Origen – Scripture is sealed; the analogy of rooms and keys

Origen – Scripture is sealed; the analogy of rooms and keys
From Commentary on the 1st Psalm as cited in The Philocalia of Origen
CHAP. II. — That the Divine Scripture is closed up and sealed. From the Commentary on the 1st Psalm.
1. The Divine words say that the Divine Scriptures have been closed up and sealed [...]

St Athanasius on Psalm 1

From an Easter letter by Saint Athanasius, bishop
The Paschal sacrament brings together in unity of faith those who are far away
Brethren, how fine a thing it is to move from festival to festival, from prayer to prayer, from holy day to holy day. The time is now at hand when we enter on a new [...]

St. Augustine – Christ is the way to the light

Reading From a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop
Christ is the way to the light, the truth and the life
The Lord tells us: I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. In these few words he gives a command and [...]

St. Augustine – Living waters

From a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop
A Samaritan woman came to draw water
What could be more gentle and kind than the encouragement he gives? If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” perhaps you might ask and he would give you [...]

St. Ambrose – God as the Good

From the treatise on Flight from the World by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Hold fast to God, the one true good
Where a man’s heart is, there is his treasure also. God is not accustomed to refusing a good gift to those who ask for one. Since he is good, and especially to those who are faithful to [...]

Saint Leo the Great – Purification of spirit

From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope
Purification of spirit through fasting and almsgiving
Dear friends, at every moment the earth is full of the mercy of God, and nature itself is a lesson for all the faithful in the worship of God. The heavens, the sea and all that is in them bear witness [...]

St. Augustine – Stretching the soul

From the Tractates on the first letter of John by Saint Augustine, bishop
Our heart longs for God
We have been promised that we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. By these words, the tongue has done its best; now we must apply the meditation of the heart. Although they are [...]

Saint Ambrose – Psalms: The Music of Heaven

From the Explanations of 12 Psalms of St. Ambrose of Milan  (Ps 1, 9-12: CSEL, 64, 7, 9-10).
What is more  pleasing than a psalm? David expresses it well: Praise the Lord, for a song of praise is good: let there be praise of our God with gladness and grace. Yes, a psalm is a blessing on the [...]

A Mystical Experience of St. Ambrose

From the Life of Ambrose, by Paulinus
A few days before he was confined to his couch, when he was dictating the forty-third psalm, with me carefully taking it down, a fire like a small shield suddenly covered his head, and little by little entered his mouth, just as a person enters his home. After this, [...]

Procopius of Gaza – God’s Wisdom is wine and feast

From the Commentary on Proverbs by Procopius of Gaza (c. 465-528 AD)
The Wisdom of God has mixed wine for us and set up a feast
Wisdom has built herself a house. God the Father’s Power, himself a person, has fashioned as his dwelling-place the whole world, in which he lives by his activity; and has fashioned man [...]