Ambrose of Milan

In his own words on Philippians

• Philippians 1:21

  We see, then, that this death is a gain and life a penalty, so that Paul says: "To me to live is Christ and to die is gain." What is Christ but the death of the body, the breath of life? And so let us die with Him, that we may live with Him. Let there then be in us as it were a daily practice and inclination to dying, that by this separation from bodily desires, of which we have spoken, our soul may learn to withdraw itself, and, as it were placed on high, when earthly lusts cannot approach and attach it to themselves, may take upon herself the likeness of death, that she incur not the penalty of death.

  On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus, Book 2

• Philippians 1:23

  And so that you may know that it is good to agree the beginning and the end, Jesus Himself says: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Therefore, since our mind is always with him, let it never depart from his temple, from his word. Let it always be in the reading of the Scriptures, in meditations, in prayers, so that his word, who he is, may always work in us, and so that every day as we go to the Church, or as we engage in domestic prayers, we may begin with him and end in him. Therefore, may the whole day of our life and the course of the day take its beginning from him and end in him. For just as it is necessary to believe and be initiated to God from the beginning of life, so perseverance is necessary until the end. But no one is good, except God alone. From Him we proceed, created by Him: to Him we return, for to be with Christ is much better.

  On Abraham

• Philippians 1:23

  What does this departure mean but the dissolution and torpor of the body, while the soul for its part is turned toward its rest and made free, if it be faithful, "to be with Christ"?

  ON THE BENEFIT OF DEATH 3.8

• Philippians 3:8

  And the Apostle teaches us how to dung it, saying: "I count all things but dung, that I may gain Christ," and he, through evil report and good report, attained to pleasing Christ. For he had read that Abraham, when confessing himself to be but dust and ashes, in his deep humility found favour with God. He had read how Job, sitting among the ashes, regained all that he had lost. He had heard in the utterance of David, how God "raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill."

  Concerning Repentance, Book 2