Valerian of Cimiez

In his own words on Psalms

• Psalms 12:2

  We shall take care to have nothing base spring from our hearts, nothing blasphemous fly from our lips, nothing harmful harbored in our thought. The prophet condemns not only what offends the ears but also the attitude that some people cherish in their minds. "With deceitful lips and with a double heart they have spoken evil things." Deliberations, too, then should be listed among the faults of an insolent tongue. Whatever you speak in your heart you are confessing to the Lord, because God is the Searcher of hearts. Since you cannot hide even your thought from him, can that which you shout aloud remain hidden from him or excused? Reflect on this.

  HOMILY 5:7

• Psalms 12:3

  We find many who occasionally mix poison with sweet words in one and the same conversation and enter into conflicts by feigned persuasions to peace. What can be more unfortunate or dangerous than the case of those people who with all the ardor of their deceitful tongues plot against someone's life? Why do they fail to consider the prophet's psalm, which states, "May the Lord destroy sinful lips." Do you perceive under what a curse one lives who is contriving one plan in his heart and placing another on his tongue

  HOMILIES 5:5

• Psalms 41:1

  Clearly, as often as we succor the wretched, we give to ourselves. The dispensing of our resources is our gain. For if you consider again the hope of future reward, whatever is given to the poor is reckoned as a profit. That is what the prophet states: "Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day."

  HOMILY 8:2

• Psalms 54:6

  Listen to the prophet's voice: "I will freely sacrifice to you, O Lord." Learn how different an imposed servitude is from a voluntary one. A person who finds his own negligence accusing himself of suffering self-imposed servitude can never pass a day without regret. A person who obeys his Lord because of some solemn promise and thus reluctantly gains grace has stored up an injury for himself, since the prophet says, "Cursed is he who does the works of the Lord negligently." If each one of you reflects on the wonderful gift of the acquired liberty that our Christ has granted to his faithful people through the regeneration of the life-giving bath [baptism] and through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, he understands that God should not be served halfheartedly. Even though we daily give God whatever honor or gift we can, we never pay him all we owe.

  HOMILY 3:3

• Psalms 133:1

  The prophet said in praise of fraternal charity: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." What good is there in the life of people except peace, in which upright pursuits make progress and religious activities are fostered? What is more joyful than all nations serving the one God in peace and the prayers of all people converging to the praise of the one Lord?To dwell together in unity is this: to believe in God and faithfully to remain in the one Son of God. This is the one profitable and joyful union for mortals: our not dividing, as the heretics do, the Father from the Son, or the Son from the Father or the Holy Spirit from both, but, rather, our believing that these three names are distributed among the persons and that the persons rejoice in the participation of the one godhead. Thus it comes to pass that, when there is agreement to unity, there will be no shattering of charity in the church.

  HOMILY 12:6

• Psalms 141:3-4

  But the blow inflicted by the tongue is incurable. The tongue strikes lightly, but it always stirs up deep sighs in the chest through the sorrow it causes. The prophet no doubt knew how great was the evil of the tongue when he cried out, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door about my lips, that my heart may not turn to evil words." Therefore, if anyone is wise, let him set a guard before his mouth, and let him put the bond of silence on his lips.

  HOMILY 5:2