When humanity lost the image of God, our life became an unbearable hell, Paradise became a prison, and the land brought forth thorns and thistles for us. But the hands of divine grace were not tied, no matter the cost; even if the price was the incarnation of the Word and
583 St. Ambrose of Milan, Concerning Repentance 2.43 (NPNF II/10:351).
584 St. Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Paradise , trans., Sebastian P. Brock (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1990) 2:11: pp. 88–89.
585 Gregory of Nyssa: Homilies on The Song of Songs , eds., Brian E. Daley S. J. and John T. Fitzgerald; trans., Richard A. Norris Jr. (Society of Biblical Literature, 2012) Homily 2: p. 61.
586 Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John (Books 1–10) 6.35 (FOTC 80:178).
the proclamation of His love by His acceptance of death by crucifixion; by which He granted humanity the joy of resurrection, delight in the righteousness of Christ, and the restoration of the image of God in us by His Holy Spirit.
St. Athanasius the Apostolic says, “Or who was needed for such grace and recalling except God the Word who in the beginning made the universe out of nothing? For his it was once more both to bring the corruptible to incorruptibility and to save the superlative consistency of the Father. Being the Word of the Father, and above all, he alone consequently was both able to recreate the universe and was worthy to suffer on behalf of all and to intercede for all before the Father.”587
St. Jacob of Sarug says, “In the Incarnation, the grace of God alone is to be praised, for the sake of His mercies … we attribute justification to the Lord of justification, for He poured His grace upon His creatures without measure.”588
The Fathers cited
- St. Athanasius the Apostolic
- St. Jacob of Sarug