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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace." Greatly still does he show here his longing desire, in that he had them in his heart; and in the very prison, and though bound, he remembered the Philippians. And it is not a little to the praise of these men, since it is not of prejudice that this Saint conceived his love, but of judgment, and right reasons. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
I, he says, am convinced that you will remain such to the end, and I think this about you because I always have you in my heart and know your good deeds, know that you strive even in my absence to be partakers with me in the grace of the Gospel and of my bonds. Therefore it is right that I draw such a conclusion about you, and judge the end by the beginning. What praise it is for the Philippians that they are enclosed in the heart of Paul, who loves not simply, but with discernment and only those who are worthy! …
Clement of Alexandria
But the apostle, writing to us with reference to the endurance of afflictions, says, "And this is of God, that it is given to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake; having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. If there is therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any communion of spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye may be of the same mind, having the same love, unanimous, thinking one thing. …
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
The reason for his joy is given when he says: It is right for me to feel thus about you all, because it is right that you should rejoice with me in my blessing, because I hold you in my heart. As if to say: I have this knowledge of you that you are such; therefore, I rejoice so that you might rejoice in the things in which I rejoice, which is in my imprisonment. …
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