"The
law of Thy mouth, O Lord, is good unto me, I keep Thy commandments.''
Thou hast Thyself said that Thou art one with the Father. Because
Peter believed this, he received the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
and without anxiety for himself forgave sins. Judas, because he
believed not this, strangled himself with the cord of his own
wickedness. O the hard stones of unbelieving words! O the unseemly
cord of the betrayer, and the still more hideous purchase-money of
the Jews! O hateful money wherewith either the just is bought for
death, or sold ! Joseph was sold, Jesus Christ was bought, the one to
slavery, the Other to death. O detestable inheritance, O deadly sale,
which either sells a brother to suffering or sets a price on the Lord
to destroy Him, the Purchaser of the salvation of all.
--
Saint Ambrose of Milan from
"On the Holy Spirit, Book
III"
