Patristic Wisdom for the First Sunday after Christmas

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Gal 4:4–7)

“The fullness of time” is the completed time which had been foreordained by God the Father for the sending of his Son, so that, made from a virgin, He might be born like a man, subjecting Himself to the law up to the time of his baptism, so that He might provide a way by which sinners, washed and snatched away from the yoke of the law, might be adopted as God's sons by His condescension, as He had promised to those redeemed by the blood of His Son. It was necessary, indeed, that the Savior should be made subject to the law, as a son of Abraham according to the flesh, so that, having been circumcised, He could be seen as the one promised to Abraham, who had come to justify the Gentiles through faith since he bore the sign of the one to whom the promise had been made.

Ambrosiaster, Epistle to the Galatians 4.5.1

Behold the whole array of those three powers through one power and one Godhead. For God, he says, who is the Father, sent His own Son, who is Christ, and again Christ, who himself being the power of God is God, … sent the spirit of His Son, who is the Holy Spirit.

Marius Victorinus, Epistle to the Galatians 2.4.6.

Patristic Wisdom for Christmas Day

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. (Luke 2:8–20)

It is for a reason like this that a great number of the army of angels was heard saying, “Glory to God on high, and peace on earth among men of goodwill.” For, after the Lord came to the earth, “He established peace through the blood of his cross, both for those upon the earth and those who are in heaven.” And the angels wanted men to remember their Creator. They had done everything in their power to cure them, but they were unwilling to be cured. Then the angels behold Him who could effect a cure. They give glory and say, “Glory to God on high, and peace on earth.”

Origen, Homilies on Luke 13.3

Abiding by the rules of virginal modesty, Mary wished to divulge to no one the secret things which she knew about Christ. She reverently waited for the time and place when he would wish to divulge them. However, though her mouth was silent, in her careful, watchful heart she weighed these secret things. And this is what the Evangelist says, pondering in her heart—indeed, she weighed those acts which she saw in relation to those things which she had read were to be done. … She heard that angelic powers, who are daughters of the city on high, had appeared to shepherds in a place which was in former times called “tower of the flock” from the gathering of cattle—and this is one mile to the east of Bethlehem. There, even now, the three tombs of these shepherds are pointed out in a church. She then knew that the Lord had come in the flesh, whose power is one and eternal with the Father, and he would give to his daughter the church the kingdom of the heavenly Jerusalem. Mary was comparing these things which she had read were to occur with those which she recognized as already having occurred. Nevertheless, she did not bring these things forth from her mouth but kept them closed up in her heart.

Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 1.7 

Patristic Wisdom for Christmas Eve

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. (Matt 1:18–25)

Do not speculate beyond the text. Do not require of it something more than what it simply says. Do not ask, “But precisely how was it that the Spirit accomplished this in a virgin?” For even when nature is at work, it is impossible fully to explain the manner of the formation of the person. How then, when the Spirit is accomplishing miracles, shall we be able to express their precise causes? Lest you should weary the writer or disturb him by continually probing beyond what he says, he has indicated who it was that produced the miracle. He then withdraws from further comment. “I know nothing more,” he in effect says, “but that what was done was the work of the Holy Spirit.”

Shame on those who attempt to pry into the miracle of generation from on high! For this birth can by no means be explained, yet it has witnesses beyond number and has been proclaimed from ancient times as a real birth handled with human hands. What kind of extreme madness afflicts those who busy themselves by curiously prying into the unutterable generation? For neither Gabriel nor Matthew was able to say anything more, but only that the generation was from the Spirit. But how from the Spirit? In what manner? Neither Gabriel nor Matthew has explained, nor is it possible.

Do not imagine that you have untangled the mystery merely by hearing that this is the work of the Spirit. For we remain ignorant of many things, even while learning of them. So how could the infinite One reside in a womb? How could He that contains all be carried as yet unborn by a woman? How could the Virgin bear and continue to be a virgin? Explain to me how the Spirit designed the temple of His body.

John Chrysostom, Homilies on The Gospel of Matthew 4.3

Why does the Evangelist make mention here of “birth,” whereas at the start of the Gospel he had said “generation”? For in this place he says, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way,” but there “The book of the generation.” … What then is the difference between “birth” and “generation”? How are either of them to be understood as applied to Christ? … There is a difference between generation and birth. For “generation,” or “coming into being,” is the original formation of things by God, while “birth” is the succession from others caused by the verdict of death that came on account of the transgression. And even now, “generation” has something incorruptible and sinless about it, whereas “birth” implies that which is subject to passion and sin. The Lord in his eternal generation is incapable of sin. His being born did not undermine his eternal generation, which is incorruptible. But upon being born he assumed what is passible. That does not imply that he assumed what is subject to sin. He continued to bear the original Adam incapable of being lessened, either in respect of corruptibility or as regards the possibility of sin. Hence the “generation” in the case of Christ is not according to some procession from nonbeing into being. It is rather a transition from existing “in the form of God” to the taking on of “the form of a servant.” Hence his “birth” was both like ours and above ours. For to be born “of a woman” is like our birth, but to be born “not of the will of the flesh” or “of man” but of the Holy Spirit is above ours. There is here an intimation, a prior announcement of a future birth to be bestowed on us by the Spirit.

Origen, Fragment 11

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourth Sunday in Advent

O Lord, I will sing of Your mercies forever;
I will proclaim Your truth with my mouth from generation to generation;
For You said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your truth shall be prepared in the heavens.
I made a covenant with My chosen ones;
I swore to David My servant,
I shall prepare your seed forever,
And I shall build your throne from generation to generation.” (Ps 89:1–4)

Ethan [the psalmist] is to tell of the Lord’s mercies, whichever abide eternally unwavering, and are to be hymned with neverending praises; for the Lord showed wonderful devotion to the human race in order to seek back what was lost and to save what was wounded. This is the truth that the holy man had announced that he would proclaim. He was right to proclaim it with confidence since the Lord had promised it unconditionally. He who follows the words of truth cannot be deceived. But let us examine the meaning of Mercy shall be built up forever. There are certain groups that cannot come into being without the prospect of destruction, such as worshippers of idols and those who pursue wicked practices. These men cannot be built up for good unless they have been brought down by their vices; as Jeremiah was told: Behold, I have set thee to build up and to destroy. But the Lord’s mercy is not destroyed, but ever flourishes and increases.

He then recounts the Lord’s words which he earlier mentioned as the Lord’s utterance. Though the Lord seems to have made a proclamation to all, this covenant He made only with the elect who chose to put faith in His gift so that those who boasted physical descent from the seed of David would not bind Him to such a promise. He added: I have sworn to David my servant; God’s oath is seen to lie in the certainty of His promise, for only He who has the power to fulfill what He has pledged gives a just and definitive promise. Human frailty is prevented from binding itself with promises on oath because it does not lie in its power to carry out what it pledges. So God most fully swears when He promises all things in His own right.

We have reached the promises made by the Father to His servant David. The Lord Christ, who was to come by physical origin from David’s seed, was prepared forever as King of kings and Lord of lords. The phrase, I will prepare, has reference to His humanity, not His divinity, by which He is consubstantial, almighty, and coeternal with the Father. Next comes: And I will build up your abode forever and ever. This promise refers wholly to the Lord Savior. At that time He was promised the throne which was later to be installed in the hearts of the saints; for every saint is the abode of the Lord, in which he sits in the dignity of His majesty as though it were the most splendid throne. As we read of the Holy Spirit as well: And there appeared to them parted tongues, as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

Cassiodorus, Explanation of the Psalms 88.2–4

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday in Advent

When the Lord returned the captives of Zion,
We became like those who are comforted.
Then our mouth was filled with joy,
And our tongue with exceeding joy.
Then they shall say among the Gentiles,
“The Lord did great things with them.”
The Lord has done great things with us;
We were glad.
Return, O Lord, our captivity
Like streams in the south.
Those who sow with tears
Shall reap with exceeding joy.
They went forth and wept,
Carrying their seeds with them;
But they shall return with exceeding joy,
Carrying their sheaves. (Ps 126)

Consider, my brethren, what this means: “As torrents are turned in the south, so turn our captivity” (Ecclus 3:15). In a certain passage, Scripture says in admonishing us concerning good works, “Your sins also shall melt away, even as the ice in fair warm weather” (Ecclus 3:17). Our sins, therefore, bound us. How? As the cold binds the water that it does not run. Bound with the frost of our sins, we have frozen. But the south wind is a warm wind: when the south wind blows, the ice melts, and the torrents are filled. Now winter streams are called torrents; for filled with sudden rains they run with great force. We had therefore become frozen in captivity; our sins bound us: the south wind the Holy Spirit has blown: our sins are forgiven us, we are released from the frost of iniquity; as the ice in fair weather, our sins are melted. Let us run unto our country as the torrents in the south.

In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow. What shall we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the Apostle says, “Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” Speaking therefore of almsgiving itself, what does he say? “This I say; he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly.” He therefore who sows plentifully, shall reap plentifully: he who sows sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he who sows nothing, shall reap nothing. Why do you long for ample estates, where you may sow plentifully? There is not a wider field on which you can sow than Christ, who has willed that we should sow in Himself. Your soil is the Church; sow as much as you can. But you have not enough to do this. Do you have the will? As what you had would be nothing, if you had not goodwill, so do not despond because you have not if you have goodwill. For what do you sow? Mercy. And what will you reap? Peace. Did the Angels say, Peace on earth unto rich men? No, but, “Peace on earth unto men of goodwill.” Zacchaeus had a strong will, Zacchaeus had great charity. Did then that widow who cast her two coins into the treasury, sow little? No, but as much as Zacchaeus. For she had lesser means, but an equal will. She gave her two mites with as good a will as Zacchaeus gave the half of his patrimony. If you consider what they gave, you will find their gifts different; if you look to the source, you will find them equal. She gave whatever she had, and he gave what he had.

Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms 126.7–8

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday in Advent

Turn us, O God of our salvation,
And turn away Your anger from us.
Will You be angry with us forever,
Or will You prolong Your anger from generation to generation?
O God, You will turn and give us life,
And Your people will be glad in You.
Show us Your mercy, O Lord,
And grant us Your salvation. (Ps 85:4–7)

Not as if we ourselves of our own accord, without Your mercy, turn unto You, and then You shall make us alive: but so that not only our being made alive is from You, but our very conversion, that we may be made alive. “And Your people shall rejoice in You.” To their own evil they shall rejoice in themselves: to their own good, they shall rejoice in You. For when they wished to have joy of themselves, they found in themselves woe: but now because God is all our joy, he that will rejoice securely, let him rejoice in Him who cannot perish. For why, my brethren, will you rejoice in silver? Either your silver perishes, or you: and no one knows which first: yet this is certain, that both shall perish; which first, is uncertain. For neither can man remain here always, nor can silver remain here always: so too gold, so garments, so houses, so money, so broad lands, so, lastly, this light itself. Do not be willing then to rejoice in these: but rejoice in that light which has no setting: rejoice in that dawn which no yesterday precedes, which no tomorrow follows. What light is that? “I,” He says, “am the Light of the world.” He who says unto you, “I am the Light of the world,” calls you to Himself. When He calls you, He converts you: when He converts you, He heals you: when He has healed you, you shall see your Converter, unto whom it is said, “Show us Your mercy, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation”: Your salvation, that is, Your Christ. Happy is he unto whom God shows His mercy. He it is who cannot indulge in pride, unto whom God shows His mercy. For by showing him His salvation, He persuades him that whatever good man has, he has not but from Him who is all our good. And when a man has seen that whatever good he has he has not from himself, but from his God; he sees that everything which is praised in him is of the mercy of God, not of his own deserving; and seeing this, he is not proud; not being proud, he is not lifted up; not lifting himself up, he falls not; not falling, he stands; standing, he clings fast; clinging fast, he abides; abiding, he enjoys, and rejoices in the Lord his God. He who made him shall be unto him a delight: and his delight no one spoils, no one interrupts, no one takes away.… Therefore He promised us to show Himself unto us. Think, my brethren, what His beauty is. All those beautiful things which you see, which you love, He made. If these are beautiful, what is He Himself? If these are great, how great is He? Therefore from these things which we love here, let us long more for Him: and despising these things, let us love Him: that by that very love we may by faith purify our hearts, and His vision, when it comes, may find our heart purified. The light which shall be shown unto us ought to find us whole: this is the work of faith now. This is what we have spoken here: “And grant us Your salvation:” grant us Your Christ, that we may know Your Christ, see Your Christ; not as the Jews saw Him and crucified Him, but as the Angels see Him, and rejoice.

Augustine, On the Psalms 85.6