St Athanasius the Great LETTERS, Part II, Complete

Translated by Cardinal Newman.

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Page 31

From Letter XL [4547] .--(For 368.)

'Ye are they that have continued with Me in My temptations; and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me, that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom [4548] .' Being called, then, to the great and heavenly Supper, in that upper room which has been swept, let us 'cleanse ourselves,' as the Apostle exhorted, 'from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [4549] ;' that so, being spotless within and without,--without, clothing ourselves with temperance and justice; within, by the Spirit, rightly dividing the word of truth--we may hear, 'Enter into the joy of thy Lord [4550] .'

From Letter XLII.--(For 370.)

For we have been called, brethren, and are now called together, by Wisdom, and according to the Evangelical parable, to that great and heavenly Supper, and sufficient for every creature; I mean, to the Passover,--to Christ, Who is sacrificed; for 'Christ our Passover is sacrificed.' (And afterwards:) They, therefore, that are thus prepared shall hear, 'Enter into the joy of thy Lord [4551] .'

[4547] The following fragments are, except Letter 44, preserved in the original Greek, by Cosmas (Migne xxvi. 1440 sqq.).

[4548] Luke xxii. 28-30

[4549] 2 Cor. vii. 1.

[4550] Matt. xxv. 21.

[4551] Ib. and 1 Cor. v. 7.

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