28 October 2009

Patristic Quote of the Day

Blood is given for blood, death for death, a victim for sin, and thus the Devil lost what he held. To him it is now rightly said: 'You have no excuses, Enemy. The first Adam sinned, but I, the new Adam, did not receive the stain of sin. The very flesh which you had made subject to sin through your seduction has now conquered you by My justice. Let My justice benefit the sinner, let the death unduly imposed upon Me profit the debtor. You can no longer keep man in eternal death, for through Me he has conquered, overcome, and broken you. Truly, you have not been conquered by power, but by justice; not by domination, but, rather, by equity.' Thus the Enemy gave up what he had swallowed, and what he held was justly taken from him, because he had unjustly dared to attack what in no way belonged to him. -- St. Caesarius of Arles, Homily 11

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