Daily Contemplation

"I saw the ungodly greatly exalted and lifting himself up like the cedars of Lebanon; and I passed by, and behold, he was not; and I sought for him, but his place was not found." (Ps 36:35-36 OSB)
Why was he "no more, and his place nowhere to be found"? Because you had "passed by." But if you are still carnally-minded, and that earthly prosperity appears to you to be true happiness, you have not yet "passed by" him; you are either his fellow, or you are below him. Go on, and pass him; and when you have made progress, and have passed by him, you will observe him by the eye of faith. You will see his end, and say to yourself, "Lo! he who so swelled before, is not!" just as if it were some smoke that you were passing near to.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

"And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God" (Is 9:6).
Through this name, death was dissolved, demons are imprisoned in bonds, heaven opened, the gates of paradise were thrown wide, the Spirit was sent down, slaves are made free, enemies become sons, strangers become heirs, human beings become angels. Why speak of angels? God became man... heaven accepted the nature from earth, earth accepted the One seated on the cherubim, along with the angelic host. The wall was removed, the partition dissolved, what was separate was united, darkness was banished, light shone, death was swallowed up

The body becomes afraid when it is in the presence of an invisible [malevolent] spirit.
However, when it is in the presence of an angel, the soul of the humble one is filled with delight.

But when Jesus had finished His course of patient endurance,
and had redeemed mankind from their sins,
He ascended again into the heavens, a cloud receiving Him up:
and as He went up Angels were beside Him, and Apostles were beholding.…

The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not circumscribed in any place, nor is He less than the heaven;
but the heavens are the works of His fingers, and the whole earth is held in His grasp:
He is in all things and around all.
Think not that the sun is brighter than He, or equal to Him:…

For the method of godliness consists of these two things: pious doctrines and virtuous practice;
neither are the doctrines acceptable to God apart from good works,
nor does God accept the works which are not perfected with pious doctrines...
A most precious possession therefore is the knowledge of doctrines;…

What is good, except God?
Then let us leave to Him everything that concerns us and all will be well.
For He who is good is naturally also a giver of good gifts.

“For those who bless Him shall inherit the earth” (Ps 36:22 OSB),
that is, they shall possess that righteous One:
the only One who both is truly righteous, and makes righteous:
who both was poor in this world, and brought great riches to it,…

God did not make the world as a carpenter makes a chest.
The chest which he makes is outside the carpenter,
and so it is put in another place;
and although the workman is near, he sits in another place,…

It is not due to a location being gloomy and solitary that demons gain power over us,
but through emptiness of soul.
And through God’s providence this occurs so that we may be instructed by it.

As Christ was unknown by those who did not believe the prophets before He came,
He remained unknown to them even when present.
For He came humbly and concealed (in His first coming);
the more concealed in proportion as He was more humble.…