Athanasius of Alexandria : God is always one and the same; but people have come to be afterwards through the Word, when the Father himself willed it; and God is invisible and inaccessible to originated things, especially to people on earth. When then people in infirmity invoke him, when in persecution they ask help, when they pray as they endure injuries, then the Invisible, being a lover of people, shines forth on them with his beneficence, which he exercises through and in his proper Word. And forthwith the divine manifestation is made to every one according to his need, and is made to the sick, and to the persecuted a "refuge" and "house of defense." — Discourses Against the Arians 1.63 Isaac of Nineveh : Whenever you keep the ways of the Lord and do His will, then put your hope in the Lord and call on Him.…When temptation overtakes the iniquitous person, he has no confidence wherewith to call upon God, nor to expect salvation from Him, since in the days of his ease he stood aloof from God's will. — ASCETICAL HOMILIES 5 Jerome : [Daniel 9:21] "While I was still speaking in my prayer, behold the man Gabriel, whom I had seen at the beginning of the vision." He calls the previous vision preceding this one the beginning. The effect of his prayer was considerable, and the promise of God was fulfilled which says, "While thou art yet speaking, lo, I am at hand" (Isaiah 58:9). And Gabriel appears not as an angel or archangel, but as a man (vir), a term used to indicate the quality of virtue rather than specifying his sex. "...he quickly flew to me and touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice." It is stated that he flew, because he had made his appearance as a man. It is said that it was at the time of the evening sacrifice, in order to show that the prophet's prayer had persisted from the morning sacrifice even unto the evening sacrifice, and that God for that reason directed His mercy towards him. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER NINE Jerome : It is difficult to find someone who is not bound by these chains. It is rarely found a soul that does not have this heavy burden encircling its neck, weighing it down with earthly pursuits, so that it does not look to the heavens but only to the earth. This is also reflected in the Gospel story of the woman whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, so that she was bent over and could not see the heavenly things. Therefore, it is said, if you remove this chain from the midst of your heart and break these kinds of bonds, and if you also extend your hand, as three other interpreters render this phrase, and refrain not only from thinking or doing evil, but also from speaking ill of your neighbor and pointing out each person's faults as if with a finger, and if you avoid speaking what does not benefit your soul, considering not your own faults but the errors of others, then you will receive what the following passage adds. … Therefore, if we do not do those things which are said, and if we do those things which are to be said, let us not give our bread to the hungry as before, but our soul, so that we may help him however we can, and let us not do it with sadness and necessity, but willingly, receiving more than giving charity. For God loves a cheerful giver, so that we may not refresh the hungry or the afflicted partially, but fully satisfy them; and let us grieve with those who grieve and mourn with those who mourn, then our light shall rise in the darkness, he who says: I am the light that came into the world, so that everyone who believes in me does not remain in darkness, but has the light of life. For the eye is the light of our body: if it is simple, our whole body will be full of light. … We can say that this spring is none other than the one to whom it is said, With you is the fountain of life: which continually waters His Church and the hearts of all believers. — Commentary on Isaiah John Chrysostom : For were He distant from us in place, thou mightest well doubt, but if He is present everywhere, to him that strives and is in earnest He is near. Wherefore also the prophet said, "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me;" and God Himself again, "I am a God nigh at hand, and not a God afar off." Then as our sins separate us from Him, so do our righteousnesses draw us nigh unto Him. "For while thou art yet speaking," it is said, "I will say, Here I am." What father would ever be thus obedient to his offspring? What mother is there, so ready, and continually standing, if haply her children call her? There is not one, no father, no mother: but God stands continually waiting, if any of his servants should perchance call Him; and never, when we have called as we ought, hath He refused to hear. Therefore He saith, "While thou art yet speaking," I do not wait for thee to finish, and I straightway hearken. Let us call Him therefore, as it is His will to be called. But what is this His will? "Loose," saith He, "every band of iniquity, unloose the twisted knots of oppressive covenants, tear in pieces every unjust contract. Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring in the poor that are cast out to thy house. If thou seest one naked, cover him, and them that belong to thy seed thou shalt not overlook. Then shall thy light break forth in the morning, and thine healings shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall cover thee. Then thou shalt call upon me, and I will give ear unto thee; whilst thou art yet speaking, I will say, Lo! here I am." — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF Matthew 54:8