Caesarius of Arles : For this reason, as I have already said, you ought to read and listen to the sacred lessons with such eagerness that you may be able to speak about them and teach them to others in your own homes and elsewhere, wherever you are. As you, like clean animals, ruminate the Word of God by continuous reflection, you may be able to procure useful favor for yourselves, that is, their spiritual meaning, and with God's help give it to others. Then will be fulfilled in you what is written: "Your cup overflows!" Moreover, you will fulfill what the blessed apostle encourages and advises when he says, "The fact is that whether you eat or drink—whatever you do—you should do all for the glory of God." If infirmity does not prevent it, fast daily. Hasten to the vigils with cheerful and fervent devotion because of what is written: "O God, my soul yearns for you in the night"; and again: "To you I pray, O Lord; at dawn you hear my voice"; and still further: "At midnight I rise to give thanks to your name, O Lord." To this our Lord and Savior also exhorts and encourages us when he says in the Gospel: "Be on guard, and pray that you may not undergo the test." May he himself deign to grant this, to whom are honor and might together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. — SERMON 198:5 Gregory the Dialogist : For "night" is this present life, and as long as we are in it, we are covered with a mist of uncertain imaginations as far as the sight of inward objects is concerned. For the prophet was sensible that he was held by a certain mist in his sight of the Lord, when he says, "My soul longed for you in the night." As if he were to say, I long to behold you in the obscurity of this present life, but I am still surrounded by the mist of infirmity. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book 23, Section 39 Gregory the Dialogist : Anyone who has been able to reach out for the truth has been on fire with this love. For this reason David said, "My soul has thirsted for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?" And he counseled us, saying, "Seek his face continually." And for this reason the prophet said, "My soul has desired you in the night, and with my spirit within my breast I will watch for you in the morning." And again the church says to the Lord in the Song of Songs, "I have been wounded with love."It is right that the soul, after bearing in its heart a wound of love brought on by its burning desire, should reach out for healing at the sight of the doctor. And so, again, it says, "My soul melted when he spoke." The heart of a person who does not seek the face of his Creator is hardened by his wickedness, because in itself it remains cold. But if it now begins to burn with the desire of following him whom it loves, it runs since the fire of love has melted it. Its desire makes it anxious. Everything that used to please it in the world seems worthless; it finds nothing agreeable outside of its Creator; things that once delighted the heart afterwards become grievously oppressive. Nothing brings it consolation in its sadness as long as the one it desires is not beheld. The heart sorrows. Light itself is loathsome. Scorching fire burns away the rust of sin in the heart. The soul is inflamed as if it were gold, for gold loses its beauty through use, but fire restores its brightness. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 25 John Chrysostom : But, as I said, at the crowing of the cock their President comes, and gently touching the sleeper with his foot, rouses them all. For there are none sleeping naked. Then as soon as they have arisen they stand up, and sing the prophetic hymns with much harmony, and well composed tunes. And neither harp nor pipe nor other musical instrument utters such sweet melodies, as you hear from the singing of these saints in their deep and quiet solitudes. And the songs themselves too are suitable, and full of the love of God. "In the night," they say, "lift up your hands unto God. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early." — HOMILIES ON 1 TIMOTHY 14 Nicetas of Remesiana : And now, beloved, I ought to say a word about the antiquity of the tradition and the utility of vigils. It is easier to begin a work if we keep before our eyes how useful it is. The devotion to vigils is very old. It has been a household tradition among the saints. It was the prophet Isaiah who cried out to the Lord: "My soul has yearned for you in the night. Indeed, my spirit within me seeks you early in the morning." — VIGILS OF THE SAINTS 4