Patristic Quote of the Day

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 20 August 2003 9:45 am

God formed Adam with His holy hands, in His own Image and Likeness and when the angels saw Adam's glorious appearance they were greatly moved by the beauty thereof. For they saw the image of his face burning with glorious splendour like the orb of the sun, and the light of his eyes was like the light of the sun, and the image of his body was like unto the sparkling of crystal. - Saint Ephraim the Syrian, The Cave of Treasures, The Creation of Adam

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Thu 21 August 2003 10:34 am

After the assertion of this most happy humility, the Lord hath added, saying, "Blessed are they which mourn, for they shall be comforted." This mourning, beloved, to which eternal comforting is promised, is not the same as the affliction of this world: nor do those laments which are poured out in the sorrowings of the whole human race make any one blessed. The reason for holy groanings, the cause of blessed tears, is very different. Religious grief mourns sin either that of others' or one's own: nor does it mourn for that which is wrought by God's justice, but it laments over that which is committed by man's iniquity, where he that does wrong is more to be deplored than he who suffers it, because the unjust man's wrongdoing plunges him into punishment, but the just man's endurance leads him on to glory. - Saint Pope Leo the Great, Homily 95: On the Beatitudes, 4

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 22 August 2003 11:11 am

This is the custom of the Roman Christians of Gaul: they send holy and able men to the Franks and other heathen with so many thousand solidi to ransom baptized captives. You prefer to kill and sell them to a foreign nation that has no knowledge of God. You betray the members of Christ as it were into a brothel. What hope have you in God, or anyone who thinks as you do, or converses with you in words of flattery? God will judge. For Scripture says: "Not only them that do evil are worthy to be condemned, but they also that consent to them." - Saint Patrick of Ireland, Letter To Coroticus

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Mon 25 August 2003 9:36 am

Intercourse with God consists of thanksgiving, doxology, confession, and petition. The first of these is doxology, because when grateful servants approach their Master it is fitting that they should begin not by pushing their own affairs into the foreground, but should concentrate on those of their Master. Such is the nature of Doxology. - Nicholas Cabasilas, A Commentary On The Divine Liturgy, 12

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 27 August 2003 8:37 am

Much physical curiosity, much care and many strict observations are bestowed upon the body; much pain it undergoes in hope of health; and deserves the soul no medicine? If it be but fit and necessary, that diverse helps and means of healing are sought for the body, for the recovering only of a temporal and transitory health, is it not unjust that the soul should be excluded, and be suffered to languish and putrify with deadly and spiritual diseases? Shall the soul only be a stranger to those proper and precious remedies ordained for it by the Physician? Yea, rather, if so many things are provided for the body, let the provision for the soul be far more abundant: for if it was truly said by some, that this fleshy frame is the servant, and the soul the mistress, then will it be very undecent and injurious, that the better part should require the better attendance? For with constant and intentive diligence should we look on that side where the greater dignity and our most precious treasure is laid up. - Saint Eucherius of Lyons, On Contempt For The World

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 29 August 2003 6:31 pm

When we are immersed in sins, and our mind is occupied solely with worldly cares, we do not notice the state of our soul. We are indifferent to who we are inwardly, and we persist along false path without being aware of it. But then a ray of God's Light penetrates our soul. And what filth we see in ourselves! How much untruth, how much falsehood! How hideous many of our actions prove to be, which we fancied to be so wonderful. And it becomes clear to us which true path. If we then recognize our spiritual nothingness, our sin and earnestly desire our amendment -- we are near to salvation. From the depths of our soul we shall cry out to God: Have mercy on me, 0 God, have mercy according to Thy Mercy!" "Forgive me and save me!" "Grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brother!" - Saint John of San Francisco, A Word On Repentance

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 29 August 2003 6:33 pm

Let us consider for a moment what would happen if Jesus were to appear before us now and ask: "My children! Do you love Me for all that I have done for you and do you value those blessings that I bestow upon you?" Who among us would not answer Him: "Yes, Lord! I love You and am grateful to You!" If, then, we truly love Jesus Christ with our hearts and not just with our words, and if we are grateful to Him, are we then not bound to carry out what He wills for us to do? When a person truly loves his benefactor, he expresses his gratitude by doing what pleases his benefactor. - Saint Innocent of Alaska, Indication of the Way Into the Kingdom