Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm: for love is as strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame.
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Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
Christ is the seal on the forehead, the seal in the heart—on the forehead that we may always confess him, in the heart that we may always love him, and a sign on the arm that we may always do his work. Therefore let his image shine forth in our profession of faith, let it shine forth in our love, let it shine forth in our works and deeds so that, if it is possible, all his beauty may be represented in us. Let him be our head, because “the head of man is Christ”; let him be our eye, that through him we may see the Father; let him be our voice, that through him we may speak to the Father; let him be our right hand, that through him we may bring our sacrifice to God the Father. He is also our seal, which is the mark of perfection and of love, because the Father, loving the Son, set his seal on him, just as we read, “Upon him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.”
And so Christ is our love. Good is love, since it has offered itself to death for transgressions; good is love, which has ...
That we may fully know that this is true you have in the Canticles to the soul, now fully perfect, what I wish the Lord Jesus may say to you, “Put me as a seal upon your arm.” May peace glow in your heart, Christ in your works, and may there be formed in you wisdom and justice and redemption. - "Letter 80, To Laymen"
And since you are worthy to be compared not now with humans but with heavenly beings, whose life you are living on earth, receive from the Lord the precepts you are to observe: “Set me as a signet upon your heart, and as a seal upon your arm.” [Thus] clearer proofs of your prudence and actions may be set forth, in which Christ the figure of God may shine, who, equaling fully the nature of the Father, has expressed the whole which he took of the Father’s Godhead. Whence also the apostle Paul says that we are sealed in the Spirit; since we have in the Son the image of the Father, and in the Spirit the seal of the Son. Let us then, sealed by this Trinity, take more diligent heed, lest either levity of character or the deceit of any unfaithfulness unseal the pledge which we have received in our hearts. - "Concerning Virgins 1.9.48"
The Lord Jesus himself, invited by such eager love and by the beauty of comeliness and grace, since now no offences pollute the baptized, says to the church, “Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a signet upon your arm”; that is, you are comely, my beloved, you are all fair, nothing is lacking in you. Place me as a seal upon your heart, so that your faith may shine forth in the fullness of the sacrament. Let your works also shine and set forth the image of God in whose image you were made. Let no persecution lessen your love, which cannot be quenched by many waters nor drowned by many rivers. - "On the Mysteries 7.41"
Set me as a seal upon your heart: by loving me perfectly, since what is loved above all else is said to be placed upon the heart.
seal upon your arm: by protecting me with your powerful arm. (Nicholas of Lyra)
Rightly is [love] said to be “strong as death,” either because no one overcomes it as no one overcomes death, or because in this life the measure of charity is unto death, as the Lord said: “Greater love than this no man has, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Or, rather, because as death tears the soul away from the senses of the flesh, so charity tears it away from carnal passions. - "Letter 167.11"
When death comes, it cannot be resisted. By whatever arts, whatever medicines, you meet it; the violence of death can none avoid who is born mortal; so against the violence of love can the world do nothing. For from the contrary the similitude is made of death; for as death is most violent to take away, so love is most violent to save. Through love many have died to the world, to live to God. - "Explanations of the Psalms 48.12"
“Stern as death is love.” Love is compared with the sternness of death, for, doubtless, once it comes, it summons the mind completely away from the love of the world. Accordingly, abbots must be such that they may perfectly love God and their neighbor; they must have their eyes removed from the evil desires of this world, as Adam did in paradise before the fall. - "General Rule for Monasteries 10"
Arm. Working by charity, Galatians v. 6. (Haydock)
Women in the east imprint what they like most on their bosom and arms, or carry bracelets and gems on those parts, with similar inscriptions, Osee ii. 2., and Isaias iii. 20. (St. Clement, Pæd. ii. 11.)
Christ must live in us. (Calmet)
Tota ejus species exprimatur in nobis. (St. Ambrose, Isaac viii.)
Jealousy. That is, zealous and burning love. (Challoner)
Hell. Or the grave, which subdues all. Love is a violent passion. (Calmet)
Nullus liber erit, si quis amare velit. (Prop. ii.)
Christ gave his life to redeem mankind, and the martyrs have joyfully endured torments and death, to evince their love. (Calmet)
Flames. Hebrew, "a flame of God "or most vehement. (Haydock)
Just as death destroys the body, so ardent desire for eternal life cuts off the love of material things. It renders one whom it has perfectly taken hold of insensible to earthly desires which come from without. - "Forty Gospel Homilies 9 (11)"
