St. Gregory Palamas on the Cross

Such is the word of the cross. It was and is, therefore, a great and truly divine mystery.... On the face of it, anyone who lowers and humbles himself in all respects seems to be bringing dishonour on himself, anyone who flees carnal pleasures appears to be causing himself toil and grief, and anyone who gives away his possessions looks as though he is making himself poor. But by the power of God this poverty, grief and dishonour give birth to inexhaustible riches, inexpressible delight and eternal glory, both in this world and in the world to come. Paul ranks those who do not believe this, and [who] prove by their actions [that they don’t believe this], with the lost, or with the Greeks. “We preach,” he says, “Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block,” because they do not believe in the saving passion, “and unto the Greeks foolishness,” as they value transitory things above all else because of their complete disbelief in God’s promises, “but unto them that are called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23). St. Gregory Palamas (+1359) On the Precious and Life-Giving Cross