As the sun shines spontaneously, as the day gives light, as the fountain flows, as the shower yields moisture, so does the heavenly Spirit infuse itself into us. When the soul, in its gaze into heaven, has recognised its Author, it rises higher than the sun, and far transcends all this earthly power, and begins to be that which it believes itself to be.
\n…
\nCeilings enriched with gold, and houses adorned with mosaics of costly marble, will seem mean to you, now when you know that it is you yourself who are rather to be perfected, you who are rather to be adorned, and that that dwelling in which God has dwelt as in a temple, in which the Holy Spirit has begun to make His abode, is of more importance than all others. Let us embellish this house with the colours of innocence, let us enlighten it with the light of justice: this will never fall into decay with the wear of age, nor shall it be defiled by the tarnishing of the colours of its walls, nor of its gold. Whatever is artificially beautified is perishing; and such things as contain not the reality of possession afford no abiding assurance to their possessors. But this remains in a beauty perpetually vivid, in perfect honour, in permanent splendour.
\n— To Donatus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As the sun shines spontaneously, as the day gives light, as the fountain flows, as the shower yields moisture, so does the heavenly Spirit infuse itself into us. When the soul, in its gaze into heaven, has recognised its Author, it rises higher than the sun, and far transcends all this earthly power, and begins to be that which it believes itself to be. … Ceilings enriched with gold, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cyprian"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1152,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/cyprian-on-the-unity-of-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":1121,"position":0},"title":"Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church","author":"Nemo","date":"April 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The episcopate is one, each part of which is held by each one for the whole. 3115 The Church also is one, which is spread abroad far and wide into a multitude by an increase of fruitfulness. As there are many rays of the sun, but one light; and many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cyprian"","block_context":{"text":"Cyprian","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/cyprian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1163,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/cyprian-on-the-advantage-of-patience\/","url_meta":{"origin":1121,"position":1},"title":"Cyprian: On the Advantage of Patience","author":"Nemo","date":"April 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Stephen, when he was slain by the Jews with violence and stoning, did not ask for vengeance for himself, but for pardon for his murderers, saying, \u201cLord, lay not this sin to their charge.\u201d It behoved the first martyr of Christ thus to be, who, fore-running the martyrs that should\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cyprian"","block_context":{"text":"Cyprian","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/cyprian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1136,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/cyprian-on-pastoral-care-during-persecution\/","url_meta":{"origin":1121,"position":2},"title":"Cyprian on Pastoral Care During Persecution","author":"Nemo","date":"March 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Nor let any one say, \u201cthat he who accepts martyrdom is baptized in his own blood, and peace is not necessary to him from the bishop, since he is about to have the peace of his own glory, and about to receive a greater reward from the condescension of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cyprian"","block_context":{"text":"Cyprian","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/cyprian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1125,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/cyprian-on-the-four-seasons-of-the-christian-soul\/","url_meta":{"origin":1121,"position":3},"title":"Cyprian on the Four Seasons of the Christian Soul","author":"Nemo","date":"March 14, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The rising sun and the waning moon enlightened the world; but to you, He who made the sun and moon was a greater light in your dungeon, and the brightness of Christ glowing in your hearts and minds, irradiated with that eternal and brilliant light the gloom of the place\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cyprian"","block_context":{"text":"Cyprian","link":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/category\/cyprian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Sower by Vincent van Gogh","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-sower-vincent-van-gogh-kroller-muller-museum.jpg?fit=751%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-sower-vincent-van-gogh-kroller-muller-museum.jpg?fit=751%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-sower-vincent-van-gogh-kroller-muller-museum.jpg?fit=751%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/the-sower-vincent-van-gogh-kroller-muller-museum.jpg?fit=751%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1129,"url":"https:\/\/nemoslibrary.com\/patristics\/cyprian-on-the-glory-of-a-martyr\/","url_meta":{"origin":1121,"position":4},"title":"Cyprian On the Glory of a Martyr","author":"Nemo","date":"March 16, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"For nineteen days, shut up in the close guard of a dungeon, he was racked and in irons; but although his body was laid in chains, his spirit remained free and at liberty. 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