Gregory the Dialogist

At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness,

“It is often doubted by some by what spirit Jesus was led into the desert. This question is properly understood if we believe he was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit, so that his own Spirit would lead him there, where the evil…”

and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.

“The ancient enemy raised himself against the first man, our parent, in three temptations, because he tempted him with gluttony, vainglory, and avarice; but by tempting he overcame him, because he subjected him to himself through consent.”

And at once they left their nets and followed Him.

“You have heard, dearest brothers, that at the voice of a single command, Peter and Andrew, leaving their nets, followed the Redeemer.”

But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

“For Jesus, our Creator and Redeemer, pretends not to know His mother, and indicates who is His mother and who are His relatives not through kinship of the flesh, but through union of the spirit, saying: "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?”

For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”

“But since he who does the will of the Father is called sister and brother of the Lord, on account of both sexes who are gathered to the faith, this is not surprising; yet it is greatly to be wondered how one is also called…”

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.

“For who would ever have believed me if I had wished to interpret thorns as riches, especially since the former prick while the latter delight?”

Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

“Remember what is said: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. For all who were present there had bodily ears.”

Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy.

“Take care that rocky ground does not receive the seed and send forth the fruit of good work without the roots of perseverance.”

Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word,

“It should be noted that the Lord, in His explanation, says that cares, pleasures, and riches choke the word.”

Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.

“(in Ezech. 2. Hom. 3) Or else; Man casts seed into the ground, when he places a good intention in his heart; and he sleeps, when he already rests in the hope which attends on a good work.”

As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him. But Jesus would not allow him.

“(Mor. 6, 37) For when we have perceived ever so little of the Divine knowledge, we are at once unwilling to return to human affairs, and seek for the quiet of contemplation; but the Lord commands that the mind should first toil hard at its…”

Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.

“(Hom. in Evan. 17) Further, the Lord sent the disciples to preach, two and two, because there are two precepts of charity, namely, the love of God, and of our neighbour; and charity cannot be between less than two; by this therefore He implies to…”

So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.

“What is designated by the fingers of the Redeemer except the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Hence, when in another place He had cast out a demon, He said: "If I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has…”

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.

“For he that will save his life shall lose it; and he that shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it.”

After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”

“(Mor. x. 30) But he who is freed from the power of the evil spirit is thought to be dead; for whosoever has already subdued earthly desires, puts to death within himself his carnal mode of life, and appears to the world as a dead…”

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck…

“(in Ezech. 1. Hom. 7) We must observe, however, that in our good works we must sometimes avoid the offence of our neighbour, sometimes look down upon it as of no moment.”

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

“But, when the ruler prepares himself for speaking, let him bear in mind with what studious caution he ought to speak, lest, if he be hurried inordinately into speaking, the hearts of hearers be smitten with the wound of error and, while he perchance desires…”

As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid.

“Our Redeemer, foreseeing that the souls of the disciples would be troubled by His passion, foretold to them long beforehand both the suffering of that same passion and the glory of His resurrection, so that when they saw Him dying, as had been predicted, they…”

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

“This blind man is rightly described as sitting beside the road and being a beggar; for the Truth himself says: "I am the way."”

Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”

“But when we persist intensely in our prayer, we fix Jesus as He passes by in our mind. Behold, He who was passing by before now stands still, because while we still suffer the crowds of phantasms in prayer, we perceive Jesus as somewhat passing…”

“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”

“And it should be noted what He says to the blind man as he approaches: "What do you want Me to do for you?" Did He who was able to restore light not know what the blind man wanted?”

Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if there was any fruit on it.

“For, as to what you have said about the fig-tree, Augustine speaks aptly in the same sense; for, when the evangelist subjoined, For the time of figs was not yet, it is plainly shown that the figs which the Lord had sought were fruit in…”

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there.

“Having described this, what the Lord did is added: because, entering the temple, he began to cast out those selling and buying in it, saying to them: It is written that my house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den…”

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

“Our Lord and Redeemer announces beforehand the evils that precede the perishing world, so that the things to come may disturb us less because they have been foreknown.”

So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues.

“But because all these things come not from the injustice of the one striking but from the merit of the world that suffers, the deeds of wicked men are set forth first when it is said: "But before all these things they will lay their…”