Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – St Gregory of Nyssa (c335–c395) Bishop, Father of the Church
On the Soul and the Resurrection
in Two Parts
“[He], Who gives you the day
will give you also the things
necessary for the day.”
“As no darkness can be seen
by anyone surrounded by light,
so, no trivialities can capture,
the attention of anyone,
who has his eyes on Christ.”
“For when one considers the universe,
can anyone be so simple-minded,
as NOT to believe that the Divine is present
in everything, pervading, embracing and penetrating it?”
“It is impossible for one
to live without tears,
who considers things,
exactly as they are!”
“For the purity of Christ and the purity
which is manifest in our hearts are identical.
Christ’s purity, however, is the Fountainhead;
ours has its Source in Him and flows out of Him.
Our life is stamped with the beauty of His thought.
The inner and the outer man,
are harmonised in a kind of music.
The mind of Christ is the controlling influence
which inspires us to moderation and goodness in our behaviour.
As I see it, Christian perfection consists in this –
sharing the title which expresses the meaning of Christ’s Name,
we bring out this meaning in our minds,
our prayers and our way of life.”
“If you draw from Him,
the thoughts in your mind
and the inclinations of your heart,
you will show a likeness to Christ,
your Source and Origin,
as the gleaming water in a jar
resembles the flowing water,
from which it was obtained.”
O Good Shepherd,
You Whom My Soul Loves
By St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395)
Father of the Church
Where are You pasturing Your flock,
O good Shepherd,
Who carry the whole flock on Your shoulders?
(For the whole of human nature is one sheep
and You have lifted it onto Your shoulders).
Show me the place of peace,
lead me to the good grass that will nourish me,
call me by name so that I,
Your sheep, hear Your voice
and by Your speech,
give me eternal life.
Answer me, You Whom my soul loves.
… Show me then (my soul says),
where You pasture Your flock,
so that I can find that saving pasture too
and fill myself with the food of heaven,
without which, no-one can come to eternal life
and run to the spring
and fill myself with the drink of God.
You give it, as from a spring,
to those who thirst –
water pouring from Your side, cut open by the lance,
water that, to whoever drinks it,
is a spring of water,
welling up to eternal life.
Amen
This is a tiny excerpt from St Gregory of Nyssa’s commentary on the Song of Songs (Cap 2: PG 44, 802), using the imagery of Psalm 23, appeals to the Lord Jesus Christ for the promised green pastures, restful waters and noonday rest that is the final, eternal destination of those who love God and walk in His ways.
St Gregory of Nyssa (c335–c395)
Father of the Church
AnaStpaul 
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