01 January 2006

Patristic Quote for the Day

Today is the Circumcision and our vicar delivered a very fine homily on the same. Check out the Church website for it (www.stpaullutheranchurchhamel.org).

But he also irritated me today by saying that Basil is to be preferred to Chrysostom. Now, I love Basil very, very much. But a better preacher than the golden-mouth? I think not. So for vicar's repentance today one of my favorite St. John quotes:

Therefore, in order that we may become of His body, not in desire only, but also in very fact, let us become commingled with that Body. This, in very truth, takes place by means of the food which he has given us as gift, because he desired to prove the love that He has for us. It is for this reason that He has shared Himself with us and has brought His body down to our level, namely, that we might be one with Him as the body is joined with the head. This, in truth, is characteristic of those who greatly love... Moreover, Christ has done even this to spur us on to greater love. And to show the love He has for us He has made it possible for those who desire, not merely to look upon Him, but even to touch Him and consume Him and fix their teeth in His Flesh and be commingled with Him; in short, to fulfill all their love. Let us, then, come back from that table like lions breathing out fire, thus becoming terrifying to the devil, and remaining mindful of our Head and of the love which He has shown for us. (Commentary on St. John the Evangelist, quoted in For All the Saints, vol. III, p. 169, 170)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

this is especially powerful:

"in short, to fulfill all their love"

it reminds me of something cs lewis once said, and i believe parroted by peter kreft (sp?) (catholic apologist), that man's desire, longing and sense of need, is really a longing for Christ (God) and can only be completely fulfilled and satiated by Him.

I wish I had the quote in front of me, as both men said it better than I have.

Chaz said...

That's a commentary, not a sermon. It's not even real theology! :-)