Christmas Wisdom from the 10th century:

If you are wise therefore you will show yourself a reservoir and not a canal. For a canal pours out as fast as it takes in; but a reservoir waits till it is full before it over flows, and so communicates its surplus…We have all too few such reservoirs in the Church at present, though we have canals in plenty.

– Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on Song of Songs