Thursday, August 27, 2009

Patristic Quote for the Day

This same Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son our Lord, was born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary. Now obviously the Holy Ghost is God's gift, a gift that is itself equal to the Giver; wherefore the Holy Ghost is God also, not inferior to the Father and the Son. Now what does this mean, that Christ's birth in respect to his human nature was of the Holy Ghost, save that this was itself also a work of grace?

For when the Virgin asked of the angel the manner by which what he announced would come to pass (since she had known no man), the angel answered: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; therefore the Holy One which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." And when Joseph wished to put her away, suspecting adultery (since he knew she was not pregnant by him), he received a similar answer from the angel: "Do not fear to take Mary as your wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost" --that is, "What you suspect is from another man is of the Holy Ghost."


--- St. Augustine of Hippo; Enchiridion - On Faith, Hope, and Love; Chapter X - Jesus Christ the Mediator


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