Origen, on Sir 4:28

“And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.”

“If the ancient use of the sacrifices is clear to you, we see what they furthermore contain according to the mystic sense. You have heard that there are two sanctuaries, one visible and open to the priests, the other invisible and inaccessible—except for the one high priest, all the rest of whom remain outside. I think that this first sanctuary could be understood as this sanctuary we now occupy, which is our flesh: in this the priests serve at the altar of burnt offerings on which that fire is lit of which Jesus has said, "I have come to cast the fire on the earth, and I wish that it were already kindled." Do not marvel that this sanctuary is open only to priests since all those who have been united with the ointment of the holy chrism have become priests, as Peter also says to the entire church: "You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation." You are therefore of priestly descent, and thus you have access to the sanctuary. Furthermore, each one of us has in him his burnt offering and lights the altar with his sacrifice, so that it always burns. If I renounce all that I possess, I take up my cross and follow Christ, I offer a burnt offering at the altar of God; or "if I give my body to be burnt, having charity" and if I obtain the glory of martyrdom, I offer myself in a burnt offering at the altar of God. If I love my brothers, up to "giving my life for my brothers," if "I fight until death for justice, for the truth," I offer a burnt offering at the altar of God. If I let my limbs die at each temptation of the flesh, if "the world is crucified for me and I for the world," I offer a burnt offering at the altar of God, and I myself become the priest of my victim.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.