Spiritual nourishment during education

If we should be involved with profane teachings during our education, we should not separate ourselves from the nourishment of the Church’s milk. 

 

 





How to describe the Living God?

No matter what kind of language is used, it will be unable to speak of God as He is and what He is.  The perfection of learning is to know God in such a manner that, although you realize He is not unknown, you perceive that He cannot be described. 

On the expulsion from Paradise

 

God drove them out of Paradise, separating them from the Tree of Life—not because He wanted to protect the Tree of Life from them, as some teach, but because God pitied them.  He did not want them to continue to live forever as sinners, or for the sin which had engulfed them to last forever, or for evil to have no end or remedy.  So, God set a bound to sin by interposing death, thus causing sin to cease (Rom 6:7). 

 





What is the best treatment?

 

Nothing is more forceful and effective than treatment which is gentle and kind. 

 

On wasted time

What is more precious than anything in the world? Time! And what do we waste uselessly and without being sorry? Time! What do we not value and what do we disregard more than anything? Time! When we waste time, we lose ourselves! We lose everything! When we have lost the most trivial item, we search for it. But when we lose time--we're not even aware of it. Time is given by God to use correctly for the salvation of the soul and the acquisition of the life to come. Time must be allocated in the same way that a good housekeeper allocates every coin--each one is used for something. Each one has its own purpose. In such a way let us also allocate time profitably, not for vain amusements and entertainments, conversations, feasts and parties. The Lord will call us to account for having stolen time for our own whims, and for not using it for God and our soul. 

 



On personal prayer

Every faithful man and woman, when they have risen from sleep in the morning, before they touch any work at all, should wash their hands and pray to God and so go to their work…Pray also before your body rests on the bed. 

About (St.) Hippolytus, c. 170-235 AD:  Bishop of Pontus (near Rome), was an eminent and learned scholar who wrote voluminously in the early third century.  Since he was unusually well versed in Greek philosophy, the Hellenistic mystery religions, and the teachings of the Apologists, it seems clear that, like (St.) Irenaeus, (St.) Hippolytus came from the eastern half of the Roman Empire.  He professed himself to be a disciple of (St.) Irenaeus and, like his teacher, (St.) Hippolytus wrote his works in Greek; indeed, he was the last Christian author in Rome to do so.  He died a martyr. 

(St.) Hippolytus’s writings include several widely different fields of Christian concern.  His Refutation of All Heresies engaged pagan culture and philosophy extensively.  In his Apostolic Traditions, (St.) Hippolytus handed on what had become customary practice within the Church by his day.  Topics covered include particulars regarding Christian life, details about the administration and celebration of the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist, and some information about the responsibilities of clergy. 

A prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan

May God grant us our prayer:  to sail on a swift ship under a favorable breeze and finally reach a haven of safety; that we may not be exposed to spiritual obstacles too great to overcome; that we may not meet with shipwreck to our faith.  We pray also for a peace profound and, if there be anything that may arouse the storms of this world against us, that we may have as our ever-watchful pilot our Lord Jesus, who by His command can calm the tempest and restore once more the sea’s tranquility.  To Him be honor and glory in perpetuity, both now and forever, and for all ages to come.  Amen.