Gregory the Dialogist : What then is it that Moses and Samuel are preferred to the other fathers in petition, except that these two alone in the entire sequence of the Old Testament are read to have prayed even for their enemies? One is assailed with stones by the people, and yet he entreats the Lord for the one who stoned him; the other is cast down from leadership, and yet when asked to pray, he confesses saying: "Far be this sin from me against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you." — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 27 Gregory the Dialogist : Hence the Truth says: "When you stand to pray, forgive if you have anything in your hearts." We show the virtue of forgiveness more clearly if we bring forward one testimony from the Old Testament. Certainly when Judea had offended the justice of its Creator through its demanding sins, the Lord, forbidding His prophet from prayer, says: "Do not take up praise and prayer for them. If Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul would not be toward this people." What is it that, with so many fathers passed over and left aside, Moses and Samuel alone are brought forward, whose wondrous power of obtaining is shown, while even they are said to be unable to intercede? As if the Lord were saying openly: I do not even hear those whom I by no means despise on account of the great merit of their petition. What then is it that Moses and Samuel are preferred to the other fathers in petition, except that these two alone in the entire sequence of the Old Testament are read to have prayed even for their enemies? One is assailed with stones by the people, and yet he entreats the Lord for the one who stoned him; the other is cast down from leadership, and yet when asked to pray, he confesses saying: "Far be this sin from me against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you." "If Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul would not be toward this people." As if He were saying openly: I do not even now hear those on behalf of friends, whom I know by the merit of their great virtue to pray even for enemies. Therefore the power of true prayer is the loftiness of charity. And then each person obtains what he rightly asks, when his mind in petition is not darkened by hatred of an enemy. But often we overcome a reluctant mind if we also pray for enemies. The mouth pours forth prayer for adversaries, but would that the heart hold love. For often we also offer prayer for our enemies, but we pour it forth more from precept than from charity. For we ask for the life of our enemies, and yet we fear lest we be heard. But because the internal Judge considers the mind rather than words, he asks nothing for an enemy who does not pray for him out of charity. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 27 Gregory the Dialogist : There follows: "But as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you." 15. He speaks these things, to whom the Lord said above concerning those to whom he speaks: "They have not rejected you, but me, that I should not reign over them." Behold, the prophet is rejected, and he speaks to those who reject him, saying: "Far be it from me that I should commit this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you." Indeed, if this is examined according to the precept of the Law, it would not be a sin if he did not pray for those who rejected him. For the Law of Moses commands, saying: "You shall love your neighbor, and you shall hate your enemy" (Lev. 19:18). But those who were rejecting the prophet had proven themselves not friends, but enemies. What then does it mean that he says: "Far be from me this sin," unless that the holy man, raised to the summit of charity, not only loved his friends, but also embraced his very enemies? Instructed indeed by the commandment of the old Law, but illuminated by the splendors of the new grace, he reproved the license of the old dispensation with evangelical perfection. By which deed, indeed, we are compelled to reckon with ourselves. For hence it is commanded through the Gospel: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Matt. 5:44). How much then must enemies now be loved, when we are commanded to do so, if they could be loved even then when they were commanded to be hated? And because he strove not only to pray for them, but also to instruct them, he adds, saying: "And I will teach you the good and right way." 16. For why does he call the way of divine service good, and right: since it is not good if it is not right, nor right if it is not good? But the way was good, because the people went up from Egypt to the promised land, and yet while they wandered through the wilderness, it was not right. Therefore the way is good by which one strives toward the heavenly homeland; right, by which one easily arrives. The way, therefore, is both good and right when we are converted to the religious life, and we carry out divine services with the pressing fervor of great devotion. — Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 2 John Chrysostom : Wherefore also to Peter Christ saith, "If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep." For he who loveth Christ loveth also His flock. And Moses too did He then set over the people of the Jews, when he had shown a kindly feeling towards them. And David in this way came to be king, having been first seen to be affectionately-minded towards them; so much indeed, though yet young, did he grieve for the people, as to risk his life for them, when he killed that barbarian.… And Samuel too was very affectionate; whence it was that he said, "But God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray unto the Lord for you." In like way Paul also, or rather not in like way, but even in a far greater degree, burned towards all his subjects. — HOMILIES ON Romans 29 John Chrysostom : What did Samuel profit Saul? Did he not mourn for him even to his last day, and not merely pray for him only? What did he profit the Israelites? Did he not say, "God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray for you"? Did they not all perish? Do prayers then, you say, profit nothing? They profit even greatly: but it is when we also do something. For prayers indeed coöperate and assist, but a man coöperates with one that is operating, and assists one that is himself also working. But if thou remainest idle, thou wilt receive no great benefit. — HOMILIES ON 1 THESSALONIANS 1