On the Saints: Sermons by Saint Gregory Palamas (Paperback) - by St. Gregory Palamas
On the Saints is the third volume in the series, Sermons by Saint Gregory Palamas, in which the saints of both the Old and New Testaments are presented for the encouragement and edification of the faithful.
From "On St John the Baptist"
"If the death of the saints is precious (Ps. 116:15) and the just are remembered with praise (Prov. 10:7 Lxx), it is even more fitting for us to commemorate John, the highest summit of holy and righteous men, by extolling him. He leapt in the womb in anticipation of the Word of God who took flesh for our sake (Luke 1:41); he was His Forerunner and went before Him as His herald, and the Lord in turn proclaimed and bore witness that John was superior to all the prophets, saints and just men down through the ages (cf. Luke 7:28). Everything about him surpasses human speech, and the only-begotten Son of God witnessed to him and honoured him, and he has no need of any tribute from us. But this does not mean that we should keep silent and fail to honour with our words, as best we can, the one whom the Scriptures refer to as “the voice” of the sublime Word (Matt. 3:3, cf. Isa. 40:3 Lxx). On the contrary, the fact that he was proclaimed to be so great and witnessed to by Christ, the Lord of all, should move every tongue to sing his praises as much as it can. Not that we can add to his glory in any way – how could we? – but in order to pay our debt individually and together by recounting the wonders surrounding him and celebrating them in song.
"The whole life of the greatest man born of woman was a supreme miracle. John was a prophet and much more than a prophet (Luke 7:26), even before he was born; and not only did his entire life transcend all wonders, but so did everything concerning him, both long before his lifetime and afterwards. The divine predictions of seers inspired by God described him as an angel rather than a man (Matt. 11:10, cf. Exod. 23:20, Mal. 3:1), as a lampstand for the light (John 5:35, cf. Ps. 132:17), a divinely radiant star bringing in the morning (cf. John 1:8; 5:35), for he went before the Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2), and was “the voice” of God’s Word (Matt. 3:3, cf. Isa. 40:3 Lxx). What could be closer or more akin to God the Word than God’s voice?
"When the time for his conception drew near it was not a man but an angel who flew down from heaven and put an end to Zacharias and Elizabeth’s barrenness, promising that the couple who had been childless from their youth would bear a child in extreme old age. The birth of this son would, he foretold, cause much joy, as it would be for the salvation of all (Luke 1:13–14). “For he”, said the angel, “shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias” (Luke 1:15–17). For he shall be a virgin as Elijah was, and dwell in the desert more than he did; and he shall censure kings and queens who transgress. What puts him above Elijah, however, is that he shall be the Forerunner of God, for the Scripture says, “He shall go before him”..."