Author Archives: Greg

For Thursday of Lent Week 3 . . . In order that while He might become a sacrifice for us all, we, nourished up in the words of truth, and partaking of His living doctrine, might be able with the saints to receive also the joy of Heaven. For there, as He called the disciplesContinue reading “Athanasius, Festal Letter 28 Fragment”

For Wednesday of Lent Week 3 For who is our joy and boast, but our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who suffered for us, and by Himself made known to us the Father? For He is no other than He Who of old time spoke by the Prophets; but now He says to every man,Continue reading “Athanasius, Festal Letter 27 Fragment”

For Tuesday of Lent Week 3 Fragment of Festal Letter 22 (for AD 350) Where our Lord Jesus Christ, who took upon Him to die for all, stretched forth His hands, not somewhere on the earth beneath, but in the air itself, in order that the Salvation effected by the Cross might be shown toContinue reading “Athanasius, Festal Letters 22 & 24 Fragments”

For Monday of Lent Week 3 1 Let us now keep the feast, my brethren, for as our Lord then gave notice to His disciples, so He now tells us beforehand, that “after some days is the Passover,” in which the Jews indeed betrayed the Lord, but we celebrate His death as a feast, rejoicingContinue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 20”

For Thursday of Lent Week 2 6 . . . But the disciples since they were wise, and therefore remained with the Lord, although the sea was agitated, and the ship covered with the waves, for there was a storm, and the wind was contrary, yet fell not away. For they awoke the Word, WhoContinue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 19”

For Wednesday of Lent Week 2 1 The gladness of our feast, my brethren, is always near at hand, and never fails those who wish to celebrate it. For the Word is near, Who is all things on our behalf, even our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, having promised that His habitation with us should beContinue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 14”

For Tuesday of Lent Week 2 1 Again, my beloved brethren, I am ready to notify to you the saving feast , which will take place according to annual custom. For although the opponents of Christ have oppressed you together with us with afflictions and sorrows; yet, God having comforted us by our mutual faith,Continue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 13”

For Monday of Lent Week 2 7 And whereas, not only in action, but also in the thoughts of the mind, men are moved to deeds of virtue, he afterwards adds, saying, “My eyes prevent the dawn, that I might meditate on Your words.” [Ps 119:148] For it is meet that the spiritual meditations ofContinue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 11”

For Friday of Lent Week 1 [Written after Athanasius’s return to Alexandria from his first exile (July 335–November 337) because of the Arian controversy.] 1 Although I have travelled all this distance from you, my brethren, I have not forgotten the custom which obtains among you, which has been delivered to us by the fathersContinue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 10”

For Thursday of Lent Week 1 3 But the saints, and they who truly practise virtue, “mortify their members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness passions, evil concupiscence;” and, as the result of this, are pure and without spot, confiding in the promise of our Saviour, who said, “Blessed are the pure in heart,Continue reading “Selections from Athanasius, Festal Letter 7”