READINGS ADVENT THURSDAY 2

שִׁמְעוּ דְבַר־יְהוָה גּוֹיִם — וְהַגִּידוּ בָאִיִּים מִמֶּרְחָק

Even Years: Isaiah 26:7-21 7 אֹרַח לַצַּדִּיק מֵישָׁרִים יָשָׁר מַעְגַּל צַדִּיק תְּפַלֵּס׃ 8 אַף אֹרַח מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ יְהוָה קִוִּינוּךָ לְשִׁמְךָ וּלְזִכְרְךָ תַּאֲוַת־נָפֶשׁ׃ 9 נַפְשִׁי אִוִּיתִיךָ בַּלַּיְלָה אַף־רוּחִי בְקִרְבִּי אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לָאָרֶץ צֶדֶק לָמְדוּ יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל׃ 10 יֻחַן רָשָׁע בַּל־לָמַד צֶדֶק בְּאֶרֶץ נְכֹחוֹת יְעַוֵּל וּבַל־יִרְאֶה גֵּאוּת יְהוָה׃ ס 11 יְהוָה רָמָה יָדְךָ בַּל־יֶחֱזָיוּן יֶחֱזוּ וְיֵבֹשׁוּ קִנְאַת־עָם אַף־אֵשׁ צָרֶיךָ תֹאכְלֵם׃ ס 12 יְהוָה תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ כִּי גַּם כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂינוּ פָּעַלְתָּ לָּנוּ׃ 13 יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּעָלוּנוּ אֲדֹנִים זוּלָתֶךָ לְבַד־בְּךָ נַזְכִּיר שְׁמֶךָ׃ 14 מֵתִים בַּל־יִחְיוּ רְפָאִים בַּל־יָקֻמוּ לָכֵן פָּקַדְתָּ וַתַּשְׁמִידֵם וַתְּאַבֵּד כָּל־זֵכֶר לָמוֹ׃ 15 יָסַפְתָּ לַגּוֹי יְהוָה יָסַפְתָּ לַגּוֹי נִכְבָּדְתָּ רִחַקְתָּ כָּל־קַצְוֵי־אָרֶץ׃ 16 יְהוָה בַּצַּר פְּקָדוּךָ צָקוּן לַחַשׁ מוּסָרְךָ לָמוֹ׃ 17 כְּמוֹ הָרָה תַּקְרִיב לָלֶדֶת תָּחִיל תִּזְעַק בַּחֲבָלֶיהָ כֵּן הָיִינוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ יְהוָה׃ 18 הָרִינוּ חַלְנוּ כְּמוֹ יָלַדְנוּ רוּחַ יְשׁוּעֹת בַּל־נַעֲשֶׂה אֶרֶץ וּבַל־יִפְּלוּ יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל׃ 19 יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שֹׁכְנֵי עָפָר כִּי טַל אוֹרֹת טַלֶּךָ וָאָרֶץ רְפָאִים תַּפִּיל׃ ס 20 לֵךְ עַמִּי בֹּא בַחֲדָרֶיךָ וּסְגֹר דְּלָתְיךָ בַּעֲדֶךָ חֲבִי כִמְעַט־רֶגַע עַד־יַעֲבָור־זָעַם׃ 21 כִּי־הִנֵּה יְהוָה יֹצֵא מִמְּקוֹמוֹ לִפְקֹד עֲוֹן יֹשֵׁב־הָאָרֶץ עָלָיו וְגִלְּתָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת־דָּמֶיהָ וְלֹא־תְכַסֶּה עוֹד עַל־הֲרוּגֶיהָ׃ ס

Odd Years: Ruth 2:1-13 1 וּלְנָעֳמִי מְיֻדָּע לְאִישָׁהּ אִישׁ גִּבּוֹר חַיִל מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת אֱלִימֶלֶךְ וּשְׁמוֹ בֹּעַז׃ 2 וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה אֶל־נָעֳמִי אֵלְכָה־נָּא הַשָּׂדֶה וַאֲלַקֳטָה בַשִּׁבֳּלִים אַחַר אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינָיו וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ לְכִי בִתִּי׃ 2 3 וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּבוֹא וַתְּלַקֵּט בַּשָּׂדֶה אַחֲרֵי הַקֹּצְרִים וַיִּקֶר מִקְרֶהָ חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה לְבֹעַז אֲשֶׁר מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת אֱלִימֶלֶךְ׃ 4 וְהִנֵּה־בֹעַז בָּא מִבֵּית לֶחֶם וַיֹּאמֶר לַקּוֹצְרִים יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה׃ 5 וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז לְנַעֲרוֹ הַנִּצָּב עַל־הַקּוֹצְרִים לְמִי הַנַּעֲרָה הַזֹּאת׃ 6 וַיַּעַן הַנַּעַר הַנִּצָּב עַל־הַקּוֹצְרִים וַיֹּאמַר נַעֲרָה מוֹאֲבִיָּה הִיא הַשָּׁבָה עִם־נָעֳמִי מִשְּׂדֵה מוֹאָב׃ 7 וַתֹּאמֶר אֲלַקֳטָה־נָּא וְאָסַפְתִּי בָעֳמָרִים אַחֲרֵי הַקּוֹצְרִים וַתָּבוֹא וַתַּעֲמוֹד מֵאָז הַבֹּקֶר וְעַד־עַתָּה זֶה שִׁבְתָּהּ הַבַּיִת מְעָט׃ 8 וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל־רוּת הֲלוֹא שָׁמַעַתְּ בִּתִּי אַל־תֵּלְכִי לִלְקֹט בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר וְגַם לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי מִזֶּה וְכֹה תִדְבָּקִין עִם־נַעֲרֹתָי׃ 9 עֵינַיִךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְצֹרוּן וְהָלַכְתְּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן הֲלוֹא צִוִּיתִי אֶת־הַנְּעָרִים לְבִלְתִּי נָגְעֵךְ וְצָמִת וְהָלַכְתְּ אֶל־הַכֵּלִים וְשָׁתִית מֵאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲבוּן הַנְּעָרִים׃ 10 וַתִּפֹּל עַל־פָּנֶיהָ וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַדּוּעַ מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ לְהַכִּירֵנִי וְאָנֹכִי נָכְרִיָּה׃ 11 וַיַּעַן בֹּעַז וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הֻגֵּד הֻגַּד לִי כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂית אֶת־חֲמוֹתֵךְ אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אִישֵׁךְ וַתַּעַזְבִי אָבִיךְ וְאִמֵּךְ וְאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתֵּךְ וַתֵּלְכִי אֶל־עַם אֲשֶׁר 12 לֹא־יָדַעַתְּ תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם׃ יְשַׁלֵּם יְהוָה פָּעֳלֵךְ וּתְהִי מַשְׂכֻּרְתֵּךְ שְׁלֵמָה מֵעִם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאת לַחֲסוֹת תַּחַת־כְּנָפָיו׃ 13 וַתֹּאמֶר אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנִי כִּי נִחַמְתָּנִי וְכִי דִבַּרְתָּ עַל־לֵב שִׁפְחָתֶךָ וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אֶהְיֶה כְּאַחַת שִׁפְחֹתֶיךָ׃

Even Years: St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 147 Videns Deus mundum labefactari timore, continuo agit ut cum amore revocet, invitet gratia, caritate teneat et constringat affectu. As God sees the world tottering to ruin because of fear, he acts unceasingly to bring it back by love, invite it by grace, to hold it by charity and clasp it firmly with affection. Hinc est quod inveteratam malis terram abluit ulciscente diluvio, et Noe novi saeculi vocat parentem, blando sermone compellit, dat familiarem fiduciam, pie de praesentibus instruit, consolatur per gratiam de futuris; et iam non iussit, sed participato labore una in arca claudit totius saeculi partum, ut societatis amor timorem servitutis auferet, et servaretur amore communi quod fuerat communi labore salvatum. Hence, he washes the earth grown old in evil with the avenging flood. He calls Noah the father of a new world, speaks to him gently and gives him kindly confidence. He gives him fatherly instruction about the present and consoles him with good hope for the future. He did not give orders but instead shared in the work of enclosing together in the ark all living creatures on the earth. In this way the love of being together was to banish the fear born of slavery. What had been saved by a shared work was to be preserved by a community of love. Hinc est quod Abraham vocat de genitbus, auget nomine, patrem fidei facit, comitatur via, inter exteros servat, ditat rebus, honorat triumphis, promissis oppignorat, eripit iniuriis, hospitalitate blanditur, mirificat germine desperato: ut tot repletus bonis, tanta divinae illectus dulcedine caritatis, Deum diligere disceret, non timere; amando colere, non pavendo. God calls Abraham from among the nations and makes his name great. He also makes him the father of those who believe, accompanies him on his journeys, and takes care of him among foreign peoples. He enriches him with possessions, honours him with triumphs, and binds himself to him by promises. He snatches him from harm, looks after him hospitably, and astonishes him with a son he had given up hope of ever having. All this he does, so that filled with so many good things, and drawn by the great sweetness of divine love, Abraham might learn to love God and not to be afraid of him, to worship him by love, not by trembling in fear. Hinc est quod Iacob fugientem solatur in somnis, redeuntem pro certamine provocat, luctatoris constringit amplexu; ut amaret patrem certaminis, non timeret. He comforts the fugitive Jacob in his sleep. On his way back he calls him to the contest and grasps him with a wrestler's arms. This was to teach him to love and not to fear the father of the contest. Hinc est quod Moysen patria voce vocat, paterna alloquitur caritate, ut sit plebis suae liberator, invitat. He invites Moses to be the liberator of his people, calling him with a fatherly voice and speaking to him father's love. Sed per haec quae memoravimus, ubi humana corda flamma divinae caritatis accendit, et humanis sensibus amoris Dei tota se fundit ebrietas, saucia mente coeperunt Deum carnalibus velle oculis intueri. The events that we have recalled where the hearts of men were fired with the flame of the love of God and their senses flooded to intoxication with that love, led them, wounded by love, to begin to want to look upon God with their bodily eyes. Deum, quem mundus non capit, angustus quomodo capere poterat humanus aspectus? Quid erit, quid debeat, quid possit, non respicit ius amoris. Amor ignorat iudicium, ratione caret, modum nescit. Amor non accipit de impossibilitate solacium, non recipit de difficultate remedium. How could the narrowness of human vision enclose God whom the world cannot contain? The law of love has no thought about what will be, what ought to be or what can be. Love knows nothing about judgement, is beyond reason, and is incapable of moderation. Love takes no relief from the fact that its object is beyond possibility, nor is it cured by difficulties. Amor, nisi ad desiderata pervaserit, necat amantem; et ideo vadit quo ducitur, non quo debeat. Amor parit desiderium, gliscit ardore, ardore ad inconcessa pertendit. Et quid plura? If love does not attain what it desires, it kills the lover. So, it goes where it is led, not where it ought to go. Love breeds desire that becomes so inflamed as to make its way towards what is forbidden. Amor quod amat non potest non videre: hinc est quod omnes sancti omnia quae meruerant parva duxerunt, si Dominum non viderent. Love cannot bear not to have sight of what it loves. That is why holy people thought all that they had merited was nothing if they could not see the Lord. Hinc est quod amor qui cupit videre Deum, etsi non habet iudicium, habet tamen studium pietatis. That is why love that longs to see God has the spirit of devotion even though it lacks judgement. Hinc est quod Moyses audet dicere: Si inveni gratiam coram te, ostende mihi faciem tuam. That is why Moses dares to say, If I have found favour in your sight, show me your face. Hinc est quod alius dicit: Ostende faciem tuam. Denique etipsi gentiles ob hoc simulacra finxerunt, ut in ipsis erroribus oculis cernerent quod colebant. Finally, that is why the nations fashioned images. In these false things they wanted to see with their own eyes what they were worshipping.

Odd Years: Cyril of Alexandria, On Isaiah Lib 3, t l: PG 70, 563-566) «Κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας, καὶ πάλιν ἀφεῖλεν ὁ Θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου. Τὸ ὄνειδος τοῦ λαοῦ ἀφεῖλεν ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς γῆς. Τὸ γὰρ στόμα Κυρίου ἐλάλησε ταῦτα.» Ἐπὶ καιροῦ σφόδρα καὶ ἀναγκαίως τῇ τοῦ μυστηρίου παραδόσει, καὶ ὁ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν συνεισκεκόμισται λόγος. Ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος τῆς πίστεως ποιούμενοι τὴν ὁμολογίαν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν ἀνάστασιν προσδοκῶμεν ἔσεσθαι, καὶ οὕτω πιστεύομεν. Death prevailed and swallowed us up, but God has wiped away the tears from every face. [He has taken the shame of the people from the whole earth. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken thus. This passage about the resurrection from the dead is a timely and necessary accompaniment of the conferral of the sacrament. With this, at the time of holy baptism, we make our profession of faith. We await the resurrection of the flesh, and that is our faith.] Ὁ τοίνυν θάνατος κατίσχυσε μὲν τοῦ προπάτορος ἡμῶν Ἀδὰμ διὰ τὴν παράβασιν, καὶ ὥσπερ τι θηρίον ὠμόν τε καὶ ἀπηνὲς ἐπιπηδῆσαν ἥρπασε. Θρῆνοί τε λοιπὸν ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ οἰμωγαὶ, καὶ δάκρυον, καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῖς τεθνεῶσι πένθος, κεκρατήκασι τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Πέπαυταί γε μὴν ἐν Χριστῷ. Τριήμερος γὰρ ἀνεβίω πατήσας τὸν θάνατον, καὶ ὁδὸς γεγονὼς τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει πρὸς τὸ διακρούσασθαι δεῖν τὴν φθοράν. Death had power over Adam, our first parent, because of his sin, and like some savage and cruel beast, it attacked him and carried him off. After that lamentations, wailings, tears, and mourning for the dead were the lot of all who dwelt upon earth. But in Christ they came to an end. Coming to life again on the third day, he trampled death under foot and became the way by which we were to escape corruption. Γέγονε γὰρ πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων. Ἕψεται δὲ πάντως τῇ ἀπαρχῇ, καὶ πρώτῳ τὸ μετ' αὐτὴν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν, ἡμεῖς. Ἐστράφη τοίνυν τὸ πάθος εἰς χαρὰν, καὶ διεῤῥάγη μὲν ὁ σάκκος· περιεζώσμεθα δὲ τὴν θεόσδοτον εὐφροσύνην, ὡς χαίροντας λέγειν· «Ποῦ ἡ νίκη σου, θάνατε; Ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου, ᾅδη; Τὸ δὲ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία, φησίν.» Οὐκοῦν ἀφῄρηται πᾶν δάκρυον· πιστεύοντες γὰρ ὅτι πάντη τε καὶ πάντως ἐγείρει τοὺς νεκροὺς ὁ Χριστὸς οὐ δακρυῤῥοοῦμεν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς, οὔτε μὲν εἰς ἀκράτους καταβαίνομεν λύπας, καθάπερ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ μὴ ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα. Ὄνειδος δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ κατονομάζειν ἔοικεν αὐτὸν τὸν θάνατον, ὡς γένεσιν ἔχοντα τῆς καθ' ἡμῶν ἐφόδου τὴν παράβασιν. Ἤγουν τάχα που τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δι' ἣν εἰσβέβηκεν ἡ φθορὰ καὶ τὸ τοῦ θανάτου κράτος κεκυρίευκε τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Christ became the firstborn from the dead and the firstfruits of all who had fallen asleep. Now the firstfruits, the one who comes first, will undoubtedly be followed later by others, that is by us. And so sorrow has been turned into joy; we are no longer clad in mourning but girded with a God-given gladness that inspires the jubilant cry: Death, where is your victory? Grave, where is your sting? [The sting of death is sin, he says. Has not all tear been wiped away? For, believing that Christ once and for all will raise the dead, we do not weep over them, nor do we descend to uncontrolled grief, as others do who have no hope. The shame of the people seems to stand for death, which originated from the sin at the beginning. That was the sin through which corruption entered, and the power of death held sway over everyone on earth.] Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως μυστήριον οὐκ εὐπαράδεκτόν ἐστι τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἀπιστεῖσθαι δὲ ἦν εἰκὸς διά τοι τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ μεγαλουργησίαν, προσεπήνεγκεν ὁ μακάριος προφήτης, ὅτι τὸ στόμα Κυρίου ἐλάλησεν... Since the mystery of the resurrection is not easily accepted by many, and they refused to believe because the huge deed that it is, the blessed Prophet (Isaiah) confirmed what he said by the words, "The mouth of the Lord has spoken." «Καὶ ἐροῦσιν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ· Ἰδοὺ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐφ' ᾧ ἠλπίζομεν, καὶ ἠγαλλιώμεθα, καὶ σώσει ἡμᾶς. Οὗτος Κύριος, ὑπεμείναμεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀγαλλιασόμεθα· καὶ εὐφρανθησόμεθα ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἀνάπαυσιν δώσει ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τοῦτο.» And in that day they will say: Behold your God in whom we have trusted and exulted. We shall rejoice in our salvation, for God will give rest upon this mountain. Ἐπιγνώσεσθε, φησὶ, τὸν ποτίζοντα μὲν εὐφροσύνην, καὶ πρός γε τούτῳ καὶ οἶνον, καταχρίοντα δὲ καὶ μύρῳ τοὺς ἐν τῇ νοητῇ Σιών· ἐπιγνώσεσθε δὲ ὅτι Θεὸς κατὰ ἀλήθειάν ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν Υἱὸς, καὶ εἰ ἐν τοῦ δούλου φαίνοιτο μορφῇ, τῆς ἁπάντων γέγονε σωτηρίας καὶ ζωῆς ἄνθρωπος γεγονὼς, καὶ ὁμοιωθεὶς κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, δίχα μόνης ἁμαρτίας. Μονονουχὶ γὰρ καὶ χεῖρα, φησὶ, προτείνοντες ἐροῦσιν· «Ἰδοὺ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐφ' ᾧ ἠλπίζομεν καὶ ἠγαλλιώμεθα ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ ἡμῶν.» In other words, you will recognise the one who fills the cup of gladness with wine and anoints with sweet oil the inhabitants of the spiritual Zion. You will recognise him to be truly God and by his very nature the Son of God, even though for the life and salvation of all he appeared in the nature of a slave and became in every respect except sin a man like those who live upon earth. Οἶμαι δὲ ἔγωγε τοῦτόν γε μάλιστα τὸν λόγον ἀνῆρθαι πρέπειν τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οἳ καὶ ταῖς Μωσαϊκαῖς ἐντεθραμμένοι φωναῖς καὶ τὰς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν προαγορεύσεις οὐκ ἠγνοηκότες, προσεδόκουν ἀφίξεσθαι κατὰ καιρὸν Σωτῆρα, καὶ Λυτρωτὴν, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. Καὶ γοῦν ὡς ἤδη προεῖπον, Ζαχαρίας μὲν ὁ Ἰωάννου πατὴρ προφητεύων ἐν πνεύματι λελάληκε περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι «Κέρας ἐγήγερται τῷ λαῷ σωτηρίας.» Καὶ Συμεὼν ὁμοίως εἰς χεῖρας ἑλὼν τὸ ἅγιον Βρέφος· «Εἶδον, φησὶν, οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου τὸ σωτήριόν σου ὃ ἡτοίμασας κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν λαῶν.» I think these words may best be taken as spoken by the Israelites, for since they had been brought up on the teachings of Moses and were familiar with all the prophets had foretold, they expected a saviour and redeemer, who is our Lord Jesus Christ come at the appointed time. Prompted by the Spirit to prophesy Zechariah, the father of John, declared that a mighty saviour been raised up for his people, and Simeon likewise when he received the holy infant in his hands said: My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people. Ἐπιγνόντες τοίνυν τὸν πάλαι προηγγελμένον, τὴν ἁπάντων ἐλπίδα τὸν Σωτῆρα καὶ Λυτρωτὴν ἐροῦσι, φησίν· Ἰδοὺ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν. Προσομολογήσουσι δὲ ὅτι ἀνάπαυσιν δώσει ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τοῦτο. Καί μοι πάλιν ὄρος οἴου λέγεσθαι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, δέδοται γὰρ ἡ ἀνάπαυσις ἐν αὐτῇ. Ἀκηκόαμεν γὰρ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος· «Δεῦτε πρὸς μὲ, πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς.» Ἀπεφορτισάμεθα γὰρ διὰ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πίστεως τὴν δυσαχθῆ καὶ δυσφόρητον ἁμαρτίαν. Ἀνεπαυσάμεθα δὲ καὶ καθ' ἕτερον τρόπον δειμάτων ἀπηλλαγμένοι τῶν ἐπί γέ φημι τὸ χρῆναι κολάζεσθαι, καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς πλημμελήμασιν ἀποτίσαι δίκας. Καὶ οὐ μέχρι τούτων ἡ εἰς ἡμᾶς τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ γέγονε χάρις· προστέθειται δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐν ἐλπίσιν ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας ἡ κτῆσις μακρὰ καὶ ἀκήρατος ζωὴ, καὶ παντὸς τοῦ καταλυπεῖν εἰωθότος ἡ ἀπόστασις. And so, recognizing as the hope of our race the Saviour and Redeemer foretold long before, they will cry out in the words the Prophet: Behold, our God, and will proclaim that God will give rest upon this mountain. The mountain referred to must surely be the Church, for it is there that rest is given. We have heard the words of Christ: Come to me, all who are weary and overburdened and I will give you rest. By faith in Christ we have laid aside the grievous, the insupportable burden of sin. And we have been given rest in another way too, for we have been delivered from dread of the punishment we should have had to suffer for our sins. Nor are these the only effects of the presence in us of the grace of Christ our Saviour. We have in addition the hope of blessings yet to come, the kingdom of heaven, eternal life, and freedom from every cause of distress.

Prayer