Achieving Goodness

᾿Ασφάλισαι λόγον ἀπὸ καυχήσεως, καὶ λογισμὸν ἀπὸ οἰήσεως, ἵνα μὴ παραχωρηθεὶς πράξῃς τὰ ἐναντία. Οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἀνθρώπου μόνον τελεσιουργεΐται τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ παντεπόπτου Θεοῦ. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65.957b

Keep the tongue secure from boasting, and keep thought from mere opinion, lest after you act quite differently. For the good is not achieved by man alone, but by the all seeing God. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works

Bringing Into Being

Εἰ τα μὴ ὄντα ποιεῖ γενέσθαι Θεὸς, καὶ τοῖς μηδαμοῦ μηδαμῶς φαινομένοις χαρίζεται τὸ εἴναι, πολλῷ μᾰλλον τὰ ὄντα ἀνορθώσασθαι δύναται. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΣΛϚ’ Σοφιανῳ Σκολαριῳ Source: Migne PG 79.169c

If God brings into being what is not, 1 and grants being to those things which appear to be nothing at all, how much more is He able to raise up the things which are? Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 236 to Sophianus the Scholarius 1 Rom 4.17

Healing The Paralytic

Et venerunt ad eum ferentes paralyticum, qui a quatuor portabatur. Curatio paralytici hujus salvationem designat animae post diuturnam illecebrae carnalis inertiam ad Christum suspirantis, quae primo omnium ministris qui eam sublevent et Christo afferant, id est bonis doctoribus qui spem sanationis opemque intercessionis suggerant, indiget. Qui bene quatuor fuisse referuntur, sive quia quatuor sancti Evangelii libris omnis praedicantium virtus, omnis sermo firmatur, seu quia quatuor sunt virtutes quibus ad promerendam sospitatem fiducia mentis erigitur. De quibus in aeternae sapientiae laude dicitur: Sobrietatem enim et sapientiam docet et justitiam et virtutem, quibus utilius nihil est in vita hominibus. Quas nonnulli diversis nominibus prudentiam, fortitudinem, temperantiam et justitiam nuncupant. Sanctus Beda, In Marci Evangelium Expositio, Caput II Source: Migne PL 92.146e-146d

'And they came to Him bearing a paralytic, who was carried by four men' 1 The curing of this paralytic signifies the soul's salvation in its desire for Christ after long torpor amid carnal snares, which first of all requires helpers to lift up the soul and carry it to Christ, that is, good teachers who counsel hope of healing and intercessory work for the one who is infirm. And these are well said to be four, either referring to the four Gospels, in which is the preaching of all virtue and every word of which strengthens, or the four virtues by which the confidence of the mind is raised to hope of gaining healing. Concerning which it is said in praise of eternal wisdom, 'It teaches sobriety and wisdom and righteousness and virtue,' 2 and there is nothing more useful in human life than these, which not a few speak of under the alternative names of prudence and fortitude and temperance and righteousness. Saint Bede, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 2 1 Mk 2.3 2 Wisdom 8.7

Finding Faith

Pulchre admones, frater, ut epistolares fabulas, et sermonem absentium ad interpretationem conferamus oraculi coelestis, interrogans me quid significet illud didrachmum, cujus dimidium Hebraeus praecipitur offerre pro redemptione animae suae. Quid enim tam consociabile, quam de divinis rebus sermonem contexere? Est autem dimidium didrachmi, drachma; redemplio autem animae, fides: fides ergo drachma, quam illa mulier in Evangelio, ut legimus, amissam diligenter requirit, lucernam accendens, et mundans domum suam: et si invenerit, convocat amicas et vicinas, petens contragulari eas secum, quod invenerit drachmam quam perdiderat. Magnum enim damnum animae, si quis fidem amiserit, vel gratiam, quam fidei pretio acquisivit sibi. Et tu ergo accende lucernam tuam: Lacerna tua oculus tuus est, ille scilicet interior oculus mentis. Istam lucernam accende, quae accipit oleum spiritale, et lucet in toto domo tua. Quaere drachmam redemptionem animae tuae, quam qui amiserit, turbatur: qui invenerit, exsultat. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Epistula VII, Justo Source: Migne PL 16.16.943c-944a

You exhort well, brother, in your asking about the meaning of the half shekel which the Hebrew is directed to offer for the redemption of his soul, 1 so that while we apart from each other the intent of our letters and our speech should be of the understanding of the heavenly oracles. What indeed can be so fitting but to steep our words in Divine things? Now the half of the shekel is a piece of silver, and faith is the redemption of the soul. Faith, therefore, is that piece of silver which that woman in the Gospel, as we read, lost and diligently sought, lighting a lamp and sweeping the house, and if she finds it she calls together her friends and neighbours, telling them to rejoice with her because she has found the piece of silver which she had lost. 2 Great is the loss to the soul if a man should lose his faith, or that grace by which he obtained for himself the prize of faith. You, then, light your lamp. Your lamp is your eye, 3 that is, the inward eye of the mind. Light this lamp, which is fed by spiritual oil and gives light to your whole house. Seek the piece of silver that is your soul's redemption, for he that loses it is troubled, and he that finds it rejoices. Saint Ambrose, from Letter 7, to Justus 1 Exod 30.12 -15 2 Lk 15.8-9 3 Mt 6.22

Eating Honey

Φάγε μέλι υἱέ ἀγαθὸν γὰρ κηρίον ἵνα γλυκανθῇ σου ὁ φάρυγξ. Oὕτως αἰσθήσῃ σοφίαν τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου καὶ ἐλπίς σε οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει. Ἐσθίει μέλι ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ὠφελούμενος· ὁ δὲ ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἐκβάλλων τῶν πραγμάτων τοὺς λόγους, ἀφʼ ὧν εἰλήφασιν ἅγιοι προφῆται καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν, τρώγει κηρίον· καὶ τὸ μὲν μέλι φαγεῖν, τοῦ βουλομένου παντός· τὸ δὲ κηρίον, μόνου τοῦ καθαροῦ· ἢ καὶ μέλι ῥητέον τὴν ἀλληγορίαν· κηρίον δὲ, τὴν ῥητὴν ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ ἱστορίαν, πρὸς τὸ ἔχειν τὸν ἀποκεκρυμμένον νοῦν καὶ βαθύτερον, ἔνεστι γὰρ τῷ κηρίῳ μέλι· φάρυγγα δὲ τὴν θρεπτικὴν τῆς ψυχῆς δύναμιν, δι' ἧς αἱ τροφαὶ παραπέμπονται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν· ἐὰν οὖν ταῦτα κατορθώσῃς, τά τε κατὰ διάνοιαν, καὶ τὰ καθ' ἱστορίαν, ἔσονταί σοι αἰσθήσει τῆς σοφίας αὐτὰ τὰ σοφὰ δόγματα· ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς τὸν πνευματικὸν τῆς Γραφῆς νοῦν, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου, ὡς λεχθῆναι· Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ· οὐκ ἀποβαλεῖς δὲ τὴν εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐλπίδα. Μὴ προτιμήσῃς τὸν διάβολον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης, ἢν οἱ δίκαιοι νομεύονται· μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς μωρολογίαις θανατηφόροις χορτάσαι σου τὴν καρδίαν σου, ὅ ἐστι κοιλία. Μὴ ἕνεκεν ἡδονῆς προδῷς τὸν Θεόν· οὗτος γὰρ νομὴ δικαίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλείψῃ σε. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας, Κεφαλή KΔ´ Source: Migne PG 17.228a-c

Eat honey, my son, for it is good and the comb is most sweet in your throat. So is wise teaching to your soul, which when you find it, you shall have hope at the end, and your hope shall not perish. 1 He eats honey who is improved by the Divine Scriptures. And he who draws out from the account of things, derived from the holy prophets and the Apostles, he eats the comb in teaching and doing. To eat honey is more pleasing, but the comb is only for the pure. The honey is spoken of allegorically. So the comb is what we name speculation and investigation, which grasps the more hidden and deeper sense, and in the comb is the honey. The throat is the digestive faculty of the soul by which power food is sent to the stomach. If, then, you are rightly established in these things, things of understanding and investigation, you shall you grasp the wisdom of wise teaching. For if you find the spiritual understanding of Scripture, even your death will be a beautiful thing, as it says: 'Precious in the sight of God is the death of his holy ones.' 2 You shall not have lost hope for the future. Do not prefer the devil to the righteousness of God which feeds the righteous. Nor be deceived, that you fill your heart, which is like a stomach, with foolish and fatal teachings. Do not on account of pleasure be a traitor to God. He feeds the righteous and He shall not abandon you. Origen, On Proverbs, Chapter 24 1 Prov 24.13-14 2 Ps 115.15

Fixing The Heart

Serenus: Periculosae praesumptionis est, necdum rebus recte discussis, nec certe ratione collecta, de natura cujuslibet rei proponere, definire, ac de fragilitatis suae consideratione capere conjecturam, nec de statu et qualitate ipsius disciplinae vel de aliorum experientia proferre sententiam. Nec enim si quis ignarus natandi, sciens pondus corporis sui ferre aquarum liquorem non posse, experimento suae voluerit imperitiae definire neminem penitus posse liquidis elementis solida carne circumdatum sustineri, idcirco vera eius opinio iudicanda est, quam secundum experientiam suam visus est protulisse, cum hoc non solum non esse impossibile, sed etiam perfacile ab aliis fieri, ratione certissima et oculorum fide non dubia comprobetur. Νοῦς itaque, id est, mens, ἀεὶκινητὸς, καὶ πολὺκινητὸς, id est, semper mobilis, et multum mobilis definitur. Quod etiam in sapientia, quae dicitur Salomonis, scriptum est, Γηίνον οἴκημα βαρύνει νοῦν πολὺ φροντίζοντα, id est, Terrenum habitaculum aggravat mentem multa cogitantem. Haec igitur pro conditione naturae numquam potest otiosa consistere, sed necesse est eam, nisi provisum habuerit ubi suos exerceat motus, et in quibus iugiter occupetur, propria mobilitate discurrere, et per omnia volitare, donec longo exercitio, usuque assuefacta diuturno, quod vos incassum dicitis laborare, experiatur et discat quas memoriae suae materias debeat praeparare, erga quas circumagat indefessos volatus, et immorando robur acquirat, et ita praevaleat adversas inimici suggestiones, quibus distrahebatur, extrudere, atque in illo quem desiderat statu et qualitate durare. Non ergo hanc evagationem cordis nostri vel naturae humanae, vel Deo creatori eius, debemus ascribere. Vera est enim Scripturae sententia, quia Dominus hominem fecit rectum, et ipsi quaesierunt cogitationes malas. A nobis ergo earum qualitas pendet. Quia cogitatio bona, inquit, scientibus eam appropinquat, vir autem prudens inveniet eam. Quidquid autem ut inveniri possit nostrae prudentiae industriaeque subiectum est, si non fuerit inventum, sine dubio nostrae desidiae vel imprudentiae, non naturae vitio reputandum est. Cui sensui Psalmista quoque congruit, dicens: Beatus vir cuius est auxilium abs te, Domine, ascensiones in corde suo disposuit. Videtis ergo in nostra ditione consistere, ut sive ascensus, id est, pertingentes ad Deum cogitationes, sive descensus, ad terrena scilicet et carnalia corruentes, in nostris cordibus disponamus. Quae si non in nostra potestate consisterent, nec Pharisaeos Dominus increpasset: Quid cogitatis mala in cordibus vestris? Nec per prophetam praecepisset, dicens: Auferte malum cogitationum vestrarum ab oculis meis. Et: Usquequo morabuntur in te cogitationes noxiae? Nec in die iudicii earum qualitas, quemadmodum operum exigetur a nobis, ita per Isaiam Domino comminante, Ecce ego, inquit, venio ut congregem opera et cogitationes eorum cum omnibus gentibus et linguis. Sed nec condemnari quidem earum testimonio vel defendi in illo terribili atque metuendo examine, secundum beati Apostoli sententiam, meremur, ita dicentis, Inter se invicem cogitationibus accusantibus, aut etiam defendentibus, in die qua iudicabit Deus occulta hominum, secundum Evangelium meum. Sanctus Ioannes Cassianus, Collationes, Collatio VII, De Animae Mobilitate et Spiritalibus Nequitiis, Caput IV, Disputatio Senis de Statu Animae ac Virtute ejus Source: Migne PL 49.671c-673a

Serenus: It is dangerous presumption when things are not yet rightly discussed nor grasped with certain reason regarding the nature of whatever is proposed, to define it, and amid our own fragility, to make conjectures, without bringing forward the judgement of the state and quality of the practice itself and the experience of others. For if someone ignorant of swimming knew that the weight of his body could not be supported by water and he wished from the proof his inexperience provided to assert that no one composed of solid flesh could possibly be supported by the liquid element, we should not therefore judge his opinion to be true, which he seems to have put forward in accordance with his own experience, since it can be shown to be not merely possible but even extremely easily done by others, with the clearest proof and ocular demonstration allowing no doubt. Thus the νοῦς, that is, the mind, is defined as ἀεικίνητος καὶ πολυκίνητος, that is, ever shifting and shifting much. And indeed in the wisdom that is called Solomon's it has been written, καὶ γεῶδες σκῆνος βρίθει νοῦν πολυφρόντιδα, that is, 'And the earthly tabernacle weighs down the mind that thinks on many things.' 1 The mind, then, in accordance with its nature can never be idle, and unless provision is made for it to exercise its motions in what will continually occupy it, it must because of its restlessness wander and stray over all kinds of things, until accustomed by long practice and daily use, where you say that you have toiled without result, it attempts and learns what food for the memory it should prepare that will bring it back from its ceaseless fluttering about and give it strength to be still, which thus may succeed in driving away the hostile suggestion of the enemy by which it is distracted and drawn away from that state and condition it desires. We should not, therefore, ascribe this wandering inclination of our heart either to human nature or to God its Creator, for it is a true statement of Scripture, that 'God made man upright, and they have sought out many evil thoughts.' 2 Thus the quality of these thoughts depends on us, for it has been said that a good thought comes near to those that know it, but a prudent man will find it. For where anything is subject to our prudence and diligence so that it can be found, if it is not found we must attribute that to our own idleness or carelessness and not to a fault of our nature. The Psalmist also agrees with this understanding, saying, 'Blessed the man whose help is from you, in his heart he has disposed ascents.' 3 You see, therefore, that it is in our power to dispose our hearts either to ascents, that is, thoughts for God, or to descents, that is, thoughts that sink to carnal and earthly things. And if this was not in our power the Lord would not have rebuked the Pharisees with, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?' Nor would He have commanded the prophet, saying, 'Take away the evil of your thoughts from my eyes,' and 'How long shall wicked thoughts remain in you?' Nor would the character of them as our works be taken into consideration on the day of judgment, as the Lord admonishes us through Isaiah, 'Behold, I come that I may gather together their works and thoughts with all peoples and tongues.' 4 Nor would it be right that we should be condemned or acquitted by their evidence in that terrible and dreadful examination. As the blessed Apostle says, 'Their thoughts between themselves accusing or defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the hidden things of men according to my Gospel.' 5 Saint John Cassian, Conferences, Conference 7, On Instability of Mind and Spiritual Wickedness, Chapter 4, A Discourse of the Elder on the State of the Soul and its Excellence 1 Wisdom 9.15 2 Eccl 7.30 3 Ps 83.6 4 Mt 9.4, Isaiah 1.16, Jerem 4.14 ,Isaiah 66.18 5 Rom 2.15-16

Study Wisdom

Ad sapientiae studiosam acquisitionem; Proverbiorum vigesimo septimo: Stude sapientie, fili mi. Filium vocat, quemcumque paterna affectione informat, sive sit iuvenis, sive senex. Augustinus: Ad discendum quod opus est nulla mihi aetas sera videri potest; quia, etsi senes magis docere deceat quam doceri, magis tamen decet eos discere, quam quid doceant ignorare. Stude, inquit, et hoc innuit vehementem diligentiam circa acquisitionem sapientiae adhibendam. Studium enim, ut dicit Tullis, est vehemens applicatio animi cum summa voluptate ad aliquid agendum. Haec autem vehemens animi applicatio requirit vacationem ab exterioribus occupationibus. Impar enim efficitur ad singula qui confusa mente dividitur ad multa, ut dicit Gergorius. Propter quod Ecclesiastici trigesimo octavo: Sapientiam scribe in tempore vacuitatus, id est vacationis ab opere exteriori; qui enim minoratur actu, scilicet exteriori, percipiet sapientiam, ut dicitur in eodem. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Librum Sapientiae, Prooemium Source: Here, 358c

Concerning the studious acquisition of wisdom, it is said in the twenty seventh chapter of Proverbs, 'Study wisdom, my son.' 1 He names him a son whoever he shapes with fatherly love, whether he is a youth or an old man. Augustine says: 'It does not seem to me that old age should be an obstacle to learning, because even if it befits the old to teach rather than to be taught, yet it is more befitting to learn something than to be ignorant of what one should teach.' 2 'Study,' it says here, and this signifies attachment to a concentrated desire for the acquisition of wisdom. For as Cicero says, 'Studiousness is the concentrated application of the soul with great pleasure for the accomplishment of something.' 3 But this concentrated application of the soul requires leisure from exterior occupations, since flaws come into each thing when a confused mind is divided among many things, as Gregory says. 4 About which it says in the thirty eighth chapter of Ecclesiasticus: 'Write wisdom in a time of quiet.' 5 That is, when one has leisure from exterior work. And in the same place: 'For he who is less in deeds,' that is exterior ones, 'acquires wisdom.' Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On Wisdom, Introduction 1 Prov 27.11 2 Aug Epist 166.1 3 Circero Rhet 1.25 4 Greg Reg Past 1.4 5 Sirach 38.25

Questions And Deeds

Quis est autem iste... Tam magnus, de quo ego talia audio? Quaerit philosophari, et esse bonus. Non est enim quaerendum quis erat, sed cum Nathanaele accedendum et experiendum, ut sic sequeretur vestigia ipsius. Psal xxxiii: Accedite ad eum, et illuminamini: et facies vestrae non confundentur. Sed iste in sola ratione inquisitionis stare voluit, et non exercere opera, simile quid faciens istis, de quibus dicit Aristoteles in libro IV Ethicorum: Ad rationem confugientes, quaerunt philosophari et esse boni. Simile aliquid faciens infirmis, qui medicos quidem audiunt studiose, faciunt autem operandorum nihil. Et quemadmodum isti numquam bene habebunt corpus sic curati, ita nec illi bene habebunt animam sic philosophantes. Quid enim valet bona audire, et non facere? Jacob i: Qui auditor est verbi el non factor, comparabitur viro consideranti vultum nativitatis suae in speculo; consideravit enim se, et abiit, et statim oblitus est qualis fuerit. Sanctus Albertus Magnus Commentarium In Evangelium Lucam, Caput IX Source: Here p616

'Who is this...' 1 Is He so great 'concerning whom I hear such things?' he asks for his philosophising and to be good. But it must not be asked who He was, but with Nathanael one must draw near and one must experience 2 if one would follow in His way. In the thirty third Psalm, 'Come to Him and be enlightened and your faces shall not be confounded.' 3 But Herod who wished only to stand in the reason of questioning and not to exert himself in works is like the one of whom Aristotle speaks in the fourth book of his Ethics, 'Flying to reason they seek to philosophise and be good.' 4 He is similar to a sick man who carefully listens to physicians and then does nothing of what is prescribed. And as they will never have a body that is healthy, so they who philosophise in such a way shall never have a healthy soul. What good does it do to listen and not act? In the first chapter of the letter of James, 'He who hears the Word and does not do it shall be like a man who considers his own face in a mirror, and having considered it he goes away and instantly forgets what sort of man he was.' 5 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Luke, Chapter 9 1 Lk 9.9 2 Jn 1.45-51 3 Ps 33.6 4 Aris Nic Eth 1105b 10-18 5 James 1.23-24

A Threefold Sorrow

Triformis est sanctorum dolor, quia distant de paradiso, quia detinentur in exsilio, qui differuntur a regno. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber V, Tit LXXXIX, De triplici sanctorum dolore Source: Migne PL 177.802a

The sorrow of the holy is threefold, that they are distant from paradise, that they are detained in exile, that they are separated from the kingdom. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 5, from Chapter 89, On the threefold sorrow of the holy

Commandments And Trial

Ὁ ποιήσας ἐντολὴν, ἐκδεχέσθω τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς πειρασμόν· ἡ γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἀγάπη, δι' ἐναντίων δοκιμάζεται. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Νόμου Πνευματικοῦ Source: Migne PG 65.916d

He who keeps the commandments will endure trials, because the love for Christ is proved by adversity. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On The Spiritual Law.

Darkness And Fairness

Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiae Jerusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis. Merito nigredinem non contemnit in pellibus, decorem qui sub pellibus est advertens. Et ideo quidam illam contempserunt, quia hunc minime cognoverunt: si enim cognovissent, nunquam Dominum gloriae crucifixissent. Non cognovit Herodes, et idcirco despexit; non cognovit Synagoga, quae nigredinem illi passionis et infirmitatis improperans, Alios, ait, salvos fecit, seipsum non potest salvum facere. Christus rex Israel descendat nunc de cruce, et credimus ei. Sed cognovit latro de cruce, licet in cruce, qui et innocentiae puritatem confessus est. Hic autem, inquiens, quid mali fecit? et gloriam regiae maiestatis simul est protestatus: Memento mei, dicens, dum veneris in regnum tuum. Cognovit centurio, qui Filium Dei clamat; cognoscit Ecclesia, quae et aemulatur nigredinem, ut decorem participet. Non confunditur nigra videri, nigra dici, ut dilecto dicat: Opprobria exprobrantium tibi ceciderunt super me. At sane nigra instar pellium Salomonis, foris scilicet, et non intus: neque enim intus nigredinem meus Salomon habet. Denique non ait: Nigra sum sicut Salomon; sed, sicut pelles Salomonis: quod in superficie tantum sit veri nigredo pacifici. Peccati nigredo intus est; et prius interiora culpa commaculat, quam ad oculos prodeat. Denique de corde exeunt cogitationes malae, furta, homicidia, adulteria, blasphemiae: et haec sunt quae coinquinant hominem; sed absit ut Salomonem! Minime prorsus apud verum pacificum istiusmodi inquinamenta reperies. Oportet namque esse sine peccato eum qui tollit peccata mundi, quo ad reconciliandos peccatores inventus idoneus, iure sibi nomen vindicet Salomonis. Sed est nigredo affligentis poenitentiae, cum assumitur lamentatio pro delictis. Hanc fortassis non abhorreat in me Salomon, si sponte tamen induam mihi pro peccatis meis; quia cor contritum et humiliatum Deus non despiciet. Est et afficientis compassionis, si afflicto condoleas; et fraternum te decoloret incommodum. Nec hanc profecto reiiciendam putat noster pacificus, quippe quam et sibi ipse pro nobis dignanter induit, qui peccata nostra tulit in corpore suo super lignum. Est et persecutionis: quae etiam pro summo ornamento habetur, si quidem suscipiatur pro iustitia et veritate. Unde est illud: Ibant gaudentes discipuli a conspectu concilii, quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati; denique: Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam. Hac potissimum gloriari Ecclesiam arbitror, hanc libentius imitari de pellibus sponsi. Denique et habet in promissione: Si me persecuti sunt, et vos persequentur. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, In Cantica Canticorum, Sermo XXIX, De Nigredine et Formositute Sponsi Source: Migne PL 183.926d-927d

I am dark, but fair, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. 1 Rightly she did not scorn the darkness of the curtains, looking to the beauty beneath them. And therefore some were scornful because they did not know the beauty at all. 'For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.' 2 Herod did not know and therefore he despised Him. The Synagogue did not know, which mocked the darkness of the Passion and weakness, saying, 'He saved others, He cannot save himself. Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.' But the thief on the cross knew Him and on the cross he proclaimed the spotlessness of His innocence, saying 'What evil has this man done?' And at the same time he bore witness to His kingly majesty, saying 'Remember me when you come into your kingdom.' The centurion knew Him, calling Him the Son of God. 3 The Church knows Him and strives to imitate His darkness that she may participate in His beauty. She is not ashamed to appear dark, to be called dark, for she can then say to her beloved, 'The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.' 4 But let the darkness be as Solomon's curtains, that is, on the outside and not within, for my Solomon has no darkness within. Here she does not say, 'I am dark like Solomon,' but 'like the curtains of Solomon,' for the darkness of the true Peaceful One is only on the outside. The darkness of sin is within. Sin stains the interior rather than showing itself to the eyes. 'Out of the heart come evil thoughts, theft, murder, adultery, fornication, blasphemy, and these are what defile a man.' 5 But far be it from Solomon! You will not find these sorts of defilements in the true Peaceful One. For He must be without sin who takes away the sins of the world. 6 So that he is found fit to reconcile sinners he must duly vindicate for himself the name of Solomon. But there is a darkness of the endurance of penance, when sorrow is taken up for sins. Solomon will not be repulsed if I willingly adopt it because of my sins, since 'God will not scorn a contrite and humble heart.' 7 And there is a darkness of compassion, when you comfort a brother in his affliction and his trouble makes you gloomy. Nor does our Peaceful One think of rejecting this, since He Himself graciously underwent it for us, 'He who bore our sins in his body on the tree.' 8 And there is a darkness of persecution, which is a the greatest adornment when endured for righteousness and truth. Thus it is said, 'The Apostles went out from the council rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer abuse for the name of Jesus.' And 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness.' 9 I think that the Church glories especially in freely imitating this darkness of the curtains of her Bridegroom. She has the promise, 'If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.' 10 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Sermon 29, On The Darkness And Fairness of the Bridegroom 1 Song 1.5 2 1 Cor. 2.8 3 Mt 27.42, Lk 23.41-42, Mt 27.54 4 Ps 68.10 5 Mt 15.19-20 6 Jn 1.29 7 Ps 50.19 8 1 Pet 2.24 9 Acts 5.41, Mt 5.10 10 Jn 15.20

Remaining Watchful

᾿Εγὼ καθεύδω, καὶ ἡ καρδία μου ἀγρυπνεῖ... Κἂν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως ἀναγκασθῷ μύσαι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ τὸν ὕπνον δέξασθαι, κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐγρήγορα, καὶ τὸν τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας ὕπνον σὺ καταδέχομαι, τοῦ νυμφίου τὴν παρουσίαν προσμένουσα. Διὸ καὶ αἰσθάνομαι τῶν ἐκείνου κρουμάτων. Φωνὴ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀδελφιδοῦ μου κρούει ἐπὶ θύραν. Παραθήσωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, τούτοις τὰ ἐν τοῖς θείοις Εὐαγγελίοις ὑπὸ τοῦ καλοῦ ποιμένος εἰρημένα· Τὰ πρόδατα γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούει. Καὶ πάλιν· Αλλοτρίῳ δὲ οὐ μὴ ἀκολουθήσωσιν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασι τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τὴν φωνήν. Μακάριος τοίνυν ὁ ποιμαινόμενος, καὶ τοῦ ποιμένος τὴν φωνὴν ἐπιγινώσκων. Μαχάριος ὁ νυμφοστολούμενος, καὶ διακρίνειν ἐπιστάμενος φωνὴν μοιχοῦ καὶ νυμφίου μακάριος ὁ λέγων· Οὐ δώσω ὕπνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, καὶ τοῖς βλεφάροις μου νυσταγμὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγρηγορὼς καὶ τὸν νυμφίον ἀναμένων κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου παραίνεσιν· Γρηγορεῖτε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε ποίᾳ ὥρᾳ ὁ Κύριος ὑμῶν ἔρχεται. Ταύτην δὲ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος προσφέρει τὴν συμθουλὴν, λέγων· Γρηγορεῖτε, στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἀνδρίζεσθε, κραταιοῦσθε, πάντα ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ γινέσθω. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Το Ἀσμα Των Ασμάτων, Λόγος Γ, Κεφαλή Ε’ Source: Migne PG 81.149b-c

I slept and my heart was watchful... 1 For although, it says, by nature I was forced to close my eyes and sleep, yet my mind was watchful and I hardly took up the idleness of sleep, since I expected the coming of the bridegroom. So I heard his knocking. 'The voice of my brother,' it says, 'knocked on the door.' Let us add, as seems right, those things which were said of the good shepherd in the Gospels. 'For my sheep,' He says, 'hear my voice.' And again, 'They do not follow a stranger, because they do not recognise the voice of strangers.' 2 Blessed is the one who is so shepherded and knows the voice of the shepherd. Blessed is is the one who has been chosen by the bridegroom and knows how to distinguish between the voice of the adulterer and the voice of the bridegroom. Blessed is the one who says, 'I shall not give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids,' 3 but watches and waits for the bridegroom, as the Lord Himself admonishes, 'Watch, because you do not know the hour your master shall come.' 4 And the blessed Paul gives the same counsel, 'Watch, stand firm in faith, act bravely, be strong, doing everything in love.' 5 Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Book 3, Chapter 5 1 Song 5.2 2 Jn 10.27, Jn 10.5 3 Ps 131.4 4 Mt 24.42 5 1 Cor 16.13-14

The Flower Of The Field

Ego flos campi, et lilium convallium. Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter filias. Ego flos. Vox sponsi, et commovet Ecclesiam ad passionem sustinendam, et proponit se eis ad exemplum, quia sine sua necessitate multa sustinuit, ut si diceret: Vocavi te pulchram et tu es, sicut lilium inter spinas. Sicut enim spinae vento motae lacerant lilium ac perforant, sic filiae, id est, mollitiis saeculi dediti, inspiratione diaboli agitati, laniant sanctam Ecclesiam, nec tu debes fugere, imo sis lilium, quia ego cum non indigebam fui lilium, id est, ego fui flos campi, et fui lilium, scilicet punctus multis persecutionibus, ego quidem qui fui lilium ut pungerer, fui et lilium, id est decus convallium, id est humilium. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes in Cantica canticorum, Caput II Source: Migne PL 162.1196d-1197a

I am a flower of the field and a lily of the valley. Like a lily among thorns, so my love among the maidens. 1 The voice of the spouse, and He encourages the Church to the endurance of suffering, and proposes Himself to them as an example, because without necessity He endured many things. As if He said, 'I have called you beautiful, and you are, as a lily among thorns. For as thorns moved by the wind scratch and pierce the lily, so the maidens, that is, those shaped by the softness of the world, agitated by the influence of the devil, wound the holy Church, which you should not flee, though you are a lily, because I did not scorn to become a lily, that is, I was a flower of the field, and a lily, that is, I was pierced by many blows. I certainly was one who was a lily that was assaulted, I was a flower of the field and a lily, that is, the adornment of the valley, that is, of the humble.' Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Song of Songs, Chapter 2 1 Song 2.1-2

Beauty And Proximity

Rursus sponsi ad eam sermo dirigitur, et dicit: Ecce speciosa proxima mea, ecce speciosa... Illa sic dicit ad sponsum: Ecce speciosus fratuelis meus; non adjungit, et proximus meus. Hic autem quando loquitur ad eam: Ecce speciosa, adjungit et, proxima mea. Quare autem illa non dicit: Ecce speciosus proximus meus mihi, sed tantum, ecce speciosus? Quare ille non solum, speciosa es, dicit, sed, speciosa es proxima mea? Sponsa si longe fuerit a sponso, non est speciosa; tunc pulchra fit, quando Dei verbo conjungitur. Et merito nunc docetur a sponso, ut proxima sit, et a suo latere non recedat. Ecce speciosa proxima mea, ecce speciosa. Incipis quidem esse speciosa ex eo quod proxima mihi es: postquam autem coeperi esse speciosa, etiam sin additamento proximae, absolute es speciosa. Ecce speciosa proxima mea, ecce speciosa.  Origenes, In Canticum Canticorum Homilia II, Interprete Divo Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.50b-c

Again the speech of the bridegroom is directed to her, 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one, behold my beautiful one...' 1 Then she says to the bridegroom, 'Behold my fair brother,' but she does not add, 'my near one.' But when he says to her, 'Behold my beautiful one,' he does add, 'my near one.' Why does she not say 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one,' but only, 'Behold my beautiful one?' Why does he not say just say 'My beautiful one,' but also, 'my near one?' If the bride is far from the bridegroom, she is not beautiful. She becomes beautiful when she is joined to the Word of God. And rightly it is now taught by the bridegroom, so that she might be near and not withdraw from his side. 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one, my beautiful one.' You begin to be beautiful because you are near me, and after you have begun to be beautiful, your nearness increases it to a flawless beauty. 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one, behold my beautiful one.' Origen, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Homily 2, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Song 1.14

The Bride, The Fountain and the Garden

Κῆπος κεκλεισμένος ἀδελφή μου νύμφη, κῆπος κεκλεισμένος, πηγὴ ἐσφραγισμένη. Oὐκοῦν ὁ τῶν τοιούτων δένδρων κῆπος γεγονὼς εὐθαλὴς καὶ κατάφυτος καὶ τῷ τῶν ἐντολῶν ἑρκίῳ πανταχόθεν ἠσφαλισμένος, ὡς μηδεμίαν καθ’ ἑαυτοῦ παρασχεῖν τῷ κλέπτῃ καὶ τοῖς θηρίοις τὴν πάροδον, ὁ γὰρ ἐν κύκλῳ τῷ φραγμῷ τῶν ἐντολῶν διειλημμένος ἀνεπίβατός ἐστι τῷ μονιῷ τῷ ἀγρίῳ καὶ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ δρυμοῦ αὐτὸν ὗς οὐ λυμαίνεται, εἴ τις τοίνυν καὶ κῆπός ἐστι καὶ ἠσφαλισμένος, οὗτος ἀδελφὴ καὶ νύμφη γίνεται τοῦ πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην εἰπόντος ψυχὴν ὅτι Κῆπος κεκλεισμένος ἀδελφή μου νύμφη. Ἀλλὰ τῷ κήπῳ τούτῳ καὶ πηγῆς ἐστι χρεία, ὡς ἂν εὐθαλὲς διαμένοι τὸ ἄλσος τῷ ὕδατι πρὸς τὸ διηνεκὲς πιαινόμενον. διὰ τοῦτο συνέζευξεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις τὴν πηγὴν τῷ κήπῳ εἰπὼν ὅτι Κῆπος κεκλεισμένος, πηγὴ ἐσφραγισμένη. Tὸν δὲ περὶ τῆς πηγῆς λόγον ἡ Παροιμία διδάσκει ἡμᾶς δι’ αἰνίγματος ἐν οἷς φησιν ὅτι Ἡ πηγὴ τοῦ ὕδατός σου ἔστω σοι ἰδία· καὶ Ἔστω σοι μόνῳ καὶ μηδεὶς ἀλλότριος μετασχέτω σοι, ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖ κωλύει τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐνδαπανᾶσθαι τῆς πηγῆς τὸ ὕδωρ, οὕτως ἐνταῦθα τὸ μηδαμοῦ διαχεῖσθαι πρὸς ἀλλοτρίους τὴν πηγὴν μαρτυρεῖ διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν ὅτι Ἐσφραγισμένη, ὅπερ ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ εἰπεῖν ὅτι πεφυλαγμένη. Tὸ δὲ λεγόμενον τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· πηγὴ κυρίως κατονομάζεται κατά γε τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον ἡ διανοητικὴ τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν δύναμις ἡ παντοίους λογισμοὺς ἐν ἡμῖν βρύουσά τε καὶ πηγάζουσα. Ἀλλὰ τότε ἡμέτερον γίνεται τῆς διανοίας τὸ κίνημα, ὅταν πρὸς τὰ συμφέροντα ἡμῖν κινῆται πᾶσαν ἡμῖν συνεργίαν πρὸς τὴν κτῆσιν τῶν ἀγαθῶν παρεχόμενον. ὅταν δέ τις τρέψῃ τῶν λογισμῶν τὴν ἐνέργειαν πρὸς κακίας ἐπίνοιαν, τότε τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐνδαπανᾶται τὸ ῥεῖθρον, ὡς εὐτροφεῖν μὲν τὸν ἀκανθώδη βίον τῇ συμμαχίᾳ τῶν λογισμῶν καταρδόμενον, ἀποξηραίνεσθαι δὲ καὶ μαραίνεσθαι τὴν κρείττω φύσιν μηδεμιᾶς τῆς ἐκ λογισμῶν ἰκμάδος ὑποτρεφούσης τὴν ῥίζαν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἡ σφραγὶς τὸ ἄσυλον τῷ δι’ αὐτῆς φυλασσομένῳ χαρίζεται φοβοῦσα τῷ σημάντρῳ τὸν κλέπτην, πᾶν δὲ τὸ μὴ κλεπτόμενον τῷ δεσπότῃ μένει ἀκέραιον, τὴν ἀκροτάτην ἔοικεν ἀρετὴν μαρτυρεῖν τῇ νύμφῃ ἐνταῦθα ὁ ἔπαινος, ὅτι ἀνέπαφος αὐτῆς μένει τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡ διάνοια ἐν καθαρότητι καὶ ἀπαθείᾳ φυλασσομένη τῷ ἰδίῳ δεσπότῃ· σφραγίζεται γὰρ τὴν πηγὴν ταύτην ἡ καθαρότης μηδεμιᾷ νοημάτων ἰλύϊ τὸ διαυγές τε καὶ ἀερῶδες τῆς καρδίας ἐπιθολώσασα. Ὡς δ’ ἄν τις ἐπὶ τὸ σαφέστερον προαγάγοι τὸ νόημα, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν τὰ μὲν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐστιν ἡμέτερα, ὅσα τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστιν ἴδια, τὰ δὲ οἰκειούμεθα ὡς ἡμέτερα, τὰ περὶ τὸ σῶμά τε καὶ τὰ ἔξωθεν λέγω, διά τινος ἡμαρτημένης ὑπολήψεως ἴδια νομίζοντες τὰ ἀλλότρια, τί γὰρ κοινὸν τῇ ἀΰλῳ τῆς ψυχῆς φύσει πρὸς τὴν ὑλικὴν παχυμέρειαν, τούτου χάριν ὅ γε παροιμιώδης συμβουλεύει λόγος μὴ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἡμῶν, τοῖς περὶ τὸ σῶμά φημι καὶ τὰ ἔξωθεν, τὴν πηγὴν τῆς διανοίας ἐναναλίσκεσθαι, ἀλλὰ περὶ τὸν ἴδιον ἀναστρέφεσθαι κῆπον τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ φυτείαν πιαίνουσαν. Ἀρετὰς δὲ εἶναι τὴν φυτείαν τοῦ θεοῦ μεμαθήκαμεν, περὶ ἃς ἡ διανοητικὴ τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν δύναμις ἀσχολουμένη καὶ πρὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀπορρέουσα τῷ χαρακτῆρι τῆς ἀληθείας σφραγίζεται, τῇ πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν σχέσει ἐμμορφουμένη. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Ἐξηγησις Του Αἰσματος Των Ἀσμάτων, Ὁμιλία θʹ Source: Migne PG 44.864b-865b

My sister bride is an enclosed garden, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed. 1 So he who has become a garden with trees like these, flourishing and fully planted and protected on every side by the fence of the commandments so that there is no entrance possible for the thief or wild beasts, for the one encircled by the bar of the commandments is inaccessible to the 'savage pig,' and 'the boar from the forest' does not 'ravage' him, 2 if, then, I say, someone is both a garden and one that is protected, he becomes the sister and bride of the One who says to such a soul, 'My sister bride is an enclosed garden.' A garden like this, though, has need of a spring so that the grove may continue to flourish by being fed with a continuous supply of water. That is why the Bridegroom adds a fountain along with the garden in his praises and says 'a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed.' Regarding the significance of the fountain, Proverbs instructs us in a mystery where it says, 'Let your fountain of water be your own,' and 'Let it be yours only and let no stranger share it with you.' 3 For just as there the it forbids the fountain's waters to be spent on strangers, so here, by the expression 'sealed,' which is to say 'it has been kept safe,' it testifies that the stream from the fountain is not scattered anywhere for the sake of strangers. As I see it, what is most properly termed fountain is the soul’s faculty of reasoning, which teems within us with all sorts of thoughts and like a fountain gushes them forth. But the motion of the reasoning faculty becomes properly ours only when it is directed to what is beneficial for us and when it assists us in every way to possess good things. But when someone turns the working of his thoughts toward the working of evil, then the stream spends itself on things alien, in which the life of thorns flourishes, watered as it is by the help of such thoughts, while the higher nature withers and dries up because its root is not nourished by the water of his thoughts. Since, then, the seal, which inspires the thief with terror by its mark, confers inviolability upon whatever is guarded by it, and since whatever is not stolen remains the unspoiled property of its owner, the praise accorded here seems to ascribe the highest possible virtue to the Bride, namely, that her mind remains untouched by her enemies because it is preserved for its proper owner in purity and impassibility. For this fountain is sealed by purity, and no turbid thoughts obscure the transparency and clarity of its heart. And in order to make our thoughts as clear as can be, let us say this, that of the things that are within us, there are some things that are truly ours, that is, whatever is proper to the soul, and there are some things associated with the body and things outside of us, that we appropriate as though they were ours because by reason of some erroneous notion we think what is alien to be our own. What, after all, does the immaterial nature of the soul have in common with the coarse crudity of matter? This is why Proverbs counsels us not to spend our mind’s fountain on what is alien to us, which I say is the body and things outside of us, but we should turn away to the increase of the garden of God’s planting. And we have learned that God’s planting is the virtues, and when the thinking faculty of the soul is attentive to these and not flowing off to something external, it is sealed with the mark of truth and shaped by a disposition for what is good. Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on The Song of Songs, from Homily 9 1 Song 4.12 2 Ps 79.14 3 Prov 5.17–18

Draw Me After You

Oleum effusum nomen tuum; ideo adolescentulae dilexerunt te. Trahe me, post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. Allegorice: Adolesentulae sunt quasi novellae, quia baptisma et gratiam Spiritus sancti renovatae. Dicit ergo Ecclesia sponso, id est Chriso: Trahe me post te. Per gratiam imitandum dicunt adolescentulae, id est Ecclesiae ejus filiae, Curremus, et nos fide et dilectione, in odore unguentorum tuorum, id est in consideratione miraculorum tuorum vel in fama operum tuorum, vel in fide aeternorum bonorum. Tropologice: fidelis anima, bonum volens, et per se non valens, clamat Christo: Trahe me post te. Hoc est, da gratiam ut post tua vestigia ad te, qui es via, veritas et vita. Nullus enim homo ad poenitentiam convertitur, nisi per gratiam trahatur. Anagogice: Ecclesia peregrinans, superna appetens, et per se assequi non valens, clamat: Trahe me post te. De hoc mundo ad coelestem gloriam, ut te in illa face ad faciem videam, quia nullus per se ad illam pervenitre poterit, nisi gratia et dextera Dei illum traxerit. Honorius Augustodunensis, Expositio in Cantica Canticorum, Caput I Source: Migne PL 172.365d-366a

Your name is oil poured out, therefore the young maidens love you. Draw me, after you we shall run, in the fragrance of your ointments. 1 Allegorically the young maids are the new plantings who have been renewed through baptism and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Church says to the bridegroom, that is, Christ, 'Draw me, after you...' Through grace they are portrayed as young maids, that is, the daughters of His Church. 'We shall run,' even us in faith and love, '...in the fragrance of your ointments,' that is, in the remembrance of your miracles and in the fame of your works, and in the faith of eternal goods. Tropologically the faithful soul, wishing for the good and unable to come to it itself, cries out to Christ, 'Draw me, after you...' That is, give me grace so that in your footsteps I might come to you, who are the way and the truth and the life. 2 For no man turns to penance unless he is drawn by grace. Anagogically the pilgrim Church, desiring heavenly things, and by itself unable to attain it, cries out, 'Draw me, after you...' From this world to heavenly glory, so that I might see you face to face, 3 because no one is able to come there by himself, unless grace and the right hand of God should draw him. Honorius of Autun, Commentary on The Song of Songs, Chapter 1 1 Song 1.2-3 2 Jn 14.6 3 1 Cor 13.12

Ascent And Jerusalem

Pervenit itaque vir iste ad tertium ascensionis gradum, id est in desiderium coelesis Hieusalem ad quam spe ascendere se gaudebat, licet adhuc hic in terrenis laboraret; ideo ait: Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi, in domum Domini ibimus. Laetatus sum in prophetis, laetatus sum in apostolis, imo et in omnibus sanctis, qui mihi dicunt: In domum Domini ibimus; qui dicunt, currite, festinate in domum Domini, id est, in coelestem Hierusalem properate. Stantes erant pedes nostri in atriis tuis, Hierusalem. Stantes, id est permanentes; pedes nostri, id est, praemia bonorum operum: in atriis tuis, Hierusalem, id est, in coelestibus habitationibus. Atria dicit plurali numero, ipsa Veritate dicente: In domo Patris mei multae sunt mansiones. Quasi iste amator quaerat, quae sit ista Hierusalem, dictum est ei: Hierusalem quae aedificatur ut civitas, cujus participatio ejus in idipsum. Hierusalem, quae ex vivis lapidibus construitur; quae aedificatur ut civitas, non terreni regis, sed coelestis; non temporalis, sed aeterna Hierusalem. Cujus participatio ejus in idipsum. Quod semper idem est, idipsum est. Quis est, qui semper idem est, nisi Deus, qui dixit: Ego sum qui sum; qui descendit, ut ascenderemus; qui participavit nostrae mortalitati,nam Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis, ut participare possemus suae aeternitati. Nam de plentitudine ejus omnes accepimus. Qui sunt autem qui ascensuri sunt in istam civitatem, ad istem participationem, consequenter exposuit, dicens, Illuc enim ascenderunt tribus, tribus Domini, testimonium Israel ad confitendum nomini Domini. Non tribus terrae, de quibus dicitur: Et plangent eum omnes tribus terrae, sed tribus Domini, quae duodecim apostoli judicaturi erunt, secernetnes eos ab illis quae sunt tribus diaboli: harum enim testimonium in Israel, id est, in illis qui vident Deum. Ad quid ascendunt? Ad confitendum nomini tuo, Domine: sicut dictum est: Confessio et pulchritudo in conspectu ejus. Alcuinus, Expositio in Psalmos Graduales, Psalmus CXXI Source: Migne PL 100.622c-623a

He comes to the third step of the ascent, that is, to the desire for the heavenly Jerusalem, in which hope of ascending to it he rejoices in himself, though he yet labours on the earth, and therefore he says, I rejoiced in those things that were said to me, we shall go into the house of the Lord. 1 I rejoiced in the prophets, I rejoiced in the apostles, and in all the saints, who say to me 'we shall go into the house of the Lord,' who say, run, hurry into the house of the Lord, that is, make haste to go into the heavenly Jerusalem. Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem. Standing, that is established, our feet, that is, in the rewards of good works, in your courts, O Jerusalem, that is, in the heavenly dwellings. Courts is in the plural, with the Truth Himself saying, 'In the house of my father there are many mansions.' 2 Then as if this lover asked what this Jerusalem might be, it was said to him, Jerusalem which is built up like a city closely fitted together, whose fellowship is united. Jerusalem, which is built up of living stones, 3 which is constructed as a city, not as some terrestrial kingdom, but a heavenly one; not a temporal but a heavenly Jerusalem. Because it is always the same, it is united. What is it that is always the same unless God, who says, 'I am who I am,' 4 who descended that we might ascend, who partook of our mortality, for 'the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,' so that we might be able to participate in His eternity? For from His fullness we have received everything. 5 And who they are who ascend into this city, to this participation, he then explains, saying, From there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, witness of Israel, to take joy in the name of the Lord. Not the tribes of the world, concerning whom it is said, 'And all the tribes of the earth cried out to Him,' but the tribes of the Lord, of whom the twelve Apostles will be the judges, separating them from those who are of the tribes of the devil. 6 For from these is the witness of Israel, that is, in those who see God. And to what do they ascend? To taking joy in your name, O Lord, as it has been said. 'Confession and beauty before Him.' 7 Alcuin of York, Commentary on the Gradual Psalms, from Psalm 121 1 Ps 121.1 2 Jn 14.2 3 1 Pet 2.5 4 Exod 3.14 5 Jn 1.14,16 6 Apoc 1.7, Mt 19.28 7 Ps 95.6

The Name Of Christian

Christiano a Christo nomen acceperunt; et opus est ut sicut haeredes sunt nominis,ita sint imitatores sanctitatis.Tria ergo sunt quae in Christo nobis expressa plenis viribus exercere debemus: videlicet improbare vivaciter saeculi vanitatem, quia et Christus ne rex constitueretur a trubis aufugit; exercere viriliter patientiam, quia et Jesus sicut agnus occisus est; et veraciter habere geminam charitatem, quia Jesus pro inimicis oravit. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber VI, Tit CV, De Nomine Christiano Source: Migne PL 177.859b

The name of Christian was received from Christ, and thus it is incumbent of the inheritors of the name to be imitators of holiness. Therefore three things which are in Christ have been impressed on us which we should exert ourselves in with all our strength, that is, to scorn with zeal the vanity of the world, because even Christ fled when the crowds would make him king, 1 and to exert ourselves manfully in patience, because Jesus was slain as the lamb, and then to have a double love, because Jesus prayed for His enemies. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 6, Chapter 105, On The Name Of Christian 1 Jn 6.11-15

First And Last

Multi autem erunt primi novissimi, et novissimi primi. Sed quia non omnes in eodem bono proposito perseverant, et ad vitia relabuntur, terribilis sententia subditur: Multi autem primi erunt novissimi. Vide Judam ab apostolatu in apostatam versum, et dicito, quia multi erunt primi novissimi. Vide latronem in cruce factum confessorem, eodemque die quo pro suis crucifixus est peccatis, gratia fidei cum Christo in paradiso gaudentem et dicito, quia novissimi erunt primi. Sed et quotidie videmus multos in laico habitu constitutos, magnis vitae meritis et praemiis excellere, et alios a prima aetate spirituali studio ferventes, ad extremum vitae otio torpentes lacessere, atque inerti stultitia quod spiritu coeperunt carne consummare. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput XIX Source: Migne PL 162.1417a-b

But many who are first shall be last. 1 Because not all persevere in the same good intentions and fall back into vices, a terrible sentence follows, 'But many who are first shall be last.' Look to Judas who from an Apostle was turned into an apostate, and say, 'But many who are first shall be last.' Look to the thief on the cross made a confessor, and on that same day he was crucified for his sins, by the grace of faith, he rejoiced in paradise, and say 'But many who are last shall be first.' Even today we see many in the lay state with great merits in their lives and excelling in rewards, and others who from their youth were fervid for spiritual studies at the end of their lives wither into worthless torpor, and in profitless stupidity what they began in the spirit they perfect with the flesh. 2 Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 19 1 Mt 19.30 2 Galat 3.3

Taking The Cross

Tollat, inquit, crucem suam, et sequatur me. Quia non satis est tollere crucem, nisi sequaris Christum. Nam et philosophi hujus saeculi sua omnia reliquerunt, etiam interdum et vitia, sectantes mores bonos, et multa passi sunt, sed quia fidem non habuerunt, neque Christum sunt secuti: Putantes se esse sapientes, stulti remanserunt, quia non glorificaverunt Deum, sed evanuerunt in cogitationibus suis, et oberraverunt a vero. Propterea unusquisque qui vult sequi Christum, tollt crucem suam, quia nisi in cruce Christ gloriatus fuerit, et in ae crediderit, crucemque Christi suam esse fecerit, et portaverit post Christum cum Simone, in angaria, eum sequi non potest, quia nemo vacuus Christum sequitur. Idcirco quicunque moritur peccato, non alio modo moriatur, quam secundum carnem, ut dicere possit cum Apostolo, Absit mihi gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini, per quam mihi mundus crucifixus est, et ego mundo. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Liber VIII, Caput XVI Source: Migne PL 120.570c-d

Let him take up his own cross and follow me. 1 Because unless you follow Christ it is not enough to take up the cross. For even philosophers of this world have forsaken everything, even vices, and sought after good ways, and suffered much, but because they did not have faith, they did not follow Christ. 'Thinking themselves wise, they remained fools, because they did not glory in God, but they were empty in their own thoughts,' 2 and they wandered from the truth. Because of which everyone who wishes to follow Christ should take up his own cross, because unless He glories in the cross of Christ and believes in it, and he makes Christ's cross his own, and carries it after Christ with Simon in trials, he cannot follow Him, because no one empty follows Christ. Therefore, whoever is dead to sin, in no other way dies but according to the flesh, so that it it possible to say with the Apostle, 'May it not be for me to glory unless in the cross of the Lord through which I the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.' 3 Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 8, Chapter 16 1 Mt 16.24 2 Rom 1.21 3 Galat 6.14

Separated For The Gospel

Segregatus in evangelium Dei. Εὐαγγέλιον, bonum nuntium interpretatur, quo peccatores ad indulgentiam convocantur. Apostolus autem quo modo in Judaismo locum doctoris habebat, ut pote Pharisaeus, ita a Judaismi praedicatione separatum se dicit in evangelium Dei, ut a lege dissimulans Christum praedicaret. Aliter: Segregatus, hoc est, a grege apostolico separatus, ut gentibus praedicaret. Sicut in Actibus apostolorum Spiritus sanctus dicit: Segregate mihi Saulum et Barnabam, in opus ad quod elegi eos. Segregatus dicitur in evangelium Dei, sicut alibi ipse de se dicit: Cum autem placuit Deo, qui me segregavit de utero matris meae, ut revelaret Filium suum in me: ex quo intelligimus, quod justi separentur a ventre. Ergo et Paulus quidem segregatus in Evangelium dicitur, segregatus a ventre matris suae. Causas in eo et merita quibus in hoc segregari debuerit, vidit ille quem non latet mens: praevidit enim quod abundantius quam caeteri omnes laboraturus esset in evangelio, quod in siti, et in fame, et in frigore, et in nuditate, in periculis latronum, in periculis fluminum, in periculis maris praedicaturus esset evangelium Christi. In evangelium Dei. Unum atque idem est dicere, et evangelium Dei, evangelium Christi, quod ipse Dominus dicit: Ego et Pater unum sumus. Et iterum dicit ad Patrem: Omnia mea tua sunt, et tua mea. Ergo evangelium Patris, evangelium Filii est. Sedulius Scotus, Collectanea in omnes B. Pauli epistolas, In Epistolam ad Romanos, Caput Primam Source: Migne PL 103.12a-c

Separated for the Gospel of God... 1 Euaggelion is translated as good news, by which sinners are called to forgiveness. The Apostle held the position of teacher in Judaism, while a Pharisee, and thus he says that he was separated from the preaching of Judaism for the Gospel of God, so that detached from the law he might preach for Christ. Otherwise, he was separated from the flock of the Apostles so that he might preach to the Gentiles. As in the Acts of the Apostles when the Holy Spirit says, 'Set apart for me Saul and Barnabas, I have chosen them for a work.' 2 It is said, then, he was separated for the Gospel of God and also elsewhere he says of himself, 'When it was pleasing to God, he separated me from the womb of my mother, so that He might reveal His Son in me.' 3 From which we understand that the righteous are separated from the womb. Therefore Paul is said to be separated for the Gospel by being separated from the womb of his mother. The reasons and merits by which he deserved to be separated for this, He sees whom nothing escapes, for He foresees that he would labour more abundantly then any other in the the Gospel, so that in thirst and in hunger, and in cold and in nakedness, and in peril of bandits and in peril of rivers and of seas, he would preach the Gospel of Christ. 4 'For the Gospel of God.' One and the same thing is it to say the Gospel of God and the Gospel of Christ, since the Lord says, 'I am the Father are one.' And again He says to the Father, 'Everything mine is yours and yours is mine.' 5 Therefore the Gospel of the Father is the Gospel of the Son. Sedulius Scotus, Commentary On The Letters of Saint Paul, On the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 1 1 Rom 1.1 2 Acts 13.2 3 Galat 1.15-16 4 2 Cor 11.27 5 Jn 10.30, 17.10

Sending Out

Et misit illos praedicare regnum Dei, et sanare infirmos. Tangit suae legationis auctoritatem, et finem. Auctoritatem in hoc quod dicit: Et misit illos. Misit enim illos ut in eis sua auctoritas honoraretur, ut sua voluntas per eos omnibus exponeretur, ut fides per eos praedicaretur, et ut omnes non credentes per eos de infidelitate convincerentur. De primo quidem horum dicitur, Matth. x: Qui recipit vos, me recipit. Et, Luc. x: Qui vos spernit, me spernit. Et hoc etiam intelligendum est de apostolicis legatis. Sed non sunt apostolici legati, qui in auctoritate et vita et verbo non veniunt Apostolorum, qui in veritate non habent gratiam curandi, sed potius daemone pessimo impletur, et infirmatur omne cui manus imponunt. De secundo dicitur, II ad Corinth. v: Pro Christo legatione fungimur, tamquam Deo exhortante per nos. Obsecramus pro Christo, reconciliamini Deo. De tertio, Marc. xvi, 15 : Euntes in mundum universum, prgedicate Evangelium omni creaturse, Psal. xviii: Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei. Et sequitur: In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum. Ad Roman. x: Fides ex auditu, auditus autem per verbum Christi. Et supra: Quomodo praedicabunt nisi mittantur? De quarto, Psal. cxlix: Exaltationes Dei in gutture eorum, et gladii ancipites in manibus eorum. Exaltationes in faucibus, sunt gratiarum actiones de credentibus. Gladii autem in manibus, sunt testimoniorum condemnationes contra non credentes. Marc. xvi: Qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur . Finem autem legationis subjungit, dicens: Praedicare regnum Dei. Tangit autem duos fines: primum quidem veritatis, alterum autem virtutis tam in spiritu quam in corpore. Finis veritatis est regni Dei praedicatio. Finis virtutis est infirmorum sanatio. In primo horum notantur duo: veritatis scilicet propositio, et veritatis ratio. Propositio importatur cum dicit: Praedicare. Praedicatur enim, ut dicit Chrysostomus, cujus ratio probans ipsum non habetur: sed cum sit super intellectum, et sit de indemonstrabilibus, oportet quod supermundanis probetur miraculis. Est enim praedicare quoddam prophetare, vel prophetias exponere. Prophetiae autem omnes innituntur revelationi. Revelatio autem non habet causam per quam possit doceri, sive demonstrari. II ad Timoth. iv: Praedica verbum, insta opportune, imporlune. Marc. xvi: Praedicate Evangelium omni creaturse. Isa. lxi: Misit me ut prsedicarem captivis indulgentiam, et clausis apertionem. Sanctus Albertus Magnus Commentarium In Evangelium Lucam, Caput IX Source: Here p609

And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 1 This touches on the authority of those sent and the end. Authority in this which is said, 'And He sent them out.' For He sends them out so that in them shall be the honour of His authority, that His will through them should be set forth before everyone, that the faith through them be preached and that all who do not believe shall be convicted of faithlessness. Concerning the first of these it is said in the tenth chapter of Mathew, 'He who receives you, receives me.' And in the tenth chapter of Luke, 'He who rejects you, rejects me.' 2 And this must be understood of the Apostles who were sent out. For they are not Apostles sent out who in authority and life and word do not come as Apostles, who in truth do not have the grace of curing but rather are possessed by the worst of demons and they make everyone they lay their hands on sick. Concerning the second, it is said in the fifth chapter of the second letter to the Corinthians, 'We are the ambassadors of Christ, with God exhorting you through us. We entreat you in Christ, be reconciled to God. ' 3 Concerning the third, in the sixteenth chapter of Mark, 'Going out into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature.' In the eighteenth Psalm 'The heavens announce the glory of God,' and it follows, 'In every land the cry goes forth.' In the tenth chapter of Romans, 'Faith is by hearing and hearing is through Christ's word.' And a little before, 'And how shall they preach unless they are sent out?' 4 Concerning the fourth, in the one hundred and forty ninth Psalm, 'In their throats the exaltations of God and two edged swords in their hands.' The exaltations in their throats are the thanksgiving of the faithful. The swords in their hands are the testaments of condemnations against those who do not believe. In the sixteenth chapter of Mark, 'But he who shall not believe, he shall be condemned.' 5 And the end of their sending out follows: 'To preach the kingdom of God.' And this touches on two ends, the first of truth, and the other of virtue that it is as much in the spirit as in the body. The end of truth is the preaching of the kingdom of God, the end of virtue is the healing of the sick. In the first of these two things should be noted the proposition of truth and the reason of truth. The proposition is set forth when He says, 'Preach.' For it is preached, says Chrysostom, when reason approves what it did not have. But when it is beyond understanding and indemonstrable is it necessary that what is beyond the world be proved with miracles. For to preach is a sort of prophecy, and prophecy is a kind of setting forth, and all prophecy depends on revelation, but revelation does not have a cause by which it can be taught or demonstrated. In the fourth chapter of the second letter of Timothy, 'Preach the word, in season and out of season.' In the sixteenth chapter of Mark, 'Preach the Gospel to every creature.' In the sixty first chapter of Isaiah, 'He sent me that I might preach forgiveness to captives and open the eyes of the blind.' 6 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Luke, Chapter 9 1 Lk 9.2 2 Mt 10.40, Lk 10.16 3 2 Cor 5.20 4 Mk 16.15, Ps 18.1,5, Rom 10.17 5 Psalm 149.6, Mk 16.16 6 2 Tim 4.2, Mk 16.15, Isaiah 61.1

Apostles And Tradition

Traditionem itaque Apostolorum in toto mundo manifestatam, in omni Ecclesia adest perspicere omnibus qui vera velint videre, et habemus annumerare eos qui ab Apostolis instituti sunt Episcopi in ecclesiis, et successiones eorum usque ad nos, qui nihil tale docuerunt, neque cognoverunt, quale ab his deliratur. Etenim si recondita mysteria scissent Apostoli, quae seorsim et latenter ab reliquis perfectos docebant, his vel maxime traderent ea quibus etiam ipsas ecclesias committebant. Valde enim perfectos et irreprehensibiles in omnibus eos volebant esse, quos et successores relinquebant, suum ipsorum locum magisterii tradentes: quibus emendate agentibus fieret magna utilitas, lapsis autem summa calamitas. Sed quoniam valde longum est, in hoc tali volumine omnium ecclesiarum enumerare successiones, maximae, et antiquissimae, et omnibus cognitae, a gloriosissimis duobus apostolis Petro et Paulo Romae fundatae et constitutae ecclesiae, eam quam habet ab Apostolis traditionem, et annuntiatam hominibus fidem, per successiones Episcoporum pervenientem usque ad nos indicantes, confundimus omnes eos, qui quoquo modo, vel per sibiplacentiam malam, vel vanam gloriam, vel per caecitatem et malam sententiam, praeterquam oportet colligunt. Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiam, hoc est, eos qui sunt undique fideles, in qua semper ab his, qui sunt undique, conservata est ea quae est ab Apostolis traditio. Sanctus Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Adversus Haereses, Liber III, Caput III Source: Migne PG 7.848a-849a

The tradition of the Apostles manifested throughout the whole world is within the power of everyone in every Church to contemplate clearly who may wish to see the truth, and we are in a position to reckon up those who were instituted bishops in the Churches by the Apostle and the succession of these men to our own times, who neither taught nor did they know anything of what these men rave about. If the Apostles had known hidden mysteries which they taught to the perfect apart from the rest, they would have certainly delivered these things to those whom they were committing the Churches. For they wished these men should be perfect and blameless in everything, these whom they were leaving behind as successors, and to whom they were handing over their own place of headship, which if such men acted well it would be a great boon, but if they fell the greatest calamity. But because it would be a very lengthy exercise in such a volume as this to enumerate the successions of all the Churches, we point at the very great and very ancient and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, which has its tradition from the Apostles, and the faith preached to men which comes down to us by the successions of the Apostles, to confute all those, who in whatever way, by evil self pleasing, or vainglory, or blind and wicked opinion, gather together. For with this Church, because of its preeminent authority, it is necessary that every church should agree, that is, with those who are faithful in every way, by which in these who are faithful in every way has been preserved the tradition that is from the Apostles. Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 3

The Ruin Of The Impious

Ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής· τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Οὐ γὰρ ἠνέσχου, φησὶν, ἐπὶ πλεῖστον περιϊδεῖν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ πικροῦ τυράννου δουλουμένην κακῶς, ἀλλ' οἷόν τις δικαστὴς, ἐπὶ θρόνου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ καὶ φοβεροῦ βήματος καθίσας, τοιαύτην αὐτῷ τιμωρίαν ἐπ ήνεγκας, ὥστε λήθῃ παντελεῖ τούτου παραδοθῆναι τὴν μνήμην. Τὸ δέ γε, Ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπ ώλετο ὁ ἀσεβὴς, ταύτην ἔχει τὴν διάνοιαν· ∆ιὰ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῶν μετ' ἐκείνους τῆς ἀλη θείας κηρύκων, προσήνεγκες τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὰ θεῖα δόγματα· ἐκείνων δὲ δεξαμένων, καὶ τῆς πλάνης ἀπαλλαγέντων, ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβὴς, τοὺς ἀπατωμέ νους καὶ προσκυνοῦντας οὐκ ἔχων. Οὕτω Βαρνά βας καὶ Παῦλος θῦσαι πειραθεῖσι Λυκάοσιν ἐπετί μησαν βοῶντες· Τί ποιεῖτε, ἄνδρες; καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθεῖς ἐσμεν ὑμῖν ἄνθρωποι, ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν ματαίων πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ὑμᾶς ἐπιστρέφοντες. Οὕτω Γαλάταις ὁ μακάριος ἐπετίμησε Παῦλος· Ὦ ἀνόητοι Γαλάται, τίς ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν, οἷς κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς προεγράφη ἐσταυρωμέ νος; Οὕτω Κορινθίοις· Ὅλως ἀκούεται ἐν ὑμῖν πορνεία, καὶ τοιαύτη πορνεία, οἵα οὐδ' ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὀνομάζεται. Ἐπετίμησε τοίνυν ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβὴς, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐξήλειψεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἐσβέσθησαν γὰρ παν τελῶς τῆς ἀσεβείας αἱ τελεταὶ, καὶ λήθῃ παντελεῖ παρεδόθησαν, ὡς μηδένα τῶν νῦν ἀνθρώπων εἰδέ ναι τὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας μυστήρια. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Ἑρμηνεία εἰς Τους Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμός Θ’ Source: Migne PG 80.924a-b

The nations cried out, and the wicked perished, their name you have destroyed forever, for all the ages. 1 For you do no tolerate for long that human nature should be despised and reduced by that bitter tyrant to slavery, but as a judge upon his high throne in a fearful tribunal you imposed such a punishment on him so that his memory would be lost in forgetfulness forever. But these words, 'The nations cried out and the wicked perished,' has this meaning, that through the holy Apostles, and the proclaimers of truth who came after them, you brought the Divine teachings to the nations, who when they received them were freed from error, and so wickedness perished, no longer having any persuasive adulators. So Paul and Barnabas cried out loudly to the Lycaones who were about to offer sacrifice to them, 'O men, what are you doing? We are but mortal, just like you men. Be done with these vain offerings to God.' 2 So even Paul cries out to the Galatians, 'O foolish Galatians, who has enthralled you, before the eyes of whom Jesus Christ was openly crucified? And to the Corinthians, 'What fornication is heard among you, that is not even named among the Gentiles.' 3 Therefore the nations cried out, and the wicked perished, and their name was destroyed forever, for all the ages. For all their impious rites came to an end and were sunk in oblivion, so that none among men now know the mysteries of their impieties. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 9 1 Ps 9.6 2 Acts 14.14 3 Galat 3.1, 1 Cor 5.1

Glory And Disgrace

..αἰσχύνθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν ἀπὸ ὀνειδισμοῦ ἔναντι Kυρίου. Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ ἑξῆς ἐπίπληξιν ἀναγχαίαν ἣν καλὸν εἰς τὸν ἐθικὸν τόπον ἀναλαθεῖν λέγουσαν" Αἷσχύγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν, ἀπὸ ὀνειδισμοῦ ἐναντίον Κυρίου. Ἔστι τινὰ ἐν οἷς καυχώμεθα δια τὴν ἄνοιαν, οὐχ οὖσιν καυχήσεως ἀξίοις οἷον ἐάν καυχήσηταί τις, ὅτι πλούσιός ἐστι, καὶ πολλὰ χέχτηται, λέγοιτ᾽ ἂν πρὸς αὐτόν Αἰσχύγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν. Ἐὰν καυχήσηται τι; ἐπὶ εὐγενείξ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐκτὸς, λεχθήσεται πρὸς αὐτόν" Αἰσχύγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν. Ἐὰν καυχήσηταί τις ἐπὶ πολυτελείᾳ ἱματίων, ἐπὶ οἰκοδομῇ οἰχίας πλουσίως κατεσχευασμένης, ἀλλοτρία ἐστὶν ἡ καύχησις καυχῆς σεως ἁγίων" διὸ λεχθήσεται πρὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον᾽ Αἰσιχὺγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν. Άkουε τοῦ λόγου τοῦ προφήτου Ἱερεμίου χελεύοντος ἡμᾶς μὴ καυχᾶσθαι· Μηδὲ ὁ σοφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ ὀϊσχυρὸς ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὑτοῦ, μηδὲ ὁ πιλούσιος ἐν' τῷ πιλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συγιεῖν καὶ γιγώσκειν, ὅτι ἐγώ εἶμι Κύριος. θέλεις καυχᾶσθαι, καὶ καυχώμενος μὴ ἀκοῦσαι, Αἰσχύνθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν; Καύχησαι ὡς ᾿Απόστολος, καὶ εἰπέ ᾿Εμοὶ δὲ μὴ γέγοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται, κἀγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ. Θέλεις kαυχᾶσθαι ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇς· Αἰσιχύνθητε ἀπὸ kαυχήσεως ὑμῶν; Ἄκουε Παύλου καυχωμένου, καὶ μάνθανε, ὅταν λέγῃ· Ἥδιστα οὗν καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθεγείαις μου, ἵν ἐπισκηγώσῃ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἄκουε οἷα καυχᾶται καυχήματα Eν κόποις περισσοτέρως. Τίς δύναται ἡμῶν τοῦτο εἰπεῖν; Ἐν φυλακαῖς ὑπερβαλλιόντως. ἐν θανάτοις πολλιάκις ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων πεντάχις τεσσαράκοντα παρὰ μίαν ἔλαβον, τρὶς ἐῤῥαῦδίσθην, ἅπαξ ἐλιθάσθηγν, τρὶς ἐραυάγησα. Μανθάνομεν οὖν χαὶ χαυχήσεων εἶναι διαφοράς᾽ ὥς τινας μὲν χαυχήσεις εἶναι αἰσχύνης ἀξίας, ἐφ᾽ οἷς λέγοιτ᾽ ἂν ἐχεῖνο τὸ ἀποστολιχόν᾽ Καὶ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ αἰσχύνῃ αὐτῶν. Ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔδει αὐτοὺς αἰσχύνεσθαι, ἐπὶ τούτοις οἴονται δοξάζεσθαι. Ὠριγένης Ἰερεμίας, Ὁμολία IA' Source: Migne PG 13.324c-325a

...you are disgraced in your glorying, in your shame before the Lord. 1 Let us see what else there is here for needful correction, which we should receive in a moral sense: 'You are disgraced in your glorying, in your shame before me.' There are many things in which we glory and show our lack of sense. For example, if some glory in their many possessions, He says to them, 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' If some glory in the nobility of their family, it is said to them, 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' If someone fall into boasting over expensive clothing, over a house adorned with much wealth, he is far from the glory of the saints, and it is said to him: 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' Hear what the Divine speech says to Jeremiah, exhorting us not to glory in our wisdom, 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches, he who would glory let him glory in understanding and knowing that I am the Lord.' 2 You wish to glory and not hear in your glorying: 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' ? Glory like the Apostle and say, 'Let it no be for me to glory but in the cross of Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.' 3 You wish to glory and not hear, 'You are disgraced in your glorying'? Hear Paul glorying and learn when he says, 'Gladly, then, I glory in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ might dwell in me.' 4 Hear what the glories are that he glories in, 'In much labour.' Who can say this? 'In a long time in prison, often among the dead, from the Jews who gave me forty five lashes less one, three blows of the stick, and once I was stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck.' 5 Let us learn the differences between glories and that some glory in what is shameful, and some in the things the Apostle speaks of. 'And their glory is in their disgrace.' 6 Over things which disgrace them, these they think make them glorious. Origen, from the Eleventh Homily on Jeremiah 1 Jerem 12.13 2 Jerem 9.23-24 3 Galat 6.14 4 2 Cor 12.9 5 2 Cor 11.23-25 6 Philip 3.19