Eccl 3:2

“This is written in the Scriptures and is manifest to all. For although it be hidden and unknown to all, what period of time is allotted to each, and how it is allotted; yet every one knows this, that as there is a time for spring and for summer, and for autumn and for winter, so, as it is written, there is a time to die, and a time to live.”

“For as our Savior passed three days and three nights in the bowels of the earth, so you by your first rising out of the water represented Christ's first day in the earth, and by your descent the night. For as in the night one no longer sees, while by day one is in the light, so you during your immersion, as in a night, saw nothing, but on coming up found yourselves in the day. In the same moment you were dying and being born, and that saving water was at once your grave and your mother. What Solomon said in another context is applicable to you: "A time for giving birth, a time for dying," although for you, contrariwise, it is a case of "a time for dying and a time for being born." One time brought both, and your death coincided with your birth.”

“It is right that at the start he makes this tight bond linking death to birth; for death inevitably follows birth, and everything born dissolves in decay. He intends, through the demonstration that death and birth are connected, by using the reference to death as a goad, to wake from sleep those who are sunk deep in fleshly existence and love this present life, and to rouse them in awareness of the future. This insight Moses, the friend of God, used secretly in the first books of Scripture, writing Exodus immediately after Genesis, so that those who read what has been written may learn what affects them even through the very arrangement of the books; for it is impossible to hear of a birth ("genesis") without also envisaging a departure ("exodus"). Here also the great Ecclesiast, having noticed this, points it out, classing death with birth.”

“He does well to mention right away the binding union between birth and death; death necessarily follows birth, and each generation passes away. To show the connection between death and birth, the former is like a spur to arouse persons immersed in the flesh who love this present existence that they may pay attention to the future. Moses, the friend of God, quietly philosophizes over these matters as we see in the first titles of his books; he immediately writes Exodus right after Genesis. Thus these titles teach us about the order of our lives, for there is no birth [genesis] without death [exodos]. The great Ecclesiastes shows that death holds the same rank as birth: "There is a time to be born and a time to die."”

“"A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to uproot that which has been planted." No one doubts that men are born and die, and God knows that what he has planted will grow full and well; for to pull out what has been planted is to die. But since we read in Isaiah [Is. 26, 18.] "we have conceived, laboured with and given birth out of a fear for You", this must be said, because when a man is ready, that man in particular, who was born from fear, will die as soon as he has begun to love God. Since indeed "perfect love sends fear outside" [I. John. 4, 18.]. The Hebrews understand all that he has written about the contradiction of times, (until it says " a time for war and a time for peace") as concerning Israel. Because it is not necessary to go through each verse in turn here, commenting on how they are to be interpreted and what they mean, I will list them briefly, leaving a more detailed study to the reader's discretion. There was a time for growing and planting in Israel, a time for dying and leading it into bondage. A time for killing them in Egypt, and a time for freeing them from Egypt. A time for destroying the Temple under Nebuchadnezer, and a time for rebuilding under Darius. A time for bewailing the plundering of the city and a time for laughing and dancing under Zorobabel, Esdra, and Nehemiah. A time for dissemination from Israel and a time for gathering them together again. A time like a belt or harness put around the Jews by God, and a time for leading them into bondage in Babylon and there for them to rot across the Euphrates. Read "perizoma" of Jeremiah [Cfr Ier.. 13, I-II.]. A time for seeking them out and rescuing, a time for losing and a time for forsaking. A time for schism in Israel and a time for reunification. A time for hushing the prophets, now when in Roman bondage and a time for proclaiming them aloud, when even in enemy lands they weren't lacking in God's presence or comfort. A time for loving, in which He loved those men before our fathers, a time for hating, since they threw their hands up against Christ. A time for war, only not for those who are doing repentance for themselves and a time for peace in the future, when all the tribes return, and all Israel will be safe.”

“A time to be born. Above he set forth the general proposition; here he proves it by induction in particular cases, showing the diverse varieties of times in things. And this part has four parts. First is touched upon the variety of times which regards rise and decline. Second, that which regards state, at: A time to weep and a time to laugh. Third, that which regards use, at: A time to embrace. Fourth, that which regards the manner of proper conduct, at: A time to keep silence. First, therefore, is introduced that variety which regards the rise of things and their decline under a fourfold distinction: first, of living things; second, of plants; third, of sentient beings; fourth, of artificial things. As to the rise and decline of living things, he says there is variety when he says: A time to be born and a time to die, and this in all living things, because from birth one comes to death: Job 14: "Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries"; Ecclesiasticus 40: "Great labor is created for all men, and a heavy yoke upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming out of their mother's womb until the day of their burial into the mother of all." And therefore Wisdom 5: "We, being born, immediately ceased to be"; Ecclesiasticus 14: "Some things are generated, and others are cast down; so is the generation of flesh and blood: one comes to an end, and another is born." As to the rise of plants, he says: A time to plant; as to their decline, a time to uproot what has been planted: Genesis 2: "The Lord God had planted a paradise of pleasure from the beginning"; but a time to uproot the unfruitful: whence Luke 13: "Behold, it is three years since I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none; cut it down therefore." Spiritually, this fourfold variation is referred to the four states of men existing in the Church: the first with respect to the reborn; the second with respect to penitents; the third with respect to the just; the fourth with respect to prelates. — First, therefore, among the baptized there is a time of being born and of dying, for they are born to God: John 3: "Unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit," etc., just as they die to the world: Romans 6: "We are buried together with him through baptism into death." Second, there is a time of planting and a time of uprooting, because virtues are planted in them: the Psalm: "Your children are like young olive plants"; but vices are uprooted; Wisdom 4: "Adulterous plantings shall not give deep roots," because, Matthew 15, "every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up."”

“"A time to live and a time to die": you can see, therefore, beloved brothers, that this was said concerning the time of the Lord's birth and death. Thus you must accept his virgin birth if we are to believe not only that the Word in the beginning who was called "is" was born, but, as I said, also that the humanity which he adopted and put on was born, both Lord and man. For it says, "what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the spirit is spirit." Yet, what suffered, died, was buried, and resurrected was not God but man, since he raised man to God, not God to man.”