Love And Reward

Si enim diligitis eos qui vos diligunt, quam mercedem habebitis? Nonne et publicani hoc faciunt? Ubi ostendit, quamvis nostris temporibus vix aliquis perfecte diligentes se diligat, quod non multa justitia sit, si eos, juxta legis decreta, tantum diligimus qui nos diligunt. Ideo dicit: Quam mercedem habebitis? Ac si respondeat, nullam. Non quod aliquam exinde non habeant mercedem, profecto quia dilectio qua diligitur ab alio quem diligit, jam merces dilectionis est. Sed quia pro talibus merces illa quae in coelis copiosa promittitur, non datur, idcirco quasi nulla dicitur. Quia, etsi merces esse potest, apud Deum tamen nulla est, propterea recte nec merces vocatur; merces autem filiorum, sola adoptio creditur. Unde, si quis eam desiderat adipisci, exempla adoptionis teneat. Alioquin quid plus publicanis affert vestra dilectio? Nonne et ipsi diligentes se diligunt? Publicani autem erant exactores Romanorum, quos Judaei sic appellabant, quia de repubilca curam gerebant. Sectabantur autem lucra, exigebant vectigalia; negotiationes quoque, fraudes ac furta, et scelerata perjuria exercebant; quorum dilectioni ad invicem legalis dilectio comparata, nihil videtur habere meriti, quod non ex officio debitae charitatis venit, sed ex recompensatione lucri. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Lib II, Cap V Source: Migne PL 120.265b-d

If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Is it not that even the tax collectors do this? 1 Where He shows, although in our times there is scarely anyone who truly loves the lovers of himself, that there is little righteousness if we love, according to the decree of the Law, only those who love us. Therefore He says: 'What reward will you have?' As if He would answer: 'None.' Not that from it they will not have some reward, because without doubt the love with which someone is loved by another whom he loves is now the reward of love. But since it is because of such a thing that the copious reward which is promised in heaven is not given, so it is spoken of as being 'nothing'. Because even if there is a reward, yet to God it is nothing, and therefore it is rightly not called a reward, for the reward of sons is deemed only to be adoption. Whence, if someone desires to obtain that, he holds to the examples of adoption. Besides, what does your love have more than the tax collectors have? Do they not love those who love them? The tax collectors of the Romans were called 'publicani' by the Jews because they had care for public matters. They pursued money, exacting taxes, and even exerted themselves in deceitful and fraudulent practices and criminal perjury, and the love according to the Law being compared to theirs seems to have no merit, because it comes not from the wanted duty of charity, but according to the reward of wealth. Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 2 Chap 5 1 Mt 5.46

Love And The Virtues

Vere verum est in caritate Sabbatum: cum enim caeterae virtutes vicem vehiculi vel viatici gerant ad requiem obtinendam, omnes in caritate requiescunt. lllud denique admiratione dignum est, quod sine caritate nihil est virtus, et ipsa unicuique virtuti exhibet ut sit virtus. Fides equidem, quae hic operatur ad vitam, in Dei visione, jam non erit fides, sed veritas. Ibi enim absorbebitur fides, cum id videbitur, quod super omnia diligetur. Nec opus erit credere, quod nobis licebit plena cognitione percipere. Non erit etiam ibi de caetero spei locus, ubi Deo ferventes non habebimus ulterius quod speremus. Hic temperantia pugnat contra libidines, prudentia contra errores, fortitudo contra adversitates, justitia contra inequalitates. Porro in caritate semper est perfecta castitas, ideoque non est ibi libido, cui temperantia repugnet. In caritate est perfecta scientia, ideoque nullus error quem prudentia eliminet. In caritate vera beatitudo est; ideoque nulla adversitas quam fortitudo expugnet. In caritate omnia sunt tranquilla et coaequata; ideoque nulla est ibi inaequalitas, quam justificari oportet. Denique nec fides virtus est, nisi per dilectionem operetur. Nec spes virtus est, nisi quod speratur ametur. Rursum, si velis virtutum naturam aestimare subtilius, quid est temperantia, nisi amor, quem nulla voluntas illicit? Quid est prudentia, nisi amor, quem error non seducit? Quid est fortitudo, nisi amor, qui nulli adversitati succumbit? Quid denique justitia, nisi amor, qui quod suum est unicuique distribuit? Petrus Blenensis, De Caritate Dei et Proximi, Cap XI Source: Migne PL 207.906a-c

The true Sabbath is in love. When each of the other virtues in turn are conveyed or supported to the attainment of peace, all find rest in love. This, then, is worthy of admiration because without love there is no virtue, and by it every virtue reveals that it is a virtue. Faith, which works life here, in the vision of God shall not be faith but truth. For there faith shall be absorbed when it sees that which is loved above everything. Nor shall there be a need to believe, because it shall be given to us to perceive with full knowledge. There shall not be there any place of hope, where aflame in God we shall not have anything more in which to hope. Here temperance fights against desires, prudence against error, fortitude against adversities, justice against injustice. But in love there is always perfect chastity, and therefore there is no lust for temperance to strive against. In love there is perfect knowledge and therefore no error for prudence to eliminate. In love there is true beatitude and therefore there is no adversity against which fortitude can fight. In love everything is tranquil and equal, therefore there is no inequality which requires justice. Finally faith is no virtue unless it works through love. Nor is hope a virtue unless that which it hopes for it loves. Again, if you wish to estimate the nature of virtue with more subtlety, what is temperance but love which no pleasure entices? What is prudence but love which is not seduced by error? What is fortitude but love which will not succumb to adversity? And what is justice unless love which gives to each his own? Peter of Blois, On Love Of God And One's Neighbour, Chap 11

Love And Fulfillment

In charitate radicati et fundati: ut possitis comprehendere cum omnibus sanctis quae sit latitudo et longitudo et profundum et altitudo: scire etiam supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi, ut impleamini in omni plenitudine Dei. Cum autem radicati et fundati in charitate, in interiore homine habitare Christum tota mentis fiducia noverimus: tunc incipiemus cum caeteris sanctis etiam ad illa nos tendere: ut sagaci animo comprehendamus quae sit latitudo, et longitudo, profundum, et altitudo: et non solum hoc, sed etiam supereminentem scientiae charitatem Chrsiti scire cupiemus; ut postquam haec omnia fuerint in nobis ordine et ratione completa, tunc impleamur in omnibus plenitude Dei Sanctus Hieronymus, In Epistolam Pauli ad Ephesios, Lib II, Cap III Source: Migne PL 26.490c-d

Rooted and founded in love, so that you may be able to grasp with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. 1 When we have been rooted and founded in love and know with the full confidence of our mind that Christ dwells in our inner man, then with the other saints we shall begin to stretch ourselves out 2 to those things which follow, so that, with eager soul, 'we may grasp what is the breadth and length and depth and height,' and not only this, but that even we desire 'to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge' so that after all these things are fulfilled in us in their order and reason, then in everything 'we may be filled with God'. Saint Jerome, Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul to the Ephesians, Book 2, Chap 3 1 Ephes 3.17 2 Philip 3.13

Evil Love

Ὅταν ἴδῇς δύο κακοὺς ἔχοντας ἀλλήλους ἀγάπην, γίνωσκε ὅτι ἕτερος τῷ ἑτέρῳ συνεργεῖ πρὸς τὸ θέλημα. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Τῶν Οἰομένων Ἐξ Ἔργων Δικαιοῦσθαι Source: Migne PG 65.953b

When you see two evil fellows who have love for each another, know that each works the will of the other. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On Those Who Think Themselves Justified By Works

Appearances And Deeds

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχοντι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύματι προβάτου, ἔνδοθεν δέ εἰσι λύκοι ἄρπαγες· ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. Ἐὰν οὖν, τινα ἴδῇς, ἀδελφὲ, ὅτι ἔχει σχῆμα σεμνοπρεπὲς, μὴ πρόσχῃς, ὅτι ἑνδέδυται κώδιον προβάτου, ὅτι ὄνομα ἔχει πρεσβυτέρου, ἤ ἐπισκόπου, ἤ διακόνου, ἢ ἀσκητοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰς πράξεις αὐτοῦ περιέργασαι· εἰ ἔστι σώφρων, εἰ ἔστι φιλόξενος, ἤ ἐλεήμων, ἤ ἀγαπητικὸς, ἤ ἐν προσευχαῖς καρτερικὸς, ἢ ὑπομονητικός. Εἰ ἔχει κοιλίαν Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν φάρυγγα ᾅδην, νοσῶν χρήματα, καὶ καπηλεύων τὴν θεοσέβειαν, ἄφες αὐτόν· οὐ γάρ ἐστι ποιμὴν ἐπιστημονικὸς, ἀλλὰ λύκος ἀρπακτικός. Εἰ δὲ οἶδας τὰ δένδρα δοκιμάζειν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν, ποῖὰ ἐστι τῄ φύσει, τῄ γεύσει, τῄ πιότητι· πολλῷ μᾶλοον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργῶν ὀφείλεις δοκιμάζειν τοὺς Χριστεμπόρος, ὅτι φοροῦντες φημάριον εὐλαβείας, ψυχὴν κέκτηνται διαβολικήν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν οὐ συλλέγεις σταφυλὰς, ἤ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σὺκα, τί ὑπολαμβάνεις, ὅτι ἀπὸ παραβατῶν ἔχεις τι ἀγαθὸν ἀκοῦσαι, ἢ ἀπὸ προδοτῶν μαθεῖν τι χρήσιμον; Ἐκείνους τοίνυν ἀποστρέφου ὡς λύκους Ἀραβικοὺς, καὶ ἀκάνθος παρακοῆς, καὶ τριβόλους ἀδικημάτων, καὶ δένδρα πονηρά. Ἐὰν ἴδῇς συνετὸν, κατὰ τὴν συμβουλεύουσαν σοφίαν, ὄρθριζε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ σταθμοὺς θυρῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκτριβέτω ὁ ποῦς σου, ἴνα παρ' αὐτοῦ διδαχθῇς νόμου σκιαγραφήματα, καὶ χαρίτων δωρήματα. Οὔτε δὲ λόγος σοφιστικὸς, ἤ σχῆμα ἐπιθετικὸν εἰσάγουσιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλὰ πίστις τελεία καὶ ἀπερίεονος μετὰ τῆς ἐναρέτου καὶ διαλαμπούσης προνοίας. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Περὶ Ψευδοπροφητῶν Source: Migne PG 26.1253b-d

The Lord says: 'Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing and within they are ravening wolves. From their fruits you will know them.' 1 If, therefore, brother, you see someone who is clothed in garb befitting a pious man, beware, even if he is covered with the vestment of a sheep, and has the name of priest, or bishop, or deacon, or ascetic, but carefully enquire about his deeds, if he is temperate, if he is hospitable, or merciful, or charitable, if he is one who endures in prayer and suffering. If he has god for his belly, 2 hell lodged in his throat, and labours in the sickness of the acquirement of riches, and makes a trade of holiness, be rid of him, for he is not an experienced shepherd, but a ravening wolf. If our trees are proved by the fruit, by their nature, their taste, their size, so much more from works should you know them who employ Christ for worldly profit, they who, choosing a famine of sanctity, fashion a demonic soul. If grapes are not collected from thorns, nor figs from thistles, why do you think you will be able to hear anything good from the words of sinners, or learn something useful from traitors? Be averse to them as to Arabian wolves, and likewise to the thorns of disobedience, and the thistles of unrighteousness, and bad trees. But if you see someone wise, according to the counsel of Wisdom, rise early for him, and plant your foot at the door of his house, that from him you might learn about the shadows of the Law and the gifts of grace. It is not clever speech and solemn dress that allows one to enter into the kingdom of heaven, but perfect faith, and a lack of distraction, with virtuous and pure prudence. Saint Athanasius, A Fragment On False Prophets 1 Mt 7.15 2 Philip 3.19

The Rams

Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ υἱοὺς κριῶν. Ὁ κριὸς τοίνυν ἡγεμονικόν ἐστι ζῶον, καθηγούμενον τῶν προβάτων ἐπί τε νομὰς τροφίμους καὶ ἀναπαύσεις ὑδάτων, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ σηκνοὺς καὶ ἐπαύλεις. Τοιοῦτοι δέ τινες καὶ οἱ τῆς ποίμνης τοῦ Χριστοῦ προεστῶτες· προάγοντες μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς εὐανθεῖς καὶ εὐώδεις τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασκαλίας τροφὰς, καὶ ὕδατι ζῶντι τῇ ἐπιχορηγίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἄρδοντες καὶ ὑψοῦντες καὶ πρὸς καρποφορίαν ἐκτρέφοντες· ὁδηγοῦντες δὲ πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπι βουλευόντων ἀσφάλειαν. Τούτων οὖν τοὺς υἱοὺς παρὰ τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ προσάγεσθα βούλεται τῷ Κυρίῳ ὁ λόγος. Εἰ δὲ κριοὶ οἱ προηγούμενοι τῶν λοιπῶν, υἱοὶ ἂν τούτων εἶεν οἱ πρὸς τὸν κατ' ἀρετὴν βίον διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀγὰθῶν ἔργων σπουδῆς ἐκ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῶν προεστώτων μεμορφωμένοι. Ἐνέγκατε οὖν, τῷ Κύρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ υἱοὺς κριῶν. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον Ψαλμον ΚΗ´ Source: Migne PG 29.283a-b

Bring to the Lord, sons of God, bring to the Lord sons of the rams. 1 The ram is the leader of the others, he goes before the sheep to the pasture of the field, and to the refreshment of the waters, and again he goes back home and to the fold. Such are the foremost of the flock of Christ, who lead it to fair flowers, to the sweet scented nourishment of spiritual teaching, and bountifully bestowed with the Holy Spirit they water with the water of life, and they raise up, and they nourish to the yielding of fruit, and leading to rest, they bring to safety against those who plot against them. Therefore the sons of these, by the sons of God, he wishes to be brought to the Lord. Because if the rams are leaders of others, the sons are those who have been fashioned to the virtuous life through desire for good works by the teaching of the foremost among them. Bring, then, to the Lord, sons of God, bring to the Lord, the sons of the rams. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 28 1 Ps 28.1

Sheep And Shepherd

Christus prius ovis fuit, postea pastor factus est. Ovis animal est mansuetum et mundam. In mansuetudine humilitas, in munditia castias significatur. Humilitas duplex est: prima, qua praesse non appetas; secunda qua subesse diligas. Multi enim sunt, qui praesse nolunt, fugientes laborem, non honorem; qui tamen subesse dedignantur, qui, quando in praecepto obedientiae murmurant, quasi ad passionem ducti, recalcitrant. Hi profecto oves non sunt nec imitatores illius, qui sicut ovis ad occisionem ductus est et non aperuit os suum. Similiter castitas duplex est. Alia foris per munditiam corporis, alia intus per munditiam cordis. Munditia A præpararentur ut, dum vinum novum funderetur in corporis est abstinere a malo opere; munditia cordis, sincerum esse a mala delectatione. Qui ergo munditiam et mansuetudinem habet, ovis est. Et qui ovis bona est, sic tandem pastor fieri potest, qui prius in sua subjectione didicit, quomodo aliis præesse possit. Quidam enim sunt pastores, quidam mercenarii, quidam lupi. Pastores sunt qui oves diligunt; mercenarii, qui lanam et lac accipiunt; lupi, qui carnes comedunt. Pastores custodiunt in prosperitate, et defendunt in adversitate. Mercenarii custodiunt in prosperitate, sed non defendunt in adversitate. Lupi non custodiunt in prosperitate, et occidunt in adversitate. Pastores salutem quærunt, mercenarii lucrum appetunt. Lupi, peccati materiam vel licentiam ovibus dantes, occidunt. Primi sunt diligentes, secundi negligentes, tertii pestilentes. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber I, Titulus CI Source: Migne PL 177.532d-533b

First Christ was a sheep, after He was the shepherd. A sheep is animal that is meek and clean. In meekness is humility, cleanliness signifies chastity. Humility is twofold: first, there is no desire to lead, secondly a love of following. Many there are who not wishing to lead, flee labour, but not honour, however they who scorn to follow, revolt when they murmur against the command of obedience, as if led to suffering. Certainly they are not sheep, nor imitators of Him, who 'was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and did not open His mouth.' 1 Similarly chastity is twofold. Some have an exterior cleanliness of the body, others an interior cleanliness of the heart. Cleanliness of body is a withdrawal from evil works, cleanliness of heart is to be pure of pleasure in evil. Therefore he who has cleanliness and meekness, is a sheep. And he who is a good sheep, he will be able to become a good shepherd, he who first has learnt in subjection, shall be able to lead others. Now they are certain men who are shepherds, and certain ones who are hirelings, and certain ones who are wolves. 2 The shepherds are those who love the sheep, hirelings are those who work for wool and milk, wolves devour the flesh. Shepherds watch over in prosperity and defend in adversity. Hirelings watch over in prosperity but do not defend in adversity. Wolves do not watch over in prosperity and they kill in adversity. Shepherds seek salvation, hirelings desire profit. Wolves, in the supplying of the ways and permissions of sin to the sheep, kill them. The first are lovers, the second negligent, the third are a bane. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 1, Chapter 101 1 Isaiah 53.7 2 Jn 10.11-13

Shepherd And Sheep

Et proprias oves vocat nominatim... Tangitur hic boni pastoris officium, quod est triplex: vocare, educere et dirigere; nominatim vocat cognoscendo; educit ad pascua instruendo; sed ante eas vadit bonum exemplum praebendo. Hoc convenit pastori Christo per excellentiam, aliis per imitationem. Unde primo dicit: Et proprias oves vocat nominatim, scilicet Christus; secundae ad Timotheum secundo: Novit Dominus, qui sunt eius, et de eius imitatione; Proverbiorum duodecimo: Novit justus animas iumentorum suorum. Et educit eas, ad pascua, scilicet Christus; Ezechielis trigesimo quarto: Educam eos de populis et congregabo eos de terris et inducam in terram suam, quae scilicet erat lacte manans. Sic et imitator Christi, ut Moyses et Aaron; Psalmus: Deduxisti sicut oves populum tuum in manu Moysi et Aaron. Et cum proprias oves emiserit, ante eas vadit... Bonum exemplum ostendendo praeit, ut Christus; Michaeae secundo: Ascendit pandes iter ante eos. Unde dixit infra decimo tertio: Exemplum dedi vobis, ut quemadmodum ego feci vobis, ita et vos faciatis. Sic et imitator Christi; unde primae ad Corinthios undecimo: Imitatores mei estote, sicut et ego Christi. Sed pauci sunt tales; unde Isaiae vigesimo quarto: Erit sicut populus, sic sacerdos. Hoc triplex boni pastoris officum magnum habet effectum in ovibus, qui scilicet est ovium directio per imitationem; propter quod dicit: Oves illum sequuntur, scilicet verum pastorem. Oves sunt simplices et humiles, de quibus dicit Hugo: Humilitas ovis est, ut praeesse non appetas et subesse diligas. Multi fugientes laborem volunt praeesse, subesse dedignantur; isti non sunt oves, quia non sequuntur. Ideo oves sequuntur, quia sciunt vocem eius, esse scilicet vocem consolationis, secundum illud Matthaei undecimo: Venite ad me omnes, qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos. Bonus pastor ad reficiendum vocat. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput X Source: Here, p383-5

And He calls his own sheep by name... 1 Here the office of the good shepherd is touched upon, which is threefold, to call, to lead, and to direct. He calls by name from knowledge, and he leads to pasture by instruction, but before them he goes with the giving of good example. This is fitting to Christ the shepherd by excellence, to others by imitation. Whence He first says: 'And He calls His own sheep by name,' so Christ. In the second chapter of the second letter to Timothy: 'The Lord knows those who are His.' 2 And concerning the imitation of Him, in the twelfth chapter of Proverbs: 'The righteous man knows the lives of his own beasts.' 3 And 'He leads them', to pasture, so Christ. In the thirty fourth chapter of Ezekiel: 'I shall draw them from the nations and I shall gather them from the earth and I shall lead them into their own land, ' 4 which was flowing with milk. So the imitator of Christ, as Moses and Aaron in the Psalm: 'You led your people like sheep in the hand of Moses and Aaron.' 5 And when He has brought out his own sheep, He goes before them...6 He goes before with the showing of good example, as Christ. In the second chapter of Micah: 'He shall go up and open the way before them.' 7 Whence He says here in the thirteenth chapter: 'I have given you the example, that as I have done to you, so you do.' 8 So even the imitator of Christ, whence in first Corinthians, the eleventh chapter: 'Be imitators of me, as I of Christ.' 9 But few are like that. Whence Isaiah in the twenty fourth chapter: 'As the people, so the priest.' 10 This threefold office of the shepherd has great influence on the sheep, that is, he who directs the sheep through imitation, because of which He says: 'The sheep follow Him,' 8 as He is the true shepherd. Sheep are simple and humble, concerning which Hugo says: 'Sheep are humble, that they do not desire to take the lead but to be led. Many in flight from labour wish to be in charge, and are ashamed to follow.' 11 These are not sheep, because they do not follow. Therefore the sheep follow, because 'they know His voice.' That is, the voice that comforts. According to the the eleventh chapter of Matthew: 'Come to me all you who labour and are burdened, and I shall refresh you.' 12 The good shepherd calls to refreshment. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 10 1 Jn 10.3 2 2 Tim 2.19 3 Prov 12.10 4 Ezek 34.13 5 Ps 70.21 6 Jn 10.4 7 Micah 2.13 8 Jn 13.15 9 1 Cor 11.1 10 Isai 24.2 11 Hugo Miscel Liber I Tit 101 12 Mt 11.28

Foxes And Birds

Et accedens unus scriba, ait illi: Magister, sequar te, quocumque ieris. Et dicit ei Iesus, vulpes foveas habent, et volucres caeli nidos... Hic manifestatur occulte dolus istius: et tangit duo: simulatoris duplicitam, et Christi simplicitatem. Duplicitatem autem simulatoris tangit dupliciter in astutia dolosa, et superbia praesumptuosa. Astutam enim dolosam percutit, cum dicit. Est enim hoc animal dolosum et infidiosum et venatiuum et in laribulis habitatiuum. Ex quibus proprietatibus istum percutit, qui dolose tentavit Christum. Sagitta vulnerans lingua eorum, dolum locuta est, et insidiabatur gratiae. Sedet in insidiis cum divitibus in occultis, vi interficiat innocentem. Et volebat per gratiam acceptam a Christo venati sicut Simon. Pecunia tua fit tecum in perditionem. Qui volunt divites fieri, incidunt in tentationem, et in laqueum diaboli. Volebat autem per scientiam, quam disceret a Christo, foveas astutiarum facere, in quibus habitans, homines deciperet, et ex eis lucta ageret, sicut faciunt, qui iura et leges aequissumas, et divinae iustitiae congruas propter cavillationes causarum addiscunt. Foderunt ante faciem meam foveam et inciderunt in eam. Vae qui profundi estis corde, ut a Domino abscondetis consilium, quorum sunt in tenebris opera, et dicunt: Quis nos videt, et quis novit nos? Perversa est ista vestra cogitatio, quasi si lutum contra figulum cogitet, et dicat opus factori: non fecisti me, et figmenti dicat figulo: non intelligis. His proprietatibus dicitur vulpes voluipes quia cito pedem voluit de astutia in astutiara. Propter montem Sion quia disperiit, vulpes habitaverunt in eo. Partes vulpium erunt. Capite nobis vulpes pravulas, quae demoliuntur vineas. Praesumptuosam autem superbiam and fastum cordis (quo per gratiam magisterii ab ipso Christo acceptam nitebatur in altis dignitatibus nidum ponere) percutit, cum dicit voluceres caeli nodios. Hae enim volant ambitione, caelum petunt altitudinis honore et nidificant, quiescere volentes in excellente dignitatis praelatione, habentes ad hoc pennas scientiae, et simulatae virtutis pietatem. In avibus caeli ludunt. Iste sunt aves descenderunt super sacrificium Abrahae. Quia totum Ecclesiae oblatum sacrificium, tales hodie devorant: et quomodo Patriarcha modo non abigit eas sicut fecit, hoc est, Pater patrum. Propter simile huiusmodi factum, quo daemones excellere cupiebant, dicuntur daemones aves. Volucres caeli comederunt, quod de semine cecidit iuxta viam. Sed una est consolatio, quam dicit Abdias, Si exaltatus fueris ut aqulia, et inter sidera posueris nidum tuum: inde detraham te, dicit Dominus. Sanctus Albertus Magnus, Commentarium in Mattheum, Caput VIII Source: Here, p196

And a certain scribe approached Him and said, 'Master, I will follow you wherever you shall go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have their holes and the birds of heaven their nests...' 1 Here is made manifest the hidden cunning of this fellow, and it touches on two things, the duplicity of the dissembler and the simplicity of Christ, for it touches on the duplicity of the dissembler in the cleverness of cunning and the pride of presumption. And Christ reproves the cleverness of cunning when He says it. For the fox is an animal which is cunning and trustless and a hunter and a dweller in holes. Which qualities he reproves, in the one who with cunning tests Christ. 'Their tongues wound like the arrow, their speech is a snare, and their gratitude a lie.' 2 'He sits in hidden lairs with the rich, with strength he slays the innocent.' 3 And he wished to receive grace from Christ by hunting for it like Simon. 'Your money perish with you in damnation.' 4 'He who wishes to be rich falls into the temptations and snares of the devil.' 5 For he wished with knowledge, which has cut him off from Christ, to make holes with his acuity, in which dwelling, he might deceive men and work deceits against them, producing sorrow, as they do who introduce cavils against the most fair statutes and laws, and things befitting Divine justice. 'They have dug a pit before my face and they fall into it.' 6 'Alas you who have deep hearts, who hide counsel from the Lord, whose deeds are in darkness, and who say: 'Who shall see us and who shall have knowledge of us?' Your thought is perverse, as if mud plotted against the pot, and the work of the maker should say to him, 'You did not make me,' or the thing formed say to the shaper, 'You do not understand. ' 7 Concerning these qualities he speaks of the fox, because with swift foot he delights to add cunning to cunning. 'Because He has ruined Mount Sion, the foxes have taken up their dwelling in it.' 8 'The parts of the foxes shall be theirs.' 9 'Seize for us the little foxes which ruin the vines.' 10 And when He speaks of the birds of the sky He reproves presumptuous pride and haughtiness of heart, which through the grace of teaching, from Christ himself, he was endeavouring to receive, that he might place his nest in the worthy heights. For these fly with ambition, seeking heaven in the heights of honour, and to build a nest there, wishing to rest in the excellence of the dignity of a prelate, having for this the wings of knowledge and the pretence of pious virtue. 'They sport with the birds of the air,' 11 These are the birds which swooped down on the sacrifice of Abraham. 12 Because today such men devour every sacrificial offering of the Church, and it does not drive them off as the Patriarch did, that is, the father of fathers. On account of which likeness, by which demons desire to excel, demons are called birds. 'The birds of heaven ate the seed which fell beside the way.' 13 But there is one consolation, of which Obadiah speaks: 'If you shall be lifted up like the eagle and place your nest amid the stars, from there I shall drag you down,' says the Lord. 14 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 8 1 Mt 8.20 2 Jerem 9.8 3 Ps 9.29 4 Acts 8.20 5 1 Tim.6.9 6 Ps 56.7 7 Isai 29.15-16 8 Lamen 5.18 9 Ps 62.11 10 Song 2.15 11 Baruch 3.17 12 Gen 15.11 13 Mt 13.4 14 Obad 1.4

Tears Of Men, Pleasures of Beasts

Εἰ δέ τις καὶ τὰς περὶ τὸ σῶμα συμφορὰς ἀναλογίζοιτο, τὰς τῇ φύσει ἡμῶν συμπεπλεγμένας τε καὶ συστρεφομένας, τὰς ποικίλας λέγω καὶ πολυτρόπους τῶν νοσημάτων ἰδέας, ὧν πάντων τὸ κατ' ἀρχὰς ἀπείρατον ἦν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, πολὺ μᾶλλον πλεονάσει τὸ δάκρυον, ἐκ παραλλήλου θεωρῶν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὰ λυπηρὰ, καὶ ἀντιπαρατιθεὶς τὰ κακὰ τοῖς βελτίοσιν.Τοῦτο οὖν ἔοικεν ἐν ἀποῤῥήτῳ διδάσκειν ὁ μακαρίζων τὸ πένθος, τὸ πρὸς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἀγαθὸν τὴν ψυχὴν βλέπειν, μηδὲ τῇ παρούσῃ ἀπάτῃ τοῦ βίου καταβαπτίζεσθαι· οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν οὔτε ἀδακρυτὶ ζῇν τὸν ἐπεσκεμμένον δι' ἀκριβείας τὰ πράγματα, οὔτε ἐν λυπηροῖς εἶναι νομίζειν τὸν ταῖς βιωτικαῖς ἡδοναῖς ἐμβαθύνοντα· καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔστιν ἰδεῖν· οἷς ἐλεεινὴ μὲν ἡ τῆς φύσεώς ἐστι κατασκευή· (τί γὰρ ἐλεεινότερον τῆς τοῦ λόγου στερήσεως;) αἴσθησις δὲ τῆς συμφορᾶς αὐτοῖς οὐδε μία, ἀλλὰ κατά τινα ἡδονὴν κἀκείνοις ἡ ζωὴ διεξάγεται· καὶ ὁ ἵππος γαυριᾷ, καὶ ὁ ταῦρος κονίζεται· καὶ ὁ σὺς φρίσσει τὴν λοφιάν· καὶ οἱ σκύλακες παίζουσι, καὶ διασκιρτῶσιν οἱ μόσχοι, καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ζώων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν διά τινων τεκμηρίων τὴν ἡδονὴν ἐνδεικνύμενον, οἷς εἴ τις κατανόησις ἦν τῆς τοῦ λόγου χάριτος, οὐκ ἂν τὸν κωφὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ταλαίπωρον βίον ἐν ἡδονῇ διετίθεντο. Οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἷς οὐδεμία τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐστι γνῶσις, ὧν ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν ἀπεστέρηται, τούτοις καθ' ἡδονὴν ἡ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς διαγωγή. Ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῷ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἥδεσθαι, τὸ μὴ ζητεῖν τὰ βελτίω. Ὁ δὲ μὴ ζητῶν, οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τὸ μόνοις ζητοῦσι παραγενόμενον. Οὐκοῦν διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Λόγος μακαρίζει τὸ πένθος, οὐ δι' ἑαυτὸ κρίνων εἶναι μακάριον, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἐκείνου παραγενόμενον. Δείκνυσι δὲ τοῦ λόγου ἡ συζυγία, ὅτι τῆς πρὸς τὴν παράκλη σινἀναφορᾶς τὸ πενθεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐστι μακάριον. Μακάριοι γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ πενθοῦντες καὶ οὐκ ἔστησεν ἐν τούτῳ τὸν λόγον, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκεν, Ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Εἰς Τους Μακαρισμους, Logos Γ', Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται Source: Migne PG 44.1228c-1229a

If someone were to consider the state of the flesh, the things which buffet and bind our nature, the various, I say, and manifold types of sickness, concerning which all, man had no experience of at the beginning, he would pour forth abundant tears, while instead of goods he thought on such grieveous things, setting evils against things which are better. This then seems difficult to teach, that he who weeps is blessed, which is the soul looking on the true good, and not sunk in the delusion of present life, for it is not possible that one might live without tears, if one carefully considers the matter, or not think him wrapped up in griefs and bitterness who plunges into the pleasures of this life, which one can see in beasts and animals that lack reason, who because of the miserable constitution of their nature -for what is more wretched that to be deprived of reason?- have no awareness of their state, but in a certain pleasure pass their lives. The horse exults, the bull stamps up the dust, the boar raises up its bristles, pups play, cattle cavort, and in each animal it is possible to see certain signs of pleasure, in which pleasure, if they had in some way the gift of knowing by reason, they would not pass a foolish and wretched life. Which is the state of men who have no knowledge of their goods, of those which our nature has been deprived, and so because of this they pass the present life in pleasure. It follows, then, that those who enjoy present things are not able to desire and seek what is better. For he who does not seek, does not find that which is obtained only by those who do seek. This, then, is the reason why the Word says that he who weeps is blessed, not that he judges that weeping blessed in itself, but because of that which comes from it. The arrangement of the speech shows, by its relation to consolation, how weeping may be a blessing to men. 'Blessed,' he says, ' those who weep,' and He does not stop and end the statement there, but He adds, 'because they shall be consoled.' Saint Gregory of Nyssa, On The Beatitudes, from the Third Oration, on 'Blessed are they who weep for they shall be comforted.'

Saving Men And Beasts

...τὰ κρίματά σου ἄβυσσος πολλή, aνθρώπους και κτήνη σώσεις, Κύριε, ὡς ἐπλήθυνας τὸ ἔλεός σου, ὁ Θεός... Διὰ γὰρ τὰ κρίματά σου τὰ ὡς ἄβυσσος πολλὴ, καὶ διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου τὴν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ἄνθρωποι καὶ κτήνη κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ σώζονται· οὕτως ἐπλήθυνας τὸ ἔλεός σου, Θεὸς, ὡς μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἀξίους τῆς ἐκ σοῦ ζωῆς μεταλαμβάνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούς κτηνώδεις καὶ ἀνοητους τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ μέμφονται καὶ καταιτιῶται· Ἵνα τἰ ἀσεβεῖς εὐθηνοῦσι, καὶ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύουσιν; ἀναγκαίως διδάσκει, ὅτι πολυέλεός ἐστιν. Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν ἧν ἔλεος μόνον καὶ φιλανθρωπία, οὐδὲν ἐκώλυεν τὸν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν μετέρχεσθαι βίον· διδάσκει δὲ, ὅτι σὺν τῷ ἐλέῷ ἀνακέκραται ἀλήθεια καὶ δικαιοσύνη, ὡς τῆς δικαοσύνης καὶ τῆς ἀλήθείας διαληψομένης τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς μετὰ τὸ ἔλεος. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ὠφελοῖντο τῷ ἐλέῳ καὶ τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια μετελεύσεται αὐτούς· ὑποβληθήσονατι γὰρ κρίσει δικαίᾳ. Ἔστι γὰρ, ἔστιν ἀπόῥῥητα τὰ κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ· πολύς τε καὶ ἄπειρος βυθὸς, ἢ, καθὼς ἡ Γραφή φησιν, ἄβυσσος πολλὴ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῶν κριμάτων αὐτοῦ περιέχεται. Ταῦτα τοίνυν μένει τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς. Εὐσέβιος ὁ Καισάρειος, Ὑπομνηματα Ἐις Τους ψαλμους, ψαλμος ΛΕ' Source: Migne PG 23.320c-d

...a great abyss are your judgements, you who save men and beasts, O Lord, as your mercy has increased, O God... 1 For because of your judgements which are as a great abyss, on account of your righteousness and your truth which is in heaven, men and beasts are both saved. So your mercy has increased, O God, that not only he who is worthy partakes of life from you but even they who are beastly and mindless among men. So whenever many complain and blame, saying, 'Why do the wicked prosper and enjoy the goods of God?' it is necessary to teach how great is His mercy. Now if there were only mercy and clemency, nothing would be denied to the life of sinners, but He teaches that mercy is mixed with truth and righteousness, and that after mercy righteousness and truth will seize on sinners. For if from the mercy and the patience of God they take nothing for themselves, righteousness and truth will fall upon them. Certainly they shall come to righteous judgement. For the judgements of God are unfathomable and their depths are great and immense, or, as Scripture says, a great abyss is found in the account of His judgements. And these wait for the wicked. Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 35 1 Ps 35.7-8

Caring For Beasts And Men

Ὁ μὲν ἐλεήμων ἀνὴρ μακροθυμεῖ, ἐν παντί τε μεριμνῶντι ἔνεστι σοφία· ἐμπεσεῖται γὰρ μέριμνα ἀνδρὶ νοήμονι, φροντιστής τε ὢν ζωὴν ζητήσει· καὶ ὁ ζητῶν τὸν θεὸν εὑρήσει γνῶσιν μετὰ δικαιοσύνης, οἱ δὲ ὀρθῶς ζητήσαντες αὐτὸν εἰρήνην εὗρον. Ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκεῖ καὶ Πυθαγόρας τὸ ἥμερον τὸ περὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῷα παρὰ τοῦ νόμου εἰληφέναι. Αὐτίκα τῶν γεννωμένων κατά τε τὰς ποίμνας κατά τε τὰ αἰπόλια καὶ βουκόλια τῆς παραχρῆμα ἀπολαύσεως, μηδὲ ἐπὶ προφάσει θυσιῶν λαμβάνοντας, ἀπέχεσθαι διηγόρευσεν, ἐκγόνων τε ἕνεκα καὶ μητέρων, εἰς ἡμερότητα τὸν ἄνθρωπον κάτωθεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων ἀνατρέφων. Χάρισαι γοῦν, φησί, τῇ μητρὶ τὸ ἔκγονον κἂν ἑπτὰ τὰς πρώτας ἡμέρας. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν ἀναιτίως γίνεται, γάλα δὲ ἐπομβρεῖται ταῖς τετοκυίαις εἰς διατροφὴν τῶν ἐκγόνων, ὁ ἀποσπῶν τῆς τοῦ γάλακτος οἰκονομίας τὸ τεχθὲν ἀτιμάζει τὴν φύσιν. Δυσωπείσθωσαν οὖν Ἕλληνες καὶ εἴ τις ἕτερός ἐστι τοῦ νόμου κατατρέχων, εἰ ὃ μὲν καὶ ἐπ´ ἀλόγων ζῴων χρηστεύεται, οἳ δὲ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκτιθέασιν ἔκγονα, καίτοι μακρόθεν καὶ προφητικῶς ἀνακόπτοντος αὐτῶν τὴν ἀγριότητα τοῦ νόμου διὰ τῆς προειρημένης ἐντολῆς. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν ἀλόγων τὰ ἔκγονα διαζεύγνυσθαι τῆς τεκούσης πρὸ τῆς γαλακτουχίας ἀπαγορεύει, πολὺ πλέον ἐπ´ ἀνθρώπων τὴν ὠμὴν καὶ ἀτιθάσευτον προθεραπεύει γνώμην, ἵν´ εἰ καὶ τῆς φύσεως, μαθήσεως γοῦν μὴ καταφρονῶσιν. Ἐρίφων μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀρνῶν ἐμφορεῖσθαι ἐπιτέτραπται, καί τις ἴσως ἀπολογία τῷ διαζεύξαντι τῆς τεκούσης τὸ ἔκγονον· ἡ δὲ τοῦ παιδίου ἔκθεσις τίνα τὴν αἰτίαν ἔχει; ἐχρῆν γὰρ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν γῆμαι τῷ μηδὲ παιδοποιεῖσθαι γλιχομένῳ ἢ δι´ ἡδονῆς ἀκρασίαν παιδοκτόνον γεγονέναι. Πάλιν αὖ ὁ χρηστὸς νόμος ἀπαγορεύει ἡμέρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ συγκαταθύειν ἔκγονον καὶ μητέρα. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι, εἰ καί τις ἔγκυος καταδικασθείη τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ, οὐ πρότερον ἐῶσιν ὑποσχεῖν τὴν τιμωρίαν πρὶν ἢ ἐκτεκεῖν. Ἄντικρυς γοῦν καὶ ὅσα τῶν ζῴων κυοφορεῖ, ὁ νόμος οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει ἄχρις ἂν ἀποτέκῃ σφαγιάζεσθαι, μακρόθεν ἐπισχὼν τὴν εὐχέρειαν τῶν εἰς ἄνθρωπον ἀδικούντων. Οὕτως ἄχρι καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ἀπέτεινεν, ἵνα ἐν τοῖς ἀνομογενέσιν ἀσκήσαντες πολλῇ τινι περιουσίᾳ φιλανθρωπίας ἐν τοῖς ὁμογενέσι χρησώμεθα. Οἳ δὲ καὶ περιλακτίζοντες τὰς γαστέρας πρὸ τῆς ἀποτέξεως ζῴων τινῶν, ἵνα δὴ γάλακτι ἀνακεκραμένην σάρκα θοινάζωνται, τάφον τῶν κυοφορουμένων τὴν εἰς γένεσιν κτισθεῖσαν μήτραν πεποιήκασι, διαρρήδην τοῦ νομοθέτου κελεύοντος, Ἀλλ´ οὐδὲ ἑψήσεις ἄρνα ἐν γάλακτι μητρὸς αὐτοῦ· μὴ γὰρ γινέσθω ἡ τοῦ ζῶντος τροφὴ ἥδυσμα τοῦ ἀναιρεθέντος ζῴου, φησίν ἡ σάρξ, μηδὲ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς αἴτιον συνεργὸν τῇ τοῦ σώματος καταναλώσει γινέσθω. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Β' Κεφ' ΙΗ' Source: Migne PG 8.1033a-35b

'The merciful man is long-suffering, in every one who has care there is wisdom. For to the thoughtful man care will come, and, given to thought, he will seek life, and he who seeks God shall find knowledge with righteousness, and they who have sought Him rightly have found peace.' 1 And it seems to me that Pythagoras took his gentleness for irrational creatures from the Law. For example, he prohibited the immediate use of the young of sheep and goats and cattle at the instant of their birth, not permitting it even for the sake of sacrifice, both on account of the offspring and the mothers, thus by use of irrational creatures educating man to gentleness for what is inferior. 'Allow, then,' he says, 'the offspring to be with the mother for the first seven days.' For if nothing happens without a cause, and at birth milk is for the sustenance of the offspring, he that removes that which has been born for the supply of milk, dishonours nature. Let the Greeks, then, be ashamed, and whoever else disputes the Law, since it is kind to irrational creatures. And moreover they expose even the offspring of men, though long ago and prophetically the Law thrust back their savagery in the above-mentioned commandment. For if it prohibits the offspring of irrational creatures to be taken from the mother before suckling, much more in the case of men does it set down beforehand a remedy for brutishness and savagery of disposition, so that even if they scorn nature, they might not do teaching. For they are permitted to make use of kids and lambs, and perhaps there might be some reason for removing the offspring from the mother, but what cause is there for the exposure of a child? For the man who dislikes siring children has no right to marry in the first place, he who then by eagerness for pleasure becomes a child killer. Again, the kindly law prohibits the slaying of the offspring and the mother together on the same day. Thence also the Romans, if some pregnant woman were condemned to death, do not allow her to suffer the punishment until she gives birth. The Law too expressly prohibits the killing of animals who are pregnant until they have given birth, at a remove restraining the inclination of man to do wrong to man. Thus it extended its clemency to irrational creatures, that from the exercise of kindness for creatures of different species, we might practice it with much greater abundance for those of the same species. Those also who kick the bellies of certain animals before birth that they might feast on flesh mixed with milk, make a grave of the womb that was created for the birth of the child, even though the Law expressly commands, 'But neither shall you boil a lamb in the milk of its mother.' 2 For it should not be that the nourishment of the living animal should become relish for that which has been deprived of life, and that which is the cause of life should not be an assistant in the consumption of the body. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 2, Chapter 18 1 Prov 9.11,14.23,17.12 2 Deut 14.21

Beasts And Discipline

Ἐν κημῷ καὶ χαλινῷ τὰς σιαγόνας αὐτῶν ἄγξει, καθάπερ κτηνῶν, ὁ Θεὸς, τῶν ἀποφευγόντων σε, ὁ Δαυϊδ κιθαρίζων ἐβόα. Ὥωπερ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἵππον καὶ ἄκοντα χαλινῷ δαμάζομεν, οὐ μισοῦντες, ἀλλ; εὔτακτον αὐτῷ τὸν δρόμον καθιστῶντες, καὶ τον ἄτακτον αὐτοῦ τῇ τάχει περιστέλλοντες, καὶ τὸ ἄκοσμον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπαίδευτον πήδημα, εἰς εὔτακτον ὁδὸν μεταῥῥυθμίζοντες, οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς ἐὰν ἴδῃ ψυχὴν πωλευομένην ὦδε κἀκεῖσε, ἄγει αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸ εὐπρεπέστερον, καὶ μὴ θέλουσαν. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΛΒ, Γενεθλιῳ Source: Migne PG 79.140a

With bit and bridle bind their jaws, like beasts, O God, those who turn away from you, David cries out with the lyre. 1 For as we rule an unwilling horse with a bridle, not because of hatred, but so that we might establish order for its course, curbing disordered motion with order and transforming what is ugly and foolish to a well ordered way, so God, if He sees a soul wandering about here and there, directs it to something more decent, even if it is unwilling. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 132, To Genethlios 1 Ps 31.9

A Beast Before You

Kτηνώδης ἐγενόμην παρὰ σοί, καὶ ἐγὼ διὰ παντὸς μετὰ σοῦ... ̓Οὐκ ἁπλῶς δὲ, Κτηνώδης, εἶπεν, ἐγενήθην, ἀλλα παρὰ σοι. Ὡς γὰρ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα τῆς σοφίας καὶ Θεὸν της γνώσεως πᾶν ἀγνοεῖ γενητὸν, καὶ Μωῦσης γὰρ ἰδῶν τὸν Θεὸν ἔφη· Ἐγὼ ἄλογός εἰμι ἰκανὸς πρὸ χθὲς καὶ τρίτης ἀφ' οὖ ἦρξας λαλεῖν τῷ θεραποντί σου ἰσχνόφωνος καὶ βραδύγλωσσος ἐγώ εἰμι, οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν λογίωτατος, ἀλλ' ἀφ' οὗ ἦρξας λαλεῖν τῷ θεράποντί σου. Πρὶν γὰρ ἀκοῦσαι θείας φωνῆς δοκεῖ τις λόγοις ὀξύς τε καὶ μεγαλόφωνος εἶναι. Καὶ Ἀβραὰμ ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν Κτίστην· Ἐπεὶ ἠρξάμην λαλεῖν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, ἐγὼ δέ εἰμι γῆ καὶ σποδὸς, ὅπερ ἠγνόει πρὶν λαλῆσαι Θεῷ. Τοιοῦτος καὶ ὁ κτηνώδης παρ' αὐτῷ, μὴ γιγνώσκων ὀμοίως τὸ προνοοῦντι Θεῷ. Διαπαντὸς δὲ μετ' αὐτοῦ, ὁ διαπαντὸς κατορθῶν ἀρετὴν καὶ πᾶσαν εὐσέβειαν ἄνευ τινὸς περὶ ταύτης ἀνωμαλίας ἐν διαλείμμασιν. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμος ΟΒ' Source: Migne PG 39.1470c-d

I am made a beast before you, and I am always with you. 1 He does not say only, 'I am made a beast,' but also, 'before you.' For before the Father of wisdom and the God of knowledge every created thing is ignorant. Moses beholding God says, 'I am not eloquent, either before or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am clumsy of speech and tongue.' 2 Not absolutely does this most eloquent man speak, but 'since you have spoken to your servant,' For before he heard the Divine voice he judged himself to be skilled and celebrated in eloquence. Abraham also said to the Creator: 'Since I have begun to speak to my Lord, I am but earth and ash.' 3 which he did not know before he spoke to God. Such is the beast before Him, not having understanding like the providence of God. 'I am always with you.' He is always with Him who guards virtue and all piety, without any alteration in persistence in this. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on The Psalms, from Psalm 72 1 Ps 72.23 2 Exod 4.10 3 Genes 18.17

The Sixth Day

Post haec sexta die produxit terra animam vivam, quando caro nostra, abstinens ab operibus mortuis, viva virtutum germina parturit, secundum genus scilicet suum, id est, vitam imitando sanctorum, sicut Apostolus ait: Imitatores mei estote. Secundum nostrum quippe genus vivimus, quando in opere bono sanctos viros, quasi proximos, imitamur. Deinde produxit terra bestias, homines in potentia rerum, sive ferocitate superbiae. Similiter et pecora; fideles in simplicitate vitae viventes; serpentes quoque innoxios, sanctos videlicet viros, astutiae vivacitate bonum a malo discernentes, et in quantum fas est, reptando scrutantes terrena, per quae intelligant sempiterna, non illos venenosos qui se in hujus mundi cupiditatibus terrenis collocant. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, Mysticorum Expositiones Sacramentorum Seu Quaestiones In Vetus Testamentum, In Genesin, Caput I Source: Migne PL 83.211c

After this, on the sixth day, the earth produced the living soul, which is when our flesh, withdrawing from the works of death, bears the living seed of the virtues, according to its type, 1 that is, life in imitation of the saints, as the Apostle said: 'Be imitators of me.' 2 Certainly we live according to our type when we imitate holy men by good works, like neighbours. Then the earth produced beasts, men powerful in the world, or wild with pride. Likewise cattle, who are the faithful living a simple life. Also serpents that are not venomous, who are holy men, who, possessing acute minds, are able to discern between good and evil, and in much as it is right, crawl around looking about at the things of the earth, through which eternal things are understood, and not as those venomous ones who amid the desires of this world gather to themselves the things of the world. Saint Isidore of Seville, Expositions of Sacred Mysteries or Questions on the Old Testament, On Genesis, Chapter 1 1 Gen 1.24 2 1 Cor 11.1