Asterius of Cappadocia

“It is shown in various statements and examples of holy Scripture that God has used domestic disputes, rebellion and multiple disasters in the punishment of sin. The purpose of David was to chastise and to edify life through the psalm, so that no one would do evil, or violate the law of God or experience what befalls a sinner. David was fleeing his son because he had acted unchastely; he was fleeing his son because he had violated purity in marriage; he was fleeing his son because he had departed from the law of God, which says, "You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery." … Many today wage wars in their homes; one is opposed by his wife, another is besieged by his son; one is ruled by a brother, and another by a slave; and each one is in anguish and afflicted. He fights, wages war and is harassed by war, and no one can understand why. But if he had not planted the seeds of sin, it would have never happened that thorny plants and prickly bushes would grow up in his home; if he had not hidden the glare of his sins, his home would not burn.”

“"You have made room for me in distress." God has made room for [the psalmist] in two ways; one, because he heard his prayer, and two, because he heard quickly. It is a double grace not just to be heard but to be heard quickly. To be heard quickly and immediately in calamity is what he called "room," "In distress you made room for me." An unexpected calm disrupts the surge of calamity; the foaming sea is turned into a lake; the storms and tempests are changed into dew; enemies are made friends; and suppliants become givers of praise. "In distress you have made room for me." No longer as an infant do I open my mouth, for the providence of God, just like a mother, gives me food. "In distress you have made room for me." When I was longing for food, he filled me from the fruit of the earth of grain, wine and oil, so that not I alone but all those subordinate to me could enjoy them.”

“Let us flee from lying, brothers, as if it were a sword to the soul.… And just as in war allies are distinguished from enemies by the watch word, so also in the war of human affairs the friends of God are recognized by truthfulness and by not spreading falsehood; the liars slaughter themselves with the sword of their own tongue. The mouth that does not perjure or lie surely is pleasing to God in its speech. For if we respect the friend and family member who does not lie, and when he asks for something, we grant it, how much more God who has no respect for lying grants benefit to him. When he sees a pure and spotless truthful tongue, he receives his words just like a gift on a tray.… As purple and a crown befit the king, so not lying befits the Christian. So those close to him respect him, friends, neighbors and business associates: the demons fear him, the angels love him, and as they rejoice they open the gates of the kingdom of heaven to him.”

“In the preceding psalm [David] suffered persecution from Absalom. He was ashamed because he was fleeing from his son, and he did not have the inner strength to make war. Now comes the prayer that hangs the tyrant and protects the one oppressed by his tyranny. Should you ask how he will overcome Absalom, how he will cast him down like Goliath, he responds, "Armed with prayer." "When I called on him, the God of my righteousness heard me." His prayer is uttered, and the tyrant hangs in the tree. In the same way when I sin, God arouses himself against me, but when I repent, he offers himself stretched out and trampled for my correction. Likewise, when we sin, God will arouse enemies against us. But, in our fight, the only thing we have to do is to seek the reasons for the conflict, and if we have sinned, correct it. If we do that, we will see the enemies fall before our eyes. It is, therefore, a rule for us that we do not avenge our enemies, because God will always stir them up against us on account of our sins. Do you wish to see the destruction of those opposing you: repent from your sins, and the enemies will fall.”

“From the start God examines all the words that you speak, whether they are shameful, blasphemous or lying words; whether malicious, harmful or deceitful; or whether they are words of degradation, which through their deceit are able to overwhelm the one whom the lie injures. "You have loved words of destruction, a deceitful tongue." … "Every careless word that people speak will return to them judgment." How much more when you speak hurtful words do they become a hindrance and destruction to your spirit! God judges your cry: whether you have cried out against anyone unjustly, whether you have trumpeted unjust anger with your cry or whether you, overcome with such wrath, have called for the striking down of the innocent, like those who stoned Stephen: "Shouting with a loud voice, they covered their ears and in one spirit united against him they rushed him." And their shout became a vehicle of murder. God, therefore, tests your words.… Therefore, since God will measure our words, let us give to him spiritual songs and canticles, hymns and psalms, becoming a sweet smell not by running to bars but by hastening to the church; not sunk in our drunkenness but adorned with sobriety; not dancing and being wanton like the Jews but glorifying the way of life of the apostles.… No one may walk into the royal dwelling leaping about; no one may stand before the king drunk. If such caution is followed on earth, how much more caution is there for the heavenly state and the kingdom that exists there? Let us live lives worthy of that kingdom, rejoicing and happy in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom there is glory and power from now to infinite ages of ages.”

“If one grants that indeed each animal recognizes the cry of its own offspring in the largest and most crowded flocks, that though a thousand calves may cry, the mother knows the cry of her own young, that though a thousand lambs may bleat, the female runs to the voice of her own and it does not fall, how much more among a thousand sinners crying out does God know the cry of the just and recognize him as the pure voice of his own child?”

“"There is no God." There is no foundation, then how does the building stand? There is no keel, then how does the ship stabilize? There is no captain, then how is the ship readied? There is no builder, then how is the house built? There is no architect, then who founded the city? There is no farmer, then how do the fields bear their bundles? There is no music, then how can there be the harmony on the lyre of the world? There is no one to foresee, then how does foreknowledge permeate everything? There is no charioteer, then how is the chariot of the four elements driven? There is no sculptor, then how are statues of people in the world crafted? There are no builders of arches, then who has built the arch of heaven for you? There is no gold worker, then who has placed the golden disc sun in heaven as on a table? There is none who brings a torch, then who gave the moon of the night to you as a silver torch? There is none who brings light, and who has given to you a light with clear splendor? There is none who alone makes great lights, then who has put the ascending lamps of the stars in the sky for you?… Is there no Creator about whom the creature testifies?”

“It was the fool who said through Pharoah, "I have not known this God"; and the depth of the sea became a tomb for him. The fool said through Sennecharib, "God is not able to snatch Hezekiah from my hands," and he was killed by his sons. The fool said through Nebuchadnezzar, "Who is this God who can snatch you from my hand? Who is the most powerful of men?" … Judas the denier of God was destroyed by a noose because he had deemed God as a man to be betrayed.”

“They are corrupt—wounded and rotten, smelling rank, seeping foulness and poison, not seeking medicine. They become abominable like pigs rolling in the mud of sin; like dogs returning to vomit, they run with rage.… Because they have despised the thinking of God, pious people despise them. They are corrupt like worm-infested garments, as rusted iron, as those who have touched death and the ashes of dead bones.… "There is no one who does good, not one." Not Herod killing innocent babies, not the Jew who called Jesus Beelzebub when he cast out demons, not the one endeavoring to keep the law perfectly, not priests acting dishonorably, not scribes writing for naught, not Pharisees pressing and pushing rules, not Sadducees debating, not Judas selling him, not the master boxing the slave's ear, not Pilate condemning him, not the people shouting.… "There is no one who speaks good," when all the disciples fled as they abandoned him. John ran off naked. Peter denied him, the disciples fled, the spear of doubt pierced the soul of Mary. There was no one who showed the fruit of love in his suffering.… Even after his death, the soldier pierced his side.… Surely he has visited us and wants to save, but none desires to be shown the medicine.”

“When you hear the Lord looks down from heaven, think not of his divine and incorporeal nature that he has bowed and bent down, or has bent his knee or nodded his head, but realize his visitation, forgiveness and kindness. Although he is said to have a head, ears, eyes, mouth and hands, and to sit and to rise, yet he is not altogether constituted of members and parts. So he does not literally look down but shows his own mercy. He looks down from heaven, not through fences and gates in the sky, but because from heaven he has visited humankind.… He sees them to serve them and to embrace them as a friend.… He appears to them who have faith in him in order that he may see who is sick and who needs the doctor and who is poor and who requires Christ, the storehouse of the Father.… Then after they see the Lord of the prophets has looked down from heaven so that he may see, … they say, "It is not enough, Lord, that you look down from heaven. Descend.… Come, … Son of the Father. Seek what is made in your image."”

“Everywhere they all have turned to tyranny. They no longer cling to the prophets. Come, King, appear, and they will fear your authority. All have turned from the ways of the prophets. Come, O Way, and lead back those who have wandered away.… Humankind was created right by God, … but they have turned away by choice to evil.… They have turned away from their right nature.… "There is no one who does good, no, not one." From head to foot, from rich to poor, the whole world grows sick.”

“What do they know? That God is an avenger. He is coming as judge of the living and the dead. They know that he is going to return to each one according to his works.… And what do they not know? That God looks down from heaven. What do they not know? That those who do evil displease him. What do they not know? They do not wish to know the ways of God.… And now there are wars, pestilence and volcanoes [earthquakes]. Many never come to their senses concerning their sins, and they are punished with threatening evils. What do they not know? The will of God, his good and celestial promises, his treasures, the delights of paradise, eternal life.”