Irenaeus here shows that the Church of the 2nd century regarded the Eucharist as a sacrifice which fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi 1:11 of a new, pure oblation and offering that would be offered by the gentiles all over the world. ...
Cyprian here writes of the martyrdom of St. Fabian who was elected bishop of the Church of Rome in 236. In 250, at the beginning of the persecution of the Emperor Decius, Pope Fabian was captured, martyred, and buried in the catacombs, in cemetery...
Here St. Cyril of Alexandria comments on the promise of God the Father to pour out his Holy Spirit on all mankind in order to renew and restore our wounded human nature. In his baptism, the Lord Jesus Christ, "the first-fruits of our restored nature," receives...
Cyprian, who himself was martyred a few years after writing this, here speaks of the invincible faith of the martyrs. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']H[/dropcaps]ow can I find the words to praise you, most courageous brethren? How can I compose a speech worthy of the...
Gregory of Nazianzen's memoire of his friendship with Basil the Great. These Cappadocian church fathers are honored on January 2 by Catholics & Orthodox...
This excerpt from St. Irenaeus shows that the Blessed Virgin Mary is truly a new Eve, just as her son Jesus Christ is a new Adam. He contrasts Eve's disobedience with Mary's obedience....
Augustine comments on the image of the shepherds of the Church as watchmen who are obligated to warn God's people when they are going astray. He also comments on the words of Jesus to his disciples that they are to do what the chief Priests...
Augustine explains that constant prayer does not mean non-stop church services or recitation of prayers, but a ceaseless desire of the heart for union with God in heaven. This constant desire for God, actually, is one of the three theological virtues, namely the virtue...
Leo on the second & third of the Beatitudes, calling blessed the meek and those who mourn. The mourning Christ references here has little to do with worldly sorrow, and the reward promised to the lowly & gentle goes well beyond the things of...
Leo the Great, comments on the first of the Beatitudes "blessed are the poor in spirit." He makes clear that it is not economic poverty that is blessed, but that poverty of spirit called humility expressed in generosity to others and detachment from the...