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Dicta sententiaeque Patrum Ecclesiae indivisae de vita pia. | Sayings and sentences of the Fathers of the undivided Church on the pious life.
What is Holy Scripture other than a letter sent by Almighty God to those he has created? Imagine if the Emperor had sent you a personal letter! No matter where you were or what you were doing, you’d make it a priority to find out what he wanted to say to you. Well: the Emperor of heaven, the Lord of angels and of men has sent you these letters in order that you might draw life from them: yet you fail to make the effort even to read them! Study and meditate on your Creator’s words every day, I beg you! Learn the heart of God from the words of God, so that you may long more ardently for eternity; so that you may be ever more inflamed with desire for the joys of Heaven.
St. Gregory the Great,
You have in your possession, I am informed, a collection of discourses which delight the ear, but which do not nourish the soul. You are in need of the Living Word, which he who lacks is a mere sounding brass. If then you acquire this, it is a sweet-sounding instrument for God and well-tuned for men.
St. Isidore of Pelusium, Epistle to Prohairesios the Rhetorician CVIII
Children, let us hold fast our discipline, and let us not be careless. For in it the Lord is our fellow-worker, as it is written, "to all that choose the good, God worketh with them for good." But to avoid being heedless, it is good to consider the word of the Apostle, "I die daily." For if we too live as though dying daily, we shall not sin. And the meaning of that saying is, that as we rise day by day we should think that we shall not abide till evening; and again, when about to lie down to sleep, we should think that we shall not rise up. For our life is naturally uncertain, and Providence allots it to us daily. But thus ordering our daily life, we shall neither fall into sin, nor have a lust for anything, nor cherish wrath against any, nor shall we heap up treasure upon earth.
St. Anthony of Egypt, quoted in Athanasius of Alexandria, The Life of St. Anthony XIX
On this day, dearest brethren, Christ was born unto us. Let us prepare for Him in our hearts a dwelling full of patient merits; let us prepare a crib, a cradle brilliant with the flowers of a good life and the perpetual sweetness of its fragrance. Let us receive the little tiny Lord in our hearts.
St. Caesarius of Arles, Homily on the Nativity of Our Lord CXC.i
We still lack many things, so that we may not lack God.
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Trallians V.ii
Some people who know me have asked how I find such niche works and sayings of the Holy Fathers. I have mostly avoided posting links so as not to generate suspicion about phishing and other cyber mischief. Would you like for me to write a post on the method I use to find them?
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You should flee that source of sin, the sound of the voice, which has produced bitterness in human hearts by its own sweetness, and by a certain persuading power of its honeylike song has often concocted fatal poisons for sick men. Where that voice is heard, we should raise the shield of faith and stop up our ears, the easier to keep from hearing any of the alluring sound. We should also display disciplinary control to check the curiosity of our eyes and stifle the first movements of a languishing heart.
St. Valerian of Cimelium, Homily on Idle Words VI:vi
Thou cam’st, the Bridegroom of the bride,
as drew the world to evening-tide;
proceeding from a virgin shrine,
the spotless victim all divine.
At whose dread name, majestic now,
all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
and things celestial Thee shall own,
and things terrestrial, Lord alone.
O Thou whose coming is with dread
to judge and doom the quick and dead,
preserve us, while we dwell below,
from every insult of the foe.
St. Ambrose of Milan, Creator of the Stars of Night III-VI
Brethren, let us make our bodies fit to be a living sacrifice to God. Let us take care that our service be reasonable, that our faith be true, our conscience pure, our minds well balanced, our hope firm, our heart pure, our flesh chaste, our senses holy, our spirit pious, our reason prudent, our charity undiluted, our mercy generous, our life holy, our appearance modest. To the perfect service of Christ, let humility always accompany our steps.
St. Peter Chrysologus, Homily on the Whole Man, Body and Soul, as a Reasonable Sacrifice to God CIX.viii
Have patience, my child, and prefer the narrow path to the broad one. For self-indulgence in this world begets eternal punishment, while present mortification is a preparation for the enjoyment of good things.
St. John the Silent, quoted by Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of St. John the Silent XII
While travelling through a plain, called Magh Glas, the Bishop departed this life, a circumstance which was revealed to our saint. He ordered a charioteer, to put horses under his chariot. Having ascended it, the driver was desired not to open his eyes, without a special permission. Tigernach declared, likewise, that he would hold the reins, on that day; for, he knew, that the Angels should accompany them, on the way. The event corresponded with his anticipations. Having journeyed a considerable distance, the charioteer ventured to uncover his head, contrary to the Bishop's advice, but not with impunity. He was instantly deprived of sight. However, this was again restored, on his master signing him with a cross. When they came to that place, where the Bishop's corpse lay, blessing holy water, Tigernach sprinkled it on the body. Then, earnestly addressing his prayers to God, our saint requested the return of the Bishop's soul to his body. Immediately, Dubtach arose, and then he said, "Tigernach on earth, Tigernach in heaven" as if he would say, that whilst our Saint's body remained on earth, his soul and dwelling were in Heaven. Afterwards, both these servants of God, receiving from each other a kiss of peace, conceived most tender sentiments of mutual and fraternal love.
St. Dubtach of Armagh, quoted in Anon., The Life of St. Tigernach, Bishop of Clones
Whoever wishes to be made God's dwelling-place, should strive to make himself humble and peaceable, that he may be known to be God's servant, not by his greed for talk and pliability of countenance, but by the reality of his lowliness; for goodness of heart requires no false unction of talk. Idle then is a religion decorated with prostrations of the body, equally idle is the mere mortification of the flesh, and the hollow devotion of the outward man, unless it be accompanied by a fruitful moderation of the mind.
St. Columbanus, Homily II.ii
Since therefore all vices are destroyed by self-restraint, and whatever avarice thirsts for, pride strives for, luxury lusts after, is overcome by the solid force of this virtue, who can fail to understand the aid which is given us by fastings? For therein we are bidden to restrain ourselves, not only in food, but also in all carnal desires. Otherwise it is lost labor to endure hunger and yet not put away wrong wishes; to afflict oneself by curtailing food, and yet not to flee from sinful thoughts. That is a carnal, not a spiritual fast, where the body only is stinted, and those things persisted in, which are more harmful than all delights.
St. Leo the Great, Eighth Homily for the Fast of the Tenth Month XIX.ii
My body you can break; my soul's liberty you cannot bind. Triumphant, I shall ascend to reign with the Eternal King.
St. Edmund of East Anglia, quoted in Abbo of Fleury, Life of St. Edmund of East Anglia
Let us glorify the Father, who has given His only begotten Son for the life of the world. Let us glorify the Holy Spirit that works in us, and quickens us, and furnishes the gifts meet for the fellowship of God; and let us not intermeddle with the word of the Gospel by lifeless disputations, scattering about endless questionings and logomachies, and making a hard thing of the gentle and simple word of faith; but rather let us work the work of faith, let us love peace, let us exhibit concord, let us preserve unity, let us cultivate love, with which God is well pleased.
St. Gregory of Neocaesarea, Twelve Topics on the Faith XII.v
Let us who mystically represent the cherubim, and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now lay aside all earthly cares that we may receive the King of all, who comes invisibly upborne by the angelic host.
St. John III of Constantinople, Cherubic Hymn
O you who fear the Lord, praise Him in the places where ye now are. Change of place does not effect any drawing nearer unto God, but wherever you may be, God will come to you, if the chambers of your soul be found of such a sort that He can dwell in you and walk in you. But if you keep your inner man full of wicked thoughts, even if you were on Golgotha, even if you were on the Mount of Olives, even if you stood on the memorial-rock of the Resurrection, you will be as far away from receiving Christ into yourself, as one who has not even begun to confess Him.
St. Gregory of Nyssa, On Pilgrimages I
The way to secure uninterrupted prayer is for every devout man to make his life one long prayer by works acceptable to God and always done to His glory: thus a life lived according to the Law by night and day will in itself become a nightly and daily meditation in the Law.
St. Hilary of Poitiers, Homily on Psalm I xii
Your praise, O most holy Virgin, surpasses all laudation, by reason of the God who received the flesh and was born man of you. To you every creature, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, offers the meet offering of honor. For you have been indeed set forth as the true cherubic throne. You shine as the very brightness of light in the high places of the kingdoms of intelligence; where the Father, who is without beginning, and whose power you had overshadowing you, is glorified; where also the Son is worshipped, whom you bore according to the flesh; and where the Holy Spirit is praised, who effected in your womb the generation of the mighty King. Through you, O thou that art highly favored, is the holy and consubstantial Trinity known in the world. Together with yourself, deem us also worthy to be made partakers of your perfect grace in Jesus Christ our Lord.
St. Gregory of Neocaesarea, Second Homily on the Annunciation IV
At first we are banished from the kingdom of God and from eternal blessedness through pride and disobedience, and thus through humility and obedience we must strive to regain the same joy of the heavenly kingdom.
St. Hildemar of Corbie, Exposition of the Rule of St. Benedict V.vii
Be you converted to God with your whole heart. Fear Him, reverence Him, and honor Him, bearing in mind the memory of the saints, as the Apostle says. For if thy faith, saith the Lord, shall be "as a grain of mustard seed, thou shalt say to this mountain: Come, and it cometh."
St. Gregory III of Rome, Epistle to the Nobility and People in Hesse and Thuringia III
The knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith.
St. Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies III.xxii.4
Let us honor the Prophets who preceded the Grace, the patriarchs and just men who announced beforehand the advent of the Lord. Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all these and let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory.
St. John of Damascus, The Fountain of Knowledge III.iv.15:5
"Your eye is the lamp of your body; if your eye is simple, your whole body will be clear. If your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of wickedness." The lamp of the body is understood as the sense of the mind and the faith of the heart. If this is bright and clear in us, doubtless it illumines our whole body. But the reason the lamp is recorded as a symbol of faith is because as a lamp illuminates the steps of those who walk at night, lest those walking either fall into a ditch or strike against any stumbling stones, so in the night of this world, the brightness of faith lights up the steps of our life, as the light of truth goes before us, lest we fall into the ditches of sins or strike against the stumbling stones of the devil.
St. Chromatius of Aquileia, Sixth Homily on the Gospel according to St. Matthew i
In the world, conversation is a devoir of civility, charity, and friendship: but first it must be sincere; not formality and mere compliment, which is frequently the case. Men who are idolaters of themselves, are incapable of true charity towards others; jealousy, envy and resentment, being on every occasion easily kindled in their hearts. Hence, their protestations of friendship are often a base hypocrisy, and a traffic of mutual deceit; a disposition diametrically opposite to that of charity and simplicity.
St. Owen of Rouen, Life of St. Eligius of Noyon VII
Concerning these days we believe that the Lord said through the prophet: "On the days of your solemn feasts you shall mortify yourselves." Why did he say this? Because fasts and vigils and holy mortifications afflict bodies that are humbled but they purify hearts that have been defiled; they take strength away from limbs but add a bright sheen to consciences. Sins of pleasure are redeemed by bodily weariness while the physical delights of dissipation are punished by the distress of a hard cross. Thus by present mortification the sentence of future death is suspended.
St. Faustus of Riez, Homily on the Lenten Fast I
Tribulation is not perpetual, but there will be also repose; only in our tribulation, let us give thanks to God always. For the three youths were cast into the furnace, and did not even for this forget their piety; neither did the flames affright them, but more earnestly than men sitting in a chamber, and suffering nothing to alarm them, did they, while encircled by the fire, send up to heaven those sacred prayers—therefore the fire became a wall unto them, and the flame a robe; and the furnace was a fountain; and whereas it received them bound, it restored them free. It received bodies that were mortal, but abstained from them as if they had been immortal! It knew their nature, yet it reverenced their piety! The tyrant bound their feet, and their feet bound the operation of the fire! O marvellous thing!
St. John Chrysostom, Homily IV on the Statutes vi
Let us consider, brethren, of what matter we were made—who and what manner of beings we came into the world, as it were out of a sepulchre, and from utter darkness. He who made us and fashioned us, having prepared His bountiful gifts for us before we were born, introduced us into His world. Since, therefore, we receive all these things from Him, we ought for everything to give Him thanks; to whom be glory for ever and ever.
St. Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians XXXVIII
The Virgin’s festival, my brethren, summons us today to words of praise, and the present feast has benefits to bestow on those who assemble to keep it. And surely this is right, for its subject is chastity. What we celebrate is the pride of women and the glory of the female, thanks to the one who was at once both mother and virgin. Lovely is the gathering! See how both the earth and the sea serve as the Virgin’s escorts: the one spreading forth her waves calmly beneath the ships, the other conducting the steps of travelers on their way unhindered. Let nature leap for joy, and let women be honored! Let all humanity dance, and let virgins be glorified!
St. Proclus of Constantinople, Homily I on the Virgin Theotokos i
He said to Cæsar, "Hitherto I have served you as a soldier, allow me now to become a soldier to God; let the man who is to serve thee receive thy donative. I am the soldier of Christ, it is not lawful for me to fight." Then truly the tyrant stormed on hearing such words, declaring that, from fear of the battle, which was to take place on the morrow, and not from any religious feeling, Martin withdrew from the service. But Martin, full of courage, yea all the more resolute from the danger that had been set before him, exclaims, "If this conduct of mine is ascribed to cowardice, and not to faith, I will take my stand unarmed before the line of battle tomorrow, and in the name of the Lord Jesus, protected by the sign of the cross, and not by shield or helmet, I will safely penetrate the ranks of the enemy."
St. Martin of Tours, quoted in Sulpicius Severus, The Life of St. Martin IV