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Saint Ambrose Quotes

Powerful Saint Ambrose for Daily Growth

About Saint Ambrose

Saint Ambrose, born in Trier (now Germany) around 340 AD, was a prominent Christian bishop and Father of the Church who significantly influenced Western theology. His exact birthdate is unknown, but he is traditionally celebrated on December 7th. Ambrose received a Roman education before converting to Christianity in his mid-20s, a pivotal event that occurred after a chance encounter with the renowned Christian Bishop Dionysius of Milan. Ambrose's intellectual prowess and oratorical skills made him an ideal candidate for the episcopate when Dionysius died. Ambrose was appointed bishop of Milan in 374 AD, despite not having been baptized yet. This event sparked the famous controversy known as "St. Ambrose and the Baptism of the Catechumens," where he refused baptism until Emperor Valentinian I and his court were baptized first. Ambrose's works are extensive and profound. He wrote commentaries on several books of the Old Testament, hymns, sermons, and letters. Among his most notable works are "De officiis ministrorum" (On the Duties of the Clergy), "Expositio evangelii secundum Lucam" (Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke), and the hymn "Veni, veni, Emmanuel," which is still sung during Advent. Ambrose played a crucial role in developing the concept of the two natures of Christ—fully divine and fully human—in Christian theology. His influence can be seen in Augustine of Hippo's writings and in the early Church's understanding of the relationship between the secular and sacred powers. Saint Ambrose died in Milan on Easter Sunday, April 4, 397 AD, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to shape Christian thought and practice. He was canonized by popular acclaim shortly after his death and is honored as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The more you live, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more you realize, you know nothing."

This quote by Saint Ambrose emphasizes the lifelong pursuit of knowledge and the humbling realization that no matter how much we learn, there is always more to discover. As we live and experience life, our understanding deepens, yet it also becomes clearer that our own knowledge remains limited compared to the vastness of the world around us. This quote encourages a spirit of curiosity, intellectual humility, and lifelong learning.

"Books are the crystalized wisdom of millions of men."

This quote by Saint Ambrose emphasizes the collective knowledge contained within books. He suggests that books represent the distilled wisdom accumulated over countless generations of thinkers, scholars, and writers. Each book serves as a vessel for humanity's shared insights, experiences, and ideas, making them valuable repositories of human intelligence and understanding. By engaging with books, we tap into this vast reservoir of knowledge, wisdom, and creativity that spans across cultures and ages.

"A teacher who is not laughed at by his pupils is not a good teacher."

This quote suggests that an effective teacher should engage their students in such a way that sparks curiosity, stimulates critical thinking, or creates a lively learning environment. If the students are not challenged, do not ask questions, or do not find the material interesting enough to contemplate, then the teaching may lack depth and inspiration. A good teacher encourages dialogue, debate, and exploration of ideas, fostering an atmosphere where laughter (due to intellectual engagement) can occur as a natural byproduct of learning.

"It is not those who do great things that are remembered, but those who remember great things."

This quote emphasizes that lasting significance or remembrance is not solely about performing great deeds, but rather understanding and appreciating the greatness in history – knowledge, wisdom, and ideas that have shaped our world. In other words, it's not just about what we do, but also what we value, learn from, and pass on to future generations.

"God created us without us, so that He might recreate us within us."

This quote by Saint Ambrose suggests that humans were originally created in a pristine, divine state (without us), but due to human fallibility, we've strayed from that original state. The idea of God recreating us (within us) implies the possibility of rediscovering our original divine nature through spiritual growth and personal transformation. It underscores the religious belief in salvation or enlightenment, where an individual can return to a closer relationship with their creator by following a righteous path.

God drove Cain out of his presence and sent him into exile far away from his native land, so that he passed from a life of human kindness to one which was more akin to the rude existence of a wild beast.

- Saint Ambrose

Existence, Away, Exile, Native

It is not from your own goods that you give to the beggar; it is a portion of his own that you are restoring to him. The Earth belongs to all. So you are paying back a debt and think you are making a gift to which you are not bound.

- Saint Ambrose

Gift, Give, Which, Paying

Nothing escapes God's knowledge. This is proved by the witness of the Scriptures and the analogy of the sun, which, although created, yet by its light or heat enters into all things.

- Saint Ambrose

Heat, Which, Created, Escapes

Nothing graces the Christian soul so much as mercy; mercy as shown chiefly towards the poor, that thou mayest treat them as sharers in common with thee in the produce of nature, which brings forth the fruits of the earth for use to all.

- Saint Ambrose

Soul, Treat, Use, Chiefly

It is a better thing to save souls for the Lord than to save treasures. He who sent forth his apostles without gold had not need of gold to form his Church. The Church possesses gold, not to hoard, but to scatter abroad and come to the aid of the unfortunate.

- Saint Ambrose

Church, Lord, Hoard, Possesses

Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.

- Saint Ambrose

God, Things, Render, Caesar

A good youth ought to have a fear of God, to be subject to his parents, to give honor to his elders, to preserve his purity; he ought not to despise humility, but should love forbearance and modesty. All these are an ornament to youthful years.

- Saint Ambrose

Love, Purity, Subject, Elders

Many a sin has sullied me in body and in soul because I did not restrain my thoughts nor guard my lips: nevertheless it is to Thee, O God of majesty and love, that I turn in my extremity, for Thou art the fount of mercy; to Thee, as quickly as I may, I speed: for Thou alone canst heal me; I take refuge under Thy protection.

- Saint Ambrose

Love, Thy, Nevertheless, Heal

Forget not, O Lord, that I am one of those whom Thou hast created, and with Thine own blood hast redeemed. I repent me of my sins: I will strive to amend my ways.

- Saint Ambrose

Will, Repent, Redeemed, Thou

Let there be a door to thy mouth, that it may be shut when need arises, and let it be carefully barred, that none may rouse thy voice to anger, and thou pay back abuse with abuse.

- Saint Ambrose

Voice, Door, Shut, Thou

It is ingrained in all living creatures, first of all, to preserve their own safety, to guard against what is harmful, to strive for what is advantageous.

- Saint Ambrose

Living, Against, Creatures, Harmful

Let us take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to him, you must follow after him in your thoughts, you must tread his ways by faith, not in outward show.

- Saint Ambrose

Soul, Here, Lord, Tread

The emperor is in the Church, not above the Church.

- Saint Ambrose

Church, Above, Emperor

Take away the contests of the martyrs, and you have taken away their crowns.

- Saint Ambrose

Away, Take, Crowns, Contests

Bind up thy words that they run not riot, and grow wanton, and gather up sins for themselves in too much talking. Let them be rather confined, and held back within their own banks. An overflowing river quickly gathers mud.

- Saint Ambrose

Thy, Confined, Overflowing, Bind

God created the universe in such a manner that all in common might derive their food from it, and that the Earth should also be a property common to all.

- Saint Ambrose

Might, Created, Also, Derive

One of the duties of fortitude is to keep the weak from receiving injury; another, to check the wrong motions of our own souls; a third, both to disregard humiliations, and to do what is right with an even mind. All these clearly ought to be fulfilled by all Christians, and especially by the clergy.

- Saint Ambrose

Own, Another, Disregard, Motions

God, who preferred the correction rather than the death of a sinner, did not desire that a homicide be punished by the exaction of another act of homicide.

- Saint Ambrose

Death, Desire, Rather, Homicide

A kindness received should be returned with a freer hand.

- Saint Ambrose

Should, Returned, Received, Freer

God is not accustomed to refusing a good gift to those who ask for one. Since he is good, and especially to those who are faithful to him, let us hold fast to him with all our soul, our heart, our strength, and so enjoy his light and see his glory and possess the grace of supernatural joy.

- Saint Ambrose

Strength, Gift, Refusing, Accustomed

A duty is to be chosen from what is virtuous, and from what is useful, and also from the comparison of the two, one with the other; but nothing is recognized by Christians as virtuous or useful which is not helpful to the future life.

- Saint Ambrose

Comparison, Other, Which, Helpful

When I go to Rome, I fast on Saturday, but in Milan I do not. Do you also follow the custom of whatever church you attend, if you do not want to give or receive scandal.

- Saint Ambrose

Rome, Give, Receive, Custom

The best way to use the gold of the Redeemer is for the redemption of those in peril.

- Saint Ambrose

Gold, Use, Best Way, Redemption

There is nothing evil save that which perverts the mind and shackles the conscience.

- Saint Ambrose

Religion, Mind, Which, Evil

No one is good but God alone. What is good is therefore divine, what is divine is therefore good.

- Saint Ambrose

Good, Alone, Divine, Therefore

O most merciful Father, put far from me all my iniquities and all my offences; so that, by Thee made whole in body and in soul, I may be accounted worthy to approach the Holy of holies.

- Saint Ambrose

Father, Soul, Worthy, Merciful

Where a man's heart is, there is his treasure also.

- Saint Ambrose

Where, His, Also, Treasure

In some causes silence is dangerous.

- Saint Ambrose

Silence, Some, Dangerous, Causes

When in Rome, live as the Romans do; when elsewhere, live as they live elsewhere.

- Saint Ambrose

Live, Rome, Romans, Elsewhere

It is not enough just to wish well; we must also do well.

- Saint Ambrose

Well, Must, Also, Wish

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