Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Quotes:

“For it was not possible while he was still Abram and was bearing the name of his physical birth to receive the covenant of God and the mark of circumcision. But when “he went out from his country and his kindred,” then responses of a more sacred kind are delivered to him at this time. First God says to him, “You shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham shall be your name.” Then at once he received the covenant of God and accepted circumcision as a sign of faith that he could not accept while he was still in his father’s house and in the relationship of flesh and while he was still called Abram.”¹

“But when the perversity of the wicked increases, not only should we not cease to preach but we should even intensify our efforts. The Lord counsels us to do this by his example. After he was said to have a demon, he extended the benefits of his preaching when he said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will not see death forever.””²

“There is a difference between tasting death and seeing death. The Jews, as unintelligent hearers, confused the saying of the Lord and instead of “he will not see death” said “He will not taste death.””³

” Abraham saw the day of the Lord when he hospitably received three angels as a prefiguration of the most holy Trinity. After he had received them, he spoke to the three as to one, since although there are three persons in the Trinity, the nature of the divinity is one. But the unspiritual minds of [Jesus’] hearers did not raise their eyes from his body. Although he was God, they took account only of his age in the flesh.”⁴

1. Origen, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 3.3. Sheridan, M. (Ed.). (2002). Genesis 12–50 (p. 52). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
2. Gregory the Great, FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 16. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2006). John 1–10 (p. 313). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
3. Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 20.413.
4. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies 16.