"It may seem an extraordinary thing to do, to sell all you have and give the proceeds to the poor. Actually, however, it is a natural action. It is like going back to creation, to our own birth itself. When Job had lost all his possessions he did not think what had happened to him... Continue Reading →
The Restoration of Humanity
"And how did the Son restore [humankind]? By slaying death through the death of his holy flesh, and raising up the human race to a mounting incorruption. For Christ was raised for our sake. Therefore, in order that we might learn that it is this one who was the creator of our nature in the... Continue Reading →
Our True Physician
"But our physician is the only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the Only Begotten Son. We have also as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the Only-Begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also a man, of Mary... Continue Reading →
A Manual of Humility
"Please, let there be no sophistical bombast in your speaking, no cloying sweetness in your singing, no proud and overbearing tone in your discussions. Instead, in everything get rid of pomposity. Be good to your friend, gentle to your servant, patient with the cocky, kind to the humbled. Console the afflicted, visit the distressed, disdain... Continue Reading →
He Made Him, Who Knew No Sin, To Be Sin
“You say right: as therefore He made Him, Who knew not sin, sin for us, in order that WE might be made the righteousness of God in Him (for the nature of man has been justified in Him): so Him Who knows not death (for the Word is Life and life-giving) He caused to suffer... Continue Reading →
The Transfiguration
"For it was Moses who gave the Law and the Jews would therefore understand that he [The Lord Jesus Christ] had never neglected or scorned the Law as they suspected, and never broken it, but rather followed it and was opposed to all who set it aside. And Elijah was filled with zeal for the... Continue Reading →
His Birth Becomes Our Birth
"Your divine birth, O Lord, gave birth to all creatures.... Humanity gave birth to You in the body; and You gave birth to humanity in spirit.... Praise to You, who became a Child,to make all things new!" St. Ephrem the Syrian, Homily 3 on The Nativity. "God is with thee, and with thee also... Continue Reading →
On The Love of Enemies
"An enemy is by definition one who obstructs, ensnares, and injures others. He is therefore a sinner. We ought to love his soul by correcting him and doing everything possible to bring him to conversion. We ought to love his body too by coming to his aid with the necessities of life. That love for... Continue Reading →
Our Union With The Immortal
St. Irenaeus Of Lyons on Why the Word Became Incarnate "This is the reason why the Word of God was made flesh, and the Son of God became Son of Man: so that we might enter into communion with the Word of God, and by receiving adoption might become Sons of God. Indeed we should... Continue Reading →
The Spiritual Sacrifice
"If indeed the soul takes refuge in God, believes and seeks the salt of life, which the is good and human loving Spirit, then the heavenly salt comes and kills those ugly worms. The Spirit takes away the awful stench and cleanses the soul by the strength of his salt. Thus the soul is brought... Continue Reading →
True Manhood
"True manhood is not shown in the choice of a celibate life; on the contrary, the prize in the contest of men is won by him who has trained himself by the discharge of the duties of husband and father and by the supervision of a household, regardless of pleasure and pain--by him, I say,... Continue Reading →
The Indwelling Spirit
"The sacred writing, the divinely inspired scripture clearly and precisely unites to God his Spirit (ie does not make the Holy Spirit inferior to The Father), and openly teaches that in no other way will we participate in God except through the Holy Spirit. And at all events our Lord Jesus Christ said concerning all... Continue Reading →
An Ancient Faith For a Modern World 