.
. . the answer was not that of one
rejecting his mother, but of One who would show that her having borne Him would
have nothing availed her, had she not been very good and faithful. Now if, setting
aside the excellence of her soul, it profited Mary nothing that the Christ was
born of her, much less will it be able to avail us to have a father or a
brother, or a child of virtuous and noble disposition, if we ourselves be far
removed from his virtue. (John Chrysostom, Homily 21 on the Gospel of John
[NPNF1 14:74])
