'How to read the Church fathers' by Adalbert Hamman

A strong point of this book is that all the information is well organized. There are useful maps, charts, and tables. The fathers are got together by periods. It results in a handy sourcebook.

Many fragments of texts from the fathers can be read. In each chapter, there are some representative texts from the fathers who have been dealt with at that period. 

Another strong point is that, at the end of the book, the author displays his thoughts about the issue. An interesting one is that the Church fathers are close to the period of Jesus and the composition of the New Testament. The Greek fathers were within the milieu in which the gospels and the letters of Paul were written. It is fitting to going for these writers to know the exact meaning of the Greek text of the New Testament. They are witness to that time and give us a historical reading of the last writings of the Bible.

The book, nevertheless, would have more deepen in each author. They could have been dedicated more study. 

Letter 211 by Saint Augustin, 5-8: The rule for women

Saint Augustine was a Shepherd, so he had a pastoral concern for his flock. He wrote a rule for religious men, the Praeceptum, as well as a rule for women. The latter was written in 423 for the occasion of a dispute of the religious who wanted to remove her superior. It is contained in his letter 211.

Paragraphs 1-4 seem to be a rebuke, whereas number 5-10 contains the precepts for the community. In these precepts, Augustine highlight common possession of goods, unanimity, prayer, and fasting.

The religious are not allowed to have anything of their own. They have all in common. The superior distributes food and clothes to each one according to their needs. For it is written in the Acts of the Apostles: 

They had all things in common and distribution was made to each according to they need.

The religious come from both well-to-do families and poor families. They live together, nevertheless, this must not be an occasion of pride for neither the former nor the latter. What would be the use of renouncing the earthly belongings and giving them to the poor if this is a cause of pride? They have to live in unanimity, as they were only one soul. 

Prayer has to be at the appointed time. They must avoid distractions because the heart and the lips have to work at once. 

Finally, it is important that the religious follow fasting and abstinence from food and drink. 

 

'Treatise on the Holy Spirit' by Basil of Caesarea: A commentary

Sticking with the religious issues, I wish to make a commentary on a fragment from a treatise about the nature of the Spirit by a Cappadocian father ('Treatise on the Holy Spirit', 9).

This fragment begins with the name of this trinitarian person. His proper name is 'Holy Spirit' because has nor body, neither matter. He cannot be divided. He has not a circumscribed nature, so we cannot say 'He is here' or 'there'. As a matter of fact, he is not a creature but a being with intelligence, with infiniteness, who has no limits, cannot be measured and abundantly bestows its gifts. 

The Holy Spirit communicates to all who seek sanctification. He can sanctify others, yet needs nothing: nor strength, neither addition - he is full by himself. He grants life and illumination not to everybody, but to those who are worthy of him. He shares, giving himself, as though who receives him were alone, yet is present to everyone and is given for all humanity.

The Holy Spirit dwells in the person who shares with him. This is why this person becomes spiritual and may communicate the Spirit to others. Many gifts issue from this dwelling: prophecy, wisdom, becoming like God and being destined to him.