1 My son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.
Dorotheos of Gaza · AD 565 A monk who truly sets out to serve God, according to Wisdom, must prepare his soul against temptation lest he might at any time become separated from God or be overwhelmed by what happens to him. He must also believe that nothing happens without the providence of God.
Bede · AD 735 When the merits of the elect increase, the envy of the ancient enemy also immediately increases. It seeks either imperceptibly by himself, or openly through people who are subjected to his wickedness, to suffocate the incipient seeds of piety.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The first justification of the soul is that it be subject to the divine majesty. Once this fear is destroyed, it is necessary that what follows be destroyed. On account of this it is said in Ecclesiasticus: "Son, coming to the service of God, stand in justice and fear, and prepare your soul for temptation."
2 Set your heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Even so doth God oftentimes hold out some kind of threat; not that He may bring it upon us, but that He may draw us unto Himself. At any rate, when we return, He doth away with our fear at once; since assuredly, if we were alike in temptations and at ease, there would have been no need of temptations. But why do I speak of us?
3 Cling to him, and depart not away, that you may be increased at your last end.
4 Whatever is brought upon you take cheerfully, and be patient when you are changed to a low estate.
5 For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.
Gaudentius of Brescia · AD 410 Regarding the punishment God inflicts on us, we hear, "When we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world." Regarding the just, however, he says, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the de…
John Cassian · AD 435 We know that even the saints have been given over in the flesh to Satan and to great afflictions for some very slight faults, since the divine mercy will not suffer the very least spot or stain to be found in them on the day of judgment.
6 Believe in him, and he will help you; order your way aright, and trust in him.
7 You that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest you fall.
8 You that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.
9 You that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.
10 Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any remain in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Listen, O God, to my prayer, while I am troubled; from fear of the enemy deliver my soul." Enemies have raged against the martyrs. For what was that voice of Christ's body praying? It was praying for this: to be delivered from enemies and praying that enemies might not have power to kill them.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 "And God conceded to Daniel to find compassion and mercy in the presence of the chief eunuch." Divine providence is, in fact, a consequence of our free will. Thus, as soon as I choose the divine will, I will enjoy divine help. The same thing also happened in the life of Joseph, as it is said, "But the Lord was with Joseph.
Fulgentius of Ruspe · AD 533 Know that God is working in you both to will and to do, according to a good will. Therefore, attend to your salvation with fear and trembling. Humble yourself before the Lord so that he may exalt you. Ask him for the beginning of a good will, seek from him the effects of good works, ask him for the gift of perseverance.
11 For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, patience, and very compassionate, and forgives sins, and saves in time of affliction.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The gift of piety arises first from the uncreated Trinity, namely from God the Father. Although God possesses all the most noble properties, He is nevertheless most excellent in this property, namely that of piety; whence it is said in the prayer: "O God, whose property it is always to have mercy and to spare." And in Ecclesiasticus: "Pious and merciful is God, and in the time…
12 Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goes two ways!
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 When we come to the grace of baptism, renouncing all the other gods and masters, we confess one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But confessing this, if "we do not love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul" and do not adhere to him "with all our strength," we have not become the Lord's portion.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 If … one dies to whom one of these superstitious remedies has been given—and how many have died with remedies, and how many have lived without them!—with what confidence does his spirit go forth to God? He has lost the sign of Christ, receiving instead the sign of the devil. Perhaps he may say that he has not lost the sign of Christ.
13 Woe to him that is fainthearted! for he believes not; therefore shall he not be defended.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The one whose spirit has been entrusted to God clings to God. God is faithful and will not allow him to be tempted above that which he is able but will make with the temptation a way of escape also, so that he may be able to endure and not be turned back in the day of battle.
Fulgentius of Ruspe · AD 533 Faith competes with human nature—something for which the Creator has taken a great deal of care in ensuring that even the very hairs on our head are counted—such that it is obvious that only when human nature senses that it is loved by God does it love God who loves it and then binds itself to him by means of pure-hearted faith.
14 Woe to you that have lost patience! and what will you do when the Lord shall visit you?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 One can read somewhere in the Gospel the following words of our Lord Jesus Christ: "With your patience you will save your souls." And in another passage of the Scriptures it is said, "Woe to those who have lost patience." Whether you call it patience or endurance or tolerance, the various terms allude to the same thing.
15 They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways.
16 They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing to him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law.
17 They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight,
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And how shall we perfect sanctification? It is said in Ecclesiasticus: "Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in his sight will sanctify their souls, saying: if we do not do penance, we shall fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men." "Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts," that is, they will abstain and cease from sins.
18 Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.