; cum videtur ejus humilitatas, tunc magis teneatur ejus divinitas; cum morti addictus putatur, tunc regis illi honorificentia deferatur. Iste enim fidelis latro non credidit mortiturum, quem annunttiat  regnaturum; non putat subdenum inferis, quem dominaturum confitetur in caelo; non arbitratur eum apud tartarum detineri, a quo etiam se postulat liberari. Cernet licet ejus hianta vulnera; spectet ipsius sanguinem profluentem, Deum tamen credit, quem reum nescit; justum fatetur, quem non meminit peccatorem: ait enim illi alteri exprobranti latroni: Nos quidem recte digna factis recipimus; hic autem nihil mali gessit. Intellexit enim, quod pro alienis peccatis has plagas susciperet, pro alienis sceleribus haec vulnera sustineret; et scivit, quod illa in corpore Christi vulnera, non essent Christi vulnera, sed latronis; atque ideo plus amare coepit, postquam in corpore ejus sua vulnera recognovit. Ait enim propheta: Quoniam ipse infirmitates nostras portat, et pro nobis dolet; nos autem existimabamus eum esse in dolore, livore ejus sanati summus. Plus ergo in cruce positus livorem ejus cernens, latro diligit Deum: mira res: plus in cruce latro Christum diligit, quam Judas dilexit in coena, ille per cibum supplantat Magistrum; hic credidit Dominum per dolorem, sicut ait propheta: Qui edebat panes meos adampliacit adversum me supplantationem. Cognovit igitur hic latro omnem Domini passionem ex ipsius fieri voluntate, et in potestate ejus esse vel morti animam tradere, vel ad vitam iterum remeare, sicut ipse Dominus ait: Postestatem habeo ponendi animam meam, et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam. Usque adeo autem illum liberum ab inferni legibus judicavit, ut etiam se ab iis posceret liberari. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia LI De Sancto Latrone I Source: Migne PL 57.343b-346a

Because yesterday we made mention of the thief, let us see who this thief is, he who was placed on the cross with the Lord, and not only received forgiveness for his own sins, but was even given the delight of paradise, so that he who on account of sins was condemned to punishment on account of faith was transported to glory, and his cross which he bore was not only a punishment of torment but an occasion of salvation. Placed on the cross He believed in our Lord crucified and therefore as an associate in His passion it was given to him to be an associate in paradise. Indeed the thief was blessed while he suffered punishment, whence paradise followed. See that he is named guilty and so it profits him for a time to be condemned. He would not have come to glory if he had disputed his punishment. Let us see, I say, why, though guilty of so many crimes, he was so swiftly promised paradise by the Saviour, when others who spend a very long time amid many tears in fasting scarcely gain forgiveness for theirs. A great thing it is, brothers, and many are the reasons. First, that this thief with the devotion of faith was suddenly transformed, so that he despised present punishment and entreated future forgiveness, and thought it more useful for himself to entreat concerning the eternal judgement than to ask concerning temporal punishment, for recalling his own crimes and being penitent, the more he began to desire what he hoped than to feel what he suffered. For how was he able, unless he had greater thought of the future, he who had come to believe in Christ, otherwise to dismiss present punishments? Thus he merits to be more pleasing who placed on the cross believed in Christ, the suffering, which is a scandal to others, rather advancing him to faith. For the suffering of the cross was a scandal to many, as the Apostle says: 'For we preach Christ crucified, a scandal to the Jews, foolishness to the Gentiles.' 1 Rightly, therefore, he deserved paradise who did not think the cross of Christ a scandal but a power, for the same Apostle says, ''To Jews who have been called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.' 2 And rightly did the Lord grant him paradise, because He whom Judas Iscariot gave away in the garden, he confesses on the gibbet of the cross. A wondrous thing: the thief confessed Him whom the disciple denied; a wondrous thing, I say, that the thief gave honor to Him who suffered, whom Judas betrayed with a kiss. By the latter the delights of peace are sold, by the former the wounds of the cross are preached; for he says, 'Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom.' 3 This is a deep and devout faith, that when the blood flowing from the wounds of the Lord is seen, that then the forgiveness of His power is asked, that when His humility appears, that then His Divinity is grasped more greatly, that when He is thought to be snared by death, that then He is honoured as a king. This faithful thief did not believe that He would die whom he announced would reign, he did not think He would be subdued by hell whom he confessed would rule in heaven, he did not judge Him as one who would be held by Tartarus whom he asked to be liberated. He sees His open wounds, he gazes at His flowing blood, yet he believed Him God who did not know guilt. He names Him righteous whom he did not hold a sinner, for He says to the other thief, he who was abusive: 'We rightly receive what we do for our deeds, this one has done no evil.' 1 For he understood that for the sins of others He received His blows, and for the crimes of others He sustained His wounds, and he knew that those wounds on the body of Christ were not the wounds of Christ, but of the thief, and so the more he began to love Him after he recognised his own wounds on His body. For the Prophet says, 'Because he bore our infirmities and suffered for us, we judged him to be one condemned, but by his bruises we were healed.' 5 Thus the more the thief on the cross looked at his bruises, the more he loved God. Another wonderful thing, the thief loved Christ on the cross more than Judas loved him at the supper, that one who by bread betrayed Him. He believed the Lord in suffering, as the Prophet said, 'He who ate my bread rises up against me to overthrow me.' 6 Therefore the thief knows all the suffering of the Lord is on account of His own will, and in His power it is if He gives His soul to death and that He has power to take it up again. 7 He even judged Him able to free Himself from the laws of hell, whence he asked Him to free from him them. Saint Maximus of Turin, Homily 51, On The Good Thief 1 1 Cor 1.23 2 1 Cor 1.24 3 Lk 23.42 4 Lk 23.41 5 Isaiah 53.4-5 6 Ps 40.10 7 Jn 10.18