THE BURNT OFFERING The guide of the sacrifices and offerings starts by the burnt offering with its three kinds: Whether it is of bulls, sheep, or birds, it reveals in its rites, the sacrifice of the divine Son in His complete obedience to His Heavenly Father, offering His whole life a burnt offering, a flaming love, a sweet aroma to the Lord; in the name, and to the account of the church.. Through this sacrifice, the heart of the believer is enflamed with his fire in Jesus Christ, longing through unity in the One crucified, to rise together with Him, up on the cross, as though on the altar of burnt offering, to receive the fire of the enflaming passion with pleasure, offering his whole life as a burnt offering to the Lord. 1- An introduction 1 2- A burnt offering of a bull 2 - 9 3- A burnt offering of a sheep 1- - 13 4- A burnt offering of a bird 14 - 17 (1) AN INTRODUCTION: 1- “Now, the Lord called to Moses, and spoke to Him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying: …” (1) At the beginning of his ministry, God called Moses to receive the shepherding work through the burning bush. And after the exodus He called him to receive the ten commandments on the Mount, where the congregation could not go, in the midst of lightening, thunder, and smoke … by which God intended to confirm to us that we could not encounter Him, being a Consuming Fire, except through the commandments He offered to us. But in our weakness we were counted as breakers of those commandments, and we fell more deeply under the curse of the law. There was, therefore no reconciliation except through the sacrifice and the blood. That was the reason behind calling Moses that time to the tabernacle of meeting, not in the midst of lightening, thunder, and terrifying darkness, but through the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim, which are on the ark of the testimony (Exodus 25: 22). It is as though, God in that time, presents to us the secret of the sacrifice of the cross, by which to encounter Him, as in the tabernacle of meeting, in quietness and tranquility, through the exalted divine love, where the Word of God comes down to us, carrying our nature, drawing us in Him, to enjoy the fellowship with the Father, with His Holy Spirit, in the worthiness of the precious blood. 2- The burnt offering was truly ‘The sacrifice of dedication and ministry’ (Sacrificium Latreuticum); which with time came to be an integral part of the morning and the evening service in the temple. Additional sacrifices were also offered during the feasts, as the Sabbaths, the new moon, etc.; after the service; representing the sacrifice offered by the people who enter into a covenant with God. 3- The burnt offering, for the Jews, had a special sanctity; it was the only sacrifice, not allowed for non-Israelis to offer. (2) A BURNT OFFERING OF A BULL: 1- According to St. Augustine, [the expression “burnt offering” (or holocaust), is interpreted as being (utterly or wholly consumed by fire); as ‘causis’ means (burnt), and ‘’holou’ means (wholly)…. There is more a ‘burnt love’, when the mind is enflamed with love, to set it forth to the other body members, to make man wholly burnt with the fire of divine love, presented as a burnt offering to God]. In other words, it means that man offers his whole inner life, as well as his apparent behavior, as a flaming sacrifice of love to God’s account. According to St. Augustine: [When the whole animal is placed on the altar, and is wholly consumed by fire, it is called ‘a burnt offering’………I wish we are wholly consumed by the divine fire]. And he also says: [As the sacrifice is called ‘a burnt offering’ when it is wholly consumed; … Therefore, every burnt offering is truly a sacrifice; but not every sacrifice is a burnt offering]. Exhorting us to offer our life a burnt offering to the Lord, St. John Chrysostom says: [As man is more exalted than the herd, When you offer yourself a sacrifice, your sacrifice will be more exalted than theirs. … There are other sacrifices, which are truly considered as burnt offerings: when the martyrs offer their souls and bodies as burnt offerings to the Lord; their sacrifices have sweet fragrance to God. You, as well, if you cannot offer your body a burnt offering by the material fire; yet you may offer it, burnt by another fire, as, for example, by the optional poverty … Instead of spending the rest of your life in luxuries and pleasure; yet you may choose the bitter and tough life, of bringing your body to death; … Would that not be a burnt offering?!... Bring the lusts of your body to death; crucify it, to receive the crown of martyrdom; which the martyrs get through the sword; but here, you get it by the mind, through the able will]. According to St. Gregory the Nezianzen: [Let us offer to God all our body members on earth (Colossians 3: 5); Let us dedicate them all; not a part of our body members, every now and then. Let us offer all our body members, to be counted as “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service” (Romans 12: 1); a whole sacrifice … Let us offer it to God, to receive it wholly from Him]. 2- For whose sake the offering is offered? Having recognized the concept of the ‘burnt offering’, let us now talk about him for whose sake the burnt offering is offered. God says to Moses: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord…” (2) Saying: “When any man of you…” (according to the Arabic language version); according to the scholar Origen, was not without significance. The book of Leviticus distinguishes between an offering for the sake of ‘a man’, and another for a ‘soul’ (4: 1), for the whole congregation (4: 13), for a ruler (4: 22), or for a priest … etc. By putting the word ‘man’ at the top of the list (according to the Arabic language version), the divine inspiration proclaims that the burnt offering is offered by Christ, the ‘Man’, for the sake of mankind as a whole, . If the burnt offering is the sacrifice of complete obedience offered by the divine Son to the Father; He offers it on behalf of all mankind, as though one man … a sweet aroma to the Father. 3- The offering itself: “If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd (a bull), let him offer a male without blemish” (3) Commenting on this sacrifice, the scholar Origen says: [What is “the offering of a bull without blemish”, other than the fattened calf, slaughtered by the father when his prodigal son returned, after losing all his livelihood?! He set a banquet in celebration (Luke 15: 23); As it is written: “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15: 10). That son, who was lost, had no self righteousness to offer, for “he wasted his possessions with prodigal living” (Luke 15: 13), then that calf that, as though has come from heaven, yet came as a descendant of Abraham. Hence the law does not say “a burnt sacrifice of bull”, but says – according to the Septuagint version – “a burnt sacrifice of the herd”; having come a descendant of the patriarchs (the herd). Particularly designating that the burnt offering should be “a male”, according to the scholar Origen, does not mean, in the spiritual concept, that there is any preference of men over women; but refers to a spiritual preference of the mature and serious spiritual (manhood), to the soft and spoiled (womanhood). He often says that on the great day of the Lord, many women will be counted like strong men in the sight of the Lord, and many men, who lived their life in carnal pleasures, will be counted as women. 4- Who will offer it? “He shall kill the bull before the Lord and the priests. Aaron’s sons shall bring the blood …” (5) In the old covenant, only the priests had the right to offer the sacrifices. Then the Lord Christ came in the new covenant, not according to the order of Aaron, but according to the order of Melchizedek, to present an exalted sacrifice of the cross … In the epistle to the Hebrews, the apostle Paul clarified the difference between the Levite priesthood, and that of the Lord Christ, in two aspects in particular: The first is that the Levite priesthood, being characterized by weakness, the priests were in need to offer sacrifices for their own sake, before they offer sacrifices for that of the people; Whereas the Lord Christ, being Himself blameless, offers His sacrifice for the sake of the people. The second aspect is that the Levite priests offered blood sacrifices; Whereas the Lord Christ offered His own blood (Hebrew 9: 13). In this case, the Priest and the Sacrifice are One; hence His sacrifice is active, and a grantor of life. According to St. John Chrysostom: [A great difference indeed! He is the Ransom, the Priest, and the Sacrifice at the same time. Otherwise, there would be need to offer several sacrifices; and He would be crucified several times]. And according to St. Augustine: [You are the Priest; You are Sacrifice; and You are One who offers it]. Our Priest the Lord Christ is the One who offers the sacrifice. That is what the fathers of the church proclaimed. According to St. John Chrysostom: [We are not more than servants; But He, Himself is the One who gives the blessing; and who transform the offerings. This Highest Priest who works in His priests, offers us His one atoning sacrifice, without repetition; Although, offered in many places; yet it is just one body, and not several bodies; one sacrifice. It is our High Priest, who offered the sacrifice that purifies us; to make us, as well, able to offer what he offered, with no repetition … It is not another sacrifice; but is perpetually the same sacrifice. 5- The rite of the offering: a- “… you shall bring it to the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before the Lord, as atonement for you” (4) Some interpret “for acceptance” to mean that the one who offers the sacrifice, offers it with his own free will; representing the sacrifice of the cross offered by the Lord Christ with His own free will as atonement on behalf of mankind. But it came more to proclaim the wish of the one who offers the sacrifice to enjoy the acceptance of the Lord; The sacrifice of the cross was offered for the pleasure of the Father, and for His acceptance of all believers uniting with the Crucified. Anyway to realize God’s acceptance of man, he has to set forth with his offering to the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting; as according to the scholar Origen: [To set forth to the outside of the entrance, and not to the inside. Jesus was actually outside the entrance; “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1: 11). He did not enter into the (tent] of the Jewish nation, through which He came to the door to present His burnt offering, but suffered passion outside the camp (4: 12). When the Son of the Owner of the vineyard came, the wicked vine dressers took Him, brought Him out of the vineyard, and killed Him (Matthew 21: 38). That is, therefore, the offering that was “at the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before the Lord” (4). Is there anyone more acceptable before Him than Christ, “who offered Himself without spot to God” (Hebrew 9: 14)?! The Lord Chris was slain on the cross outside the camp; for us to join Him; “to go forth to Him outside the camp bearing His reproach” (Hebrew 13: 13). As according to St. John Chrysostom: [If He was crucified outside as a debtor; we, therefore, should not be ashamed to be driven out]. b- “Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. He shall kill the bull before the Lord, and the priests, Aaron’s sons shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (4, 5) He puts his hand on the head of the burnt offering to become one with it; whether to confess God’s goodness toward him, when he offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God; or to confess of his sins and iniquities, as in the sin offering or the trespass offering; So that the sin would be transferred to the sacrifice, to atone for him, and to pay his debt back. We, as well, by putting our hands over the head of our Sacrifice – Jesus the Lord of glory -- we proclaim our unity with Him; as, according to the Holy Scripture: “We are complete in Him” (Colossians 2: 10); and, “We are the members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Ephesians 5: 30); “For he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6: 17). We came to be one with Him; He offers His life a burnt offering of love in our name and to our account; and a sacrifice of atonement for our sins which He carried upon His shoulders, according to the words of the prophet: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief, when you make His soul an offering for sin” (Isaiah 53: 10). Commenting on putting the hand on the head of the burnt offering, the scholar Origen says: [Being the head of the church, He has put in His body all the sins of mankind (Ephesians 1: 22, 23)]. And according to St. John Chrysostom: [How did he make Himself a Reconciler? By condescending to our status, carrying the punishment meant for us; and by submitting Himself to the chastisement which we deserve; Do you wish to know how He endured all that? Listen to the words of the apostle, saying: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3: 13)]. On our behalf, He bowed down to carry the curse of the law that dwelt upon us because we broke the divine commandment; and to lift us up to His blessed statue The Jewish rite of putting the hands on the head of the burnt offering, was only practiced by Israeli men; not by women, children, the blind, the deaf, nor the foreigners. He who offers the sacrifice, used to put his hand between the horns, with his face directed toward the west, where the Most Holy Place is, in order to feel the sanctity and awe of the work, which touches his relationship with the Lord Himself. It is not clear whether he used to put one or both hands together on the head of the burnt offering, but he had to press with his whole strength, as though he pushes all his sins on the sacrifice; while uttering the following confession (mostly in the sin- and trespass offerings): [I entreat You O God; For I have sinned, went astray, committing so and so… (here he names the sin he committed); but I hereby return with repentance. Let this be for my atonement]. He says: “He shall kill the bull before the Lord” (4); Although it is slaughtered outside the camp, yet it is done before the Lord; as a reference to the sacrifice of the cross, that the Son presented in obedience to the Father; who, although was crucified outside the earthly Jerusalem, yet: “Now appears in the presence of God for us” (Hebrew 9: 24). He approaches, slain, while sitting on the right hand of God, interceding with His blood for our atonement; And as the apostle says: “Since He ever lives to make intercessions for them” (Hebrew 7: 25). Through that unique atonement intercession, He opened before us a new way, through which we pass with and by Him; namely, the way of the cross, to enter into the bosom of His Father; As, according to St. John Chrysostom: [Having such a High Priest, let us follow His lead].And according to St. Augustine: [Being our intercessor, He, not only gives us help in temptations, but is a role Model for us]. He says: “The priests, Aaron’s sons shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (5) The holy blood is the secret of the power of the sacrifice, by which we are cleansed of all sins (1 John 1: 7). And as said by St. Paul: “For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrew 9: 14); …” According to the law, almost everything are purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrew 9: 22); And according to the apostle St. Peter: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1: 18, 19). And as it came in the book of revelation about the redeemed: “they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb” (Revelation 7: 14); and “they overcame the devil by that precious blood” (Revelation 12: 11). Through this precious blood we will have the conquest (Revelation 12: 11); For the cross is counted as conquest and glory; As according to St. John Chrysostom: [The Lord called it glory and honor, saying: “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” (John 12: 23). As to scattering the blood all around; As we know, the circle, having neither beginning nor an end, refers to eternity. This blood, therefore acts in us eternally, set forth with us up to heaven itself, bring us into the bosom of the heavenly Father, to live beyond the limits of time, as though in the circle of eternity, to practice the heavenly life itself. Let us quote some of the sayings of the fathers concerning the activity of the blood of the cross, and of the heavenly life: + Stretching His hands on the cross, He cast away “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2: 2), preparing for us the way to heavens. + When His body was raised up high, the things in heaven appeared. (Pope St. Athanasius) + It is a heavenly sacrifice, more than an earthly one. (The scholar Origen) + Is the altar (of the new covenant) not heavenly, as well?! Nothing on it is carnal; but everything become spiritual. The sacrifice on it does not turn into ashes and smoke; … but turns into something splendid and exalted…. The church is heavenly; It is nothing but heaven! + If we are heavenly, and have come to have such a sacrifice; Let us fear; … I wish we do not stay anymore on earth; as it is possible for him who so wishes to be. … Counting whether you are on earth or not, is something that concerns your own condition according to your choice. … As an example, it is said that God is in heaven, Why? It is not because He is limited to it!, Far from it!; Nor that He left the earth denied of His presence; But to proclaim His close relationship with His angels (the heavenly creatures). …. What does it mean that I am in heaven? if I see the Lord of heaven, and I, myself became heaven; For He says: “My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14: 23). Let our souls, therefore, become heaven! (St. John Chrysostom) c- Cutting the sacrifice into pieces, and arranging them on the altar: “And he shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. The sons of Aaron, the priest shall put fire on the altar and lay the wood to order on the fire. Then the priests, Aaron’s sons shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar. But he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord” (6 – 9) If the bunt offering reveals the complete obedience of the Son to the Father; hence, skinning, cutting, and washing it, even the entrails deep inside, proclaim that our Lord Jesus Christ has passed before the Father, who found Him blameless, even deep inside; For about Him is said: “He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53: 9); “What evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him” (Luke 23: 22); And He said about Himself: “Which of you convicts me of sin?”(John 8: 46). The Son presented His complete obedience, with no spot; by the fire of His divine love, toward the Father and mankind; a sweet aroma to the Father! … Laying the wood in order on the altar, symbolizes the wood of the cross that carried the Fiery Word of God crucified according to the flesh. … And laying the parts, the head, the fat, together with all the organs, in order on the wood, refer to that the cross of the Lord Christ, the Head of the church, carries the church as well, being His suffering body, to partake of His obedience and love toward the Father. Presenting to us another interpretation, the scholar Origen believes that skinning the burnt offering; namely, taking the skin off the flesh, is a symbol of taking the letter away from the interpretation of the word of God, to reveal the inner spiritual interpretation deep inside. …Cutting the parts and putting them in order on the altar, refer to setting forth from touching the hem of the garment of the Lord Christ (Matthew 9: 20), to enjoying washing His feet with our tears, and drying them with our hair (Luke 7: 44); Then to anointing His feet with oil; and finally to leaning on His chest, as the beloved St. John did; in order to comfort our minds, to become qualified to perceive His exalted divine secrets; and to be counted worthy of receiving His mother as our mother, as he enjoyed at the time of crucifixion. … In other words, according to the scholar Origen: [In the rite of the burnt offering, there is continuous growth of the spiritual life, and a consistent setting forth from drinking the milk of babes, (touching the hem of the garment), to enjoying the solid food of the mature (leaning on His chest). Of his words concerning this: [I believe that the priest who skins the sacrifice, refers to him who takes away the letter from the interpretation of the word of God (2 Corinthians 3: 4). By exposing the inner organs, he will have the spiritual perception and the inner knowledge concerning the word. This is realized on the altar, in a high and sacred place, and not in a lowly place. For the divine secrets, mostly, are not exposed to those unqualified, who walk in the lowly and earthly things, and set forth from the earth to the earth; But is exposed to those who are counted as an altar to the Lord, to those who unceasingly kindle the divine fire, and unceasingly bring the covetousness of their bodies to death. On such persons, are put the bull of the burnt offering, and his members are cut to pieces. The conformity between the members will be like touching the hem of the garment of Christ, washing His feet with the tears, and drying them with the hair. Yet, what is far better is anointing His feet with oil; and what is still better is leaning on His chest (John 13: 25; 21: 20). … What a progress! … When everyone of us enjoys the spiritual perception according to his own stature, and to what suits him. Some enjoy the primitive things, and others progress more in the faith in Christ; And still others are counted as perfect in His knowledge and love…. That is cutting the bull into pieces]. I wish, through the burnt offering of love, we receive Christ Himself, to enjoy revealing the secrets of His word. In case we do not dare to lean on His chest, to bear all His secrets; let us anoint His feet with oil, to have a portion of some of His secrets. And in case we have no oil, let us wash them with our tears and dry them with our hair; Otherwise, let us at least touch the hem of His garment, to be healed of the flow of blood of literality and the appearances. d- Washing with water: “But he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water “ (9) If this sacrifice refers to the sacrifice of the Lord Christ, who presented His life a burnt offering to our account; it is, as well, our own sacrifice through our unity in Him. Hence, according to the scholar Origen, and to many fathers, washing the entrails with water, refers to the work of baptism; by which we have our inner nature cleansed through the blood of the sacrifice and the water, and renewed by crucifying the old man in us, and enjoying the new man. In this sacrifice, blood melds with water, the cross with the water of baptism, to get the new man according the image of the Lord Christ. That is why blood and water flowed from the side of the Lord on the cross (John 19: 34). According to St. John Chrysostom: [That did not happen by chance, nor without a goal, but because by them, the church is set. By the water the one baptized is renewed, and by the blood and the body, he is nourished]. He also says: [The blood and the water both refer to the same thing; for baptism is Christ’s passion]. And he says: [When our head is plunged in the water of baptism, the old man in us is buried whole, as though in a low grave, Then the new man emerges instead. As it is easy for us to plunge with our heads, and come up again, It is easy for God to bury the old man in us, and replace him with the new one. By repeating it three times, we are taught that the power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is realized in all that. e- Burning it completely: “And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord” (9) The way water bonded with blood, as a sign of bonding baptism with the cross, water bonded, as well, with the fire, as a sign of the bondage of baptism with the holy Spirit – the Fire, who grants us the adoption to God the Father in the worthiness of the cross. This fire that consumes the sacrifice is the fire of the Holy Spirit, by whom we offer the sacrifice of the Eucharist; namely, the sacrifice of the Lord Christ; not to consume the sacrifice, but to burn every evil in us, abiding us in the slain Christ. According to St. Ambrose, concerning this fire:[This fire was hidden during the days of captivity, when sin prevailed; then appeared again with the return of freedom]. It is as though, we did not enjoy that fire under captivity; but once we were set free from the captivity of sin by the cross, and enjoyed the spiritual freedom, the fire of the Holy Spirit kindled in us anew]. And according to St. John Chrysostom, concerning the activity of the Holy Spirit: [Let us lift our minds up toward heaven, Let us hold fast to this desire, clothed in the spiritual fire, and girdled with its flame; For whoever carry a flame would never fear anyone he may encounter, whether man, beast, or snares; Armed with the spiritual fire, no one could stand in his way, but all will retreat, on account of the unbearable heat of the fire that would scatter everything before it. We, therefore, should seek such a fire, giving glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, with His Father, and the Holy Spirit. 6- The activity of the burnt offering: In the burnt offering, we see the Crucified, not as the Bearer of our sins, but as being the Son who obeyed the Father even to death; presenting His life given as a sweet aroma to the Lord (9). 7- The symbolic interpretation: We end our talk about the burnt offering of bulls, by some quotations from the symbolic interpretation of it by the scholar Origen: [You, as well, have a bull to offer. That wild bull is your body. If you intend to offer it to the Lord, keep it pure, and under submission; take it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, there you can hear the readings from the Holy Books. … Let your offering be a male; namely, let it be without any trace of being spoiled for lack of firmness… Put your hand on the burnt offering, and slay it before the Lord; Namely, set some measures of control on its chastity; Be like the one who said: “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9: 27). Slay it before the Lord, and do not hesitate to bring your members to death (Colossians 3: 5)… Let there be in you, a priest and his sons; namely the spirit in you and its senses; for through them, there will be an understanding of the Lord, and a perception of the divine knowledge. … Offer, therefore, your body to the Lord by submission, yet with spiritual understanding, according to the words of the apostle: “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12: 1)… There are some who present their bodies as burnt offerings, yet as though without a priest; namely, with no fullness of knowledge … Those will be ashamed, for they seek the human glory (in their submission), are defiled by the covetousness of greed, by committing the sin of envy or hatred, or are disturbed by the cruelty of anger. Those practice the submission of the body, Yet, offering it without a priest, namely, without understanding nor perception, they are counted like the foolish five virgins, who, although were truly submitting their bodies as virgins, yet they did not know how to put oil in their vessels; namely, the oil of love, peace, and the rest of the virtues. Hence they were denied entrance into the secret place of the groom (Matthew 25)…. As for us, it is befitting , together with the submission of the body, to have a pure Spirit ; to be qualified to be like the slain Christ]. (3) A BURNT OFFERING OF A SHEEP: In case man cannot afford to offer a whole bull, let him offer a sheep or a goat. Here, the rite of the burnt offering does not much differ from the rite already discussed, but almost the same, and with the same concepts. (4) A BURNT OFFERING OF A BIRD: Whoever cannot afford to offer a bull, a sheep, or a goat, let him offer two turtledoves, or young pigeons, which is within the capacity of the poor, who usually breed them in their houses. God does not care for the material value of the offering, but He seeks the heart; Yet He wishes that we do not appear empty before Him. Let us then offer Him the little we have, even the two mites of the widow; For He seeks the fruit of the heart, and not the gift itself. As according to St. Paul, who carries the Spirit of His Lord: “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your accounts” (Philippians 4: 17). Of the birds, God accepts only turtledoves and pigeons. For according to St. Clement of Alexandria: [The turtledoves refer to fear of sin; and the young pigeons to meekness, and to non-violence]. And according to the scholar Origen: [In certain kinds of turtledoves, the male pigeon binds itself to a single female, and approaches no other, even after its death; They, therefore, are a symbol of purity. The pigeons refer to the church – the good turtledove that bears the Holy Spirit of God, who appeared in the form of a pigeon at the epiphany of the Lord Christ. Referring also to the life of simplicity; that offering, therefore, is the offering of the church that, although may appear as poor in this world, and possess nothing more than turtledoves and pigeons, Yet she is rich with her purity and simplicity of heart through the work of the Holy Spirit in her.
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