Amphilochius of Iconium, On Meeting the Lord

In occursum domini

shall be called, refers only to the Lord. Was Cain holy, who cast off his life in profanity, because he was the first of all to come from his mother’s

it was sufficient, if she followed every good work. This one surpassed the one blessed by the apostle both in years and in deeds. For how could she wh

she did not stain the bridal linen, the rebuke of Paul did not touch her when he said: But when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to

he called her thoughts a sword, as piercing the innermost parts, as touching the kidneys and marrow? The virgin was beset by these, not yet knowing th

he called her thoughts a sword, as piercing the innermost parts, as touching the kidneys and marrow? The virgin was beset by these, not yet knowing the power of the resurrection, and she did not yet know that the resurrection was near at hand. Therefore after the resurrection, no longer a two-edged sword, but gladness and exultation. Simeon therefore called the sign of the cross a sign that is spoken against, at which time a sword of thoughts pierced the soul of the virgin. But someone may certainly say: And from where is our proof? From the teachings of the Lord himself. Hear him saying: This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

Do you see how the passion of the cross was called a sign, not only in the new testament, but also in the old? For the old strongly agrees with the new. Since one and the same God is the one who legislated there and awarded here. And who is the witness of this? The Lord himself. Hear him saying in the prophet Ezekiel to the reaping angels, revealing the universal consummation: Do not spare with your eyes and do not pity old man or young man and virgin and child and women; kill them for utter destruction, but do not touch those bearing the sign on their foreheads. See the sign of the old and of the new. For it is the cross that saves the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

διαλογισμοὺς ῥομφαίαν προσηγόρευσεν ὡς νύττοντας τὰ ἐνδόσθια, ὡς ἁπτομένους νεφρῶν καὶ μυελῶν; Τούτοις δὲ περιέπεσεν ἡ παρθένος μηδέπω τὴν δύναμιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως εἰδυῖα καὶ ὅτι ἐκ γειτόνων ἡ ἀνάστασις οὐδέπω ἐγίνωσκεν. Ὅθεν μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν οὐκέτι ῥομφαία δίστομος, ἀλλ' εὐφροσύνη καὶ ἀγαλλίασις. Σημεῖον τοίνυν ἀντιλογίας τὸ σταυρικὸν σημεῖον ὁ Συμεὼν προσηγόρευσεν, ἐν ᾧ καιρῷ ῥομφαία λογισμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν τῆς παρθένου διῆλθεν. Ἔστι δὲ πάντως εἰπεῖν τινα· Καὶ πόθεν ἡμῖν ἡ ἀπόδειξις; Ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν τοῦ κυρίου διδαγμάτων. Ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος· Ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη γενεὰ πονηρά ἐστιν· σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἦν Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας.

Ὁρᾷς πῶς τὸ σταυρικὸν πάθος σημεῖον προσηγορεύθη, οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ καινῇ διαθήκῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ; Σφόδρα γὰρ τὰ παλαιὰ συμφωνεῖ τῇ νέᾳ. Ἐπειδὴ εἷς καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς θεὸς ὁ κἀκεῖ νομοθετήσας καὶ ὧδε βραβεύσας. Καὶ τίς τούτου μάρτυς; Αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος. Ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ Ἰεζεκιὴλ πρὸς τοὺς θεριστὰς ἀγγέλους, τὴν καθολικὴν συντέλειαν μηνύοντος· Μὴ φείσησθε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν καὶ μὴ ἐλεήσητε πρεσβύτην μηδὲ νεανίσκον καὶ παρθένον καὶ παιδίον καὶ γυναῖκας θανατώσατε εἰς ἐξάλειψιν, τοῖς δὲ ἐπιφερομένοις ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων τὸ σημεῖον μὴ ἅψησθε. Ἴδετε τὸ σημεῖον τῆς παλαιᾶς καὶ τῆς νέας. Αὐτὸ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ σταυρὸς ὁ τὸν κόσμον σῴζων, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.