Homilies on Ezekiel (Book Two)

Homilies on Ezekiel

continued

Homily 2.1

In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck, on that very day the hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me there. About to speak of mystical things, he sets forth the historical narrative first, so that he may establish from the time what is to be believed from the revelation. It should be noted that at the beginning of this book he indicated in what year he began to prophesy; but at the end he inserted when he saw the final vision, so that it might be known over how many years he composed the book of his prophecy. For the time when he began to prophesy, he placed at the beginning of his speech, saying: The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of the Lord on the fifth of the month; this is the fifth year of the captivity of King Jehoiachin. But now he speaks, saying: In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity. For the same prophet had been carried off to Babylon in the first captivity with King Jehoiachin. For concerning the second captivity of Jerusalem he adds: In the fourteenth year after the city was struck. For Zedekiah had reigned in the city of Jerusalem for eleven years after the first captivity, in which the prophet Ezekiel was led to Babylon with King Jehoiachin.

But in the fourteenth year after the captivity of that same Zedekiah, which was now the second captivity of the city, the prophet was seeing the final vision. Thus eleven and fourteen joined together make twenty-five. If therefore he spoke the first vision in the fifth year of the earlier captivity, and he describes this final one as having occurred in the twenty-fifth year, it is clearly evident that in twenty years he extended the delays of his speech up to the words of his final vision. Nor should it disturb anyone that in the middle of the volume of his prophecy, when he was speaking about the Babylonian king, he makes mention of the twenty-seventh year. In that place, since he inserts nothing about the time of his own captivity, he clearly demonstrates that he is describing the times of that king about whom he had received the commission to prophesy. But as for his saying: At the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, he simply expresses the time, so that from that very time also he may fix in the hearts of his hearers, according to the letter, the root of the word, from which he may afterward bring forth spiritual fruits. It should be noted what he says: "In the fourteenth year after the city was struck, on that same day.

For what does it mean that through this final vision almighty God deigned to show the mercy of His promise on that very day on which He fulfilled the wrath of justice upon the stricken city, except that that power of divinity, which is not drawn into any movement of change or mutability, by that same light of justice gives life to the afflicted and penitent by which it strikes down the proud and obstinate? Therefore, having stated beforehand the time of his vision, he adds: "The hand of the Lord came upon me, and brought me there in visions of God: He brought me into the land of Israel, and set me down upon a very high mountain, upon which there was as it were the structure of a city facing toward the South. The building of this city certainly cannot be understood according to the letter. For shortly afterward he adds that this same building was measured with a reed of six cubits and a palm, while the gate of the same building was measured at fourteen cubits, and he reports that the fronts of this gate are sixty cubits. All of these things cannot stand according to the letter. For how is the whole building together measured with a reed, that is, six cubits and a palm, while the gates of the building extend to fourteen cubits, and the fronts of the gates to sixty cubits? For the gate is in the city, and the fronts are in the gates.

And no reasoning permits it to be accepted that what contains is less than what is contained. Moreover, in Sacred Scripture, even those things which can be understood according to history must often be understood spiritually, so that both faith may be held in the truth of the history, and spiritual understanding may be grasped from the mysteries of allegory. Just as we also know what the Psalmist says: "For I shall see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you have established. For behold, in the outward description the word of reason stands, because both the heavens are the works of God, and the moon and stars were created and established by him. But if the Psalmist asserts this according to outward works alone, and not also according to mystical understanding, he who professed that the heavens are the works of God, when about to speak of the moon and stars, why did he not also enumerate the sun equally, which we know is his work? For if he was speaking according to the letter alone, when about to speak of the lesser light, he ought first to have spoken of the greater light, so that he might report that the sun was established first, and afterward the moon and stars.

But because he was speaking according to mystical understanding, so that we should understand the moon as the holy Church, and the stars as all the saints, he did not wish to name the sun, because indeed he was speaking to that eternal Sun himself, of whom it is written: "But for you who fear the Lord, the sun of justice shall rise. Of whom the reprobate will say at the end: "The sun of justice has not risen for us. Therefore by saying, "The moon and stars which you have established," and yet being silent about the sun which was made, he indicated that he spoke to that Sun who not only made the sun and moon and stars corporally, but also made the moon of the Church and the stars of all the saints spiritually. If therefore, when something is lacking to history, we are led by clear reason to the understanding of allegory, how much more should those things be understood spiritually in which, according to the reasoning of the letter, nothing historical sounds? "The hand of the Lord came upon me, and brought me there in the visions of God; he brought me into the land of Israel. What he had said, "He brought me there," repeating this he added: "He brought me into the land of Israel. For he says: "The hand of the Lord came upon me, and brought me there in the visions of the Lord.

For the hand signifies the power of might, while the visions signify the very revelation which he had received. For the hand in vision is power in contemplation. By which words what does he openly indicate, except that he speaks nothing about the city which he had seen according to the letter? For he speaks spiritually about that which he contemplates spiritually. And he set me upon a mountain exceedingly high. What then does the high mountain signify except the Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus? Who is indeed from the earth, but beyond the earth, because the flesh of our same Redeemer has its matter from below, but excels in the heights by his power. It would have been insufficient to call him high unless he added exceedingly, because he is not only man, but from that same conception of humanity which was assumed by him, God-man, not only man beyond men, but man made even above the angels. For concerning him it is said through Isaiah: In that day the fruit of the earth shall be sublime. For our Creator, because he was incarnate for us, was made the fruit of the earth for us. But now the fruit of the earth is sublime, because man born on earth reigns above the angels in heaven, because according to the voice of David and Paul, He has subjected all things under his feet. For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing not subject to him.

Therefore this mountain is both high and exceedingly so, because even if he is from earth through the substance of humanity, nevertheless he is incomprehensible from the height of divinity. For hence it is that when the prophet Isaiah foresaw that the same Lord was to come in the flesh, raised up by the spirit of prophecy, he said: And it shall be in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the summit of the mountains. For the house of the Lord was the Israelite people. Therefore he was called the mountain of the house of the Lord, who deigned to become incarnate from the Israelite people. Moreover there were in that same people holy men who might rightly be called mountains, because through the merit of their life they drew near to heavenly things. But the incarnate Only-begotten was not equal to these mountains, because by his divinity he transcends the nature, life, and merits of all. Whence also rightly he is called a mountain above the summit of mountains, because he was found to be exalted by his divinity even above the peaks of the saints, so that those who had advanced greatly in God could scarcely touch his footprints from the summit of their thought. He therefore who there is called the mountain above the summit of mountains, here is declared to be the mountain exceedingly high. There follows: Upon which there was as it were the building of a city facing toward the South.

It should be noted that it does not say, "Upon which there was a building," but "as it were a building," so that it might clearly be shown that all these things were said not of a corporeal but of a spiritual city's building. For he who declares that he saw not a building but as it were a building directs the hearts of his hearers to a spiritual construction, as is said through the Psalmist: "Jerusalem which is built as a city. For since that vision of inner peace is constructed from the congregation of holy citizens, the heavenly Jerusalem is built as a city. Yet while in this land of pilgrimage she is struck with scourges, beaten with tribulations, her stones are daily squared. And this is the city, namely the holy Church, which though destined to reign in heaven still labors on earth. To whose citizens Peter says: "And you as living stones are built up. And Paul says: "You are God's field, God's building. Which city indeed already has here in the conduct of the saints its great building. For in a building stone bears stone, because stone is placed upon stone; and he who bears another is borne by another. So therefore, so in holy Church each one both bears another and is borne by another. For neighbors mutually tolerate one another, so that through them the building of charity may rise. Hence Paul admonishes, saying: "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Declaring the power of which law, he says: "Love is the fulfillment of the law. For if I neglect to bear you in your conduct, and you disdain to tolerate me in my conduct, whence does the building of charity rise between us, whom mutual love does not join together through patience? Moreover in a building, as we said before, the stone that bears is borne, because just as I now tolerate the conduct of those who are still unpolished in the way of life of good work, so I too was tolerated by those who preceded me in the fear of the Lord and bore me, so that having been borne I might learn to bear. But they too were borne by their elders. However the stones that are placed at the top and at the end of the structure are indeed borne by others, but they bear no others at all, because those who will be born at the end of the Church, that is at the extremity of the world, are indeed tolerated by their elders, so that their conduct may be shaped to good works; but since none follow them who might progress through them, they bear no stones of the faithful structure upon themselves. Now therefore some are borne by us, but we were borne by others. Yet the foundation bears the entire weight of the structure, because our Redeemer alone tolerates the conduct of all together. Of whom Paul says:

"For no one can lay another foundation besides that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus. The foundation bears the stones and is not borne by the stones, because our Redeemer tolerates all our faults, but in him there was no evil that needed to be tolerated. Hence it is well said now: "He set me down upon an exceedingly high mountain, upon which there was as it were the building of a city," because he alone sustains our conduct and faults, who bears the entire structure of holy Church. Who says through the voice of the prophet concerning those still living perversely: "I have grown weary enduring. Yet the Lord does not grow weary by enduring, whose power of divinity no weariness touches; but, speaking in human words, he calls his very patience toward us labor. And it should be noted that the prophet saw that same city which he beheld inclining toward the South. For those who are devoted to sacred eloquence recognize that the south wind is customarily placed as a type of the Holy Spirit; just as, on the contrary, the devil is often designated by the North wind, because the former relaxes with heat, and the latter constricts with cold. And the Truth says: Iniquity shall abound, and the charity of many shall grow cold. The prophet also asserts concerning Judea, saying: As a cistern makes its water cold, so has she made her malice cold. Hence the devil, as the same prophet attests, is reported to have said:

I will sit upon the mountain of the Testament, in the sides of the North. But on the contrary, this city inclines toward the Southern part, because the grace of the Holy Spirit relaxes the torpor of the mind. Hence the Psalmist says: Turn again, O Lord, our captivity, as a torrent in the South. For our captivity, which had remained sluggish in following God due to the coldness of torpor, is relaxed through the heat of the Holy Spirit, so that it may run into the love of God. Whence it is also now said that the city which is established on the mountain inclines toward the South, because the Church of the elect opens her thoughts in the breath of the Holy Spirit, and, descending from every summit of her pride, conceives the warmth of love in God, in whom she believes, so that nothing pleases her except to be submitted to His grace, to be warmed by His love, to be always filled by the gift of His breath. Whence also the contemplator, inflamed with mighty love, was saying: My soul shall exult in the Lord, and shall delight in His salvation. For He who in Latin is called "the Savior," the same in Hebrew is called Jesus.

Therefore the prophet, because he was contemplating His ways and miracles and also the mystery of our redemption through the spirit of prophecy, declares that he exults in the Lord and delights in Jesus, because from that source he had conceived joy in his mind from which he burned strongly through love. Let us therefore consider, if the minds of the spiritual fathers were delighted in Him who had not yet come, but was foreseen, how great is the guilt of one who does not love His ways, His examples, His admonitions, after He came and accomplished redemption. Therefore this city is said to incline toward the South, as if it were openly said that that former city, namely the Synagogue, stood toward the North in her unbelievers, which hardened in the coldness of unbelief. But Holy Church, which conceived the charity of faith, inclines toward the South through warmth, and leans as it were upon the warm wind, because she rejoices not in confidence in herself, but in the gift of spiritual grace. There follows: And he brought me in there. He enters the building of the heavenly city who considers by imitating the ways of the good in holy Church. For to enter the building upon the mountain is to consider with love how the elect of holy Church, established on the summit of virtues, advance in the Lord.

For this one leads a life bound by marriage, is content with his own possessions, does not seize what belongs to others, bestows whatever he is able from his own goods upon the needy, and does not neglect to weep for the sins without which daily life cannot be led by married people. For because that very domestic care disturbs his mind, he stirs himself to tears. But that one has already abandoned all things that are of the world, desires to have nothing of it, is nourished by the exercise of contemplation alone, rejoices with weeping in hope of heavenly rewards, transcends even those things which are permitted to be possessed, seeks to have daily intimacy with the Lord; no care of the passing world disturbs his mind; he always expands his mind in expectation of heavenly joys. But another has already abandoned all things of this world, and his mind is lifted up to the contemplation of heavenly things; yet nevertheless, for the edification of many, holding a position of governance, he who does not succumb to passing things out of desire is sometimes turned back to them out of compassion for his neighbors, so that from care for them he may show mercy to the needy; he preaches the word of life to his hearers, ministers things necessary for souls and bodies alike. And he who on his own account already soars by contemplation to heavenly desire, still toils in temporal affairs for the advancement and benefit of his neighbors.

Therefore whoever in holy Church diligently strives to consider, so that he may advance either in the life of the good who are married, or in the citadel of the continent who abandon all things that are of this world, or even in the height of preachers, has already entered the building of the city set on a mountain. For he who neglects to consider the life of better persons in order to advance still stands outside the structure. And if he admires the honor which holy Church now holds in the world, he gazes upon the building as if from outside and is amazed. And because he is intent only on external things, he has not entered within. There follows: And behold a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He Himself is signified in the man who is figured on the mountain. Moreover, this man is said to measure the building. And rightly is the Lord signified by the man and the mountain, because He Himself arranges all things within holy Church by judging, and He Himself bears that same holy Church, and by bearing it raises it up to heavenly things. So also in the holy Gospel our same Redeemer speaks, saying: "He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. And shortly after: "I am the door. And again after a little He adds: "I am the good shepherd.

If therefore He Himself is the shepherd, and He Himself is the door, and the shepherd enters through the door, why is it not understood in this place that He Himself is both the mountain and the man who measures the building on the mountain? But we must ask why it is said of this man, "Whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. Now we all know, brothers, that the metal bronze is very durable, and altogether sonorous. What then does it mean that the appearance of the Mediator of God and men is compared to the appearance of bronze, unless it is what we openly know, that the only-begotten Son, taking the form of a servant, transformed the frailty of human flesh through the glory of his resurrection into eternity, because in him flesh was made now enduringly without end? For rising from the dead he dies no more, death shall no longer have dominion over him. But what does it mean that his very incarnation is compared to a sonorous metal, unless that through that same assumption of our humanity the glory of his majesty resounded to all? And he has, as it were, the appearance of bronze in his body, because God became known to the world through flesh. Hence also through John it is said: "He had written on his garment and on his thigh: King of kings, and Lord of lords. For what is his garment, except the body which he assumed from the Virgin?

Yet his garment is not one thing and he himself another. For our garment too is called flesh, yet we ourselves are the flesh with which we are clothed. But Isaiah, beholding this garment of his long before, bloodied with blood through the cross of the passion, said: "Why is your apparel red, and your garments like those of one treading in the winepress? To which he himself answered: "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the nations there is no man with me. For he alone trod the winepress in which he was trodden, who by his own power conquered the passion which he endured. For he who suffered even unto the death of the cross rose from death with glory. And it is well said: "And of the nations there is no man with me," because those for whom he had come to suffer ought to have been partakers of his passion, and since at that time they had not yet believed, he complains about them in his passion, whose life was being sought in that passion. By the thigh indeed is meant the propagation of flesh. Because therefore through the propagation of the human race, as the orders of generations are described by Matthew or Luke narrating, he came into this world from a virgin, and through the mystery of his incarnation indicated to all nations everywhere that he was King and Lord, he had written on his garment and on his thigh: "King of kings, and Lord of lords.

For where he became known in the world, there he impressed the knowledge of reading about himself. Therefore his preaching through flesh is like a certain sound from bronze. Let it therefore rightly be said: "Whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. There follows: "And a linen cord in his hand. In the Septuagint translators, a linen cord is not found, but a mason's cord. If we hold to their translation in this verse for the purpose of exposition, what else do we understand by masons than holy teachers, who, by speaking spiritual things, assemble living stones, that is, the souls of the elect, for the heavenly building? For whatever the ancient fathers spoke, whatever the prophets, whatever the apostles, whatever the successors of the apostles spoke—what else was it but the arrangement of stones in this construction of the saints that is built daily? Now with a mason's cord, this is customarily done: that the evenness or straightness of the rising wall may be recognized; and if a stone is too far inward, it may be cast outward; if it projects too far outward, it may be called back inward. And certainly the preaching of teachers does this daily: that any soul for whom it is perhaps not expedient to undertake the burdens of governance, even if it desires to appear outwardly, may be called back inward;

and again, one who wishes to remain hidden and care only for itself, if it can be useful to itself and to many, even when it desires to remain hidden, may be brought forth outwardly to appear. And so it happens that the order of holy stones is maintained, since often one wishing to come to honor is repelled, and one fleeing honor is elevated to the height of sacred office. But since, as we have learned through our translator, the Hebrew text does not have "of masons," but "a linen cord in his hand," we ought to expound what is held more certainly among us. Now we know that a linen cord is finer than if cords were made from something else. And what should we understand by the linen cord except the more refined preaching, that is, the spiritual? For the censure of the law was a cord, but it was not linen, because it restrained an uncultivated people not with refined preaching, in which through the sentence of punishment it cut off not sins of thought but of deed. But after the Lord through himself bound even the thoughts of men by preaching, and made known that sin is complete even in the heart, he held a linen cord in his hand. For he says: "You have heard that it was said to those of old: You shall not commit adultery; but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Therefore the linen cord is the refined preaching that binds the mind of the hearer, lest it dissolve itself even in wretched thought. And it should be noted that it says the cord is in his hand, that is, preaching is in action. For he showed in himself everything that he taught, as it is written: "What Jesus began to do and to teach. And because he also committed to Scripture the very things he said, so that they might be handed down to posterity, it is rightly added: "And a measuring reed in his hand. The Lord promises concerning holy Church through another prophet, saying: "There shall spring up in her the greenness of the reed and the rush. I remember having explained this in another place, that by the reed we should understand writers, and by the rush, hearers. But since both rush and reed are accustomed to grow near the moisture of water, and both spring forth from one and the same water, and the reed indeed is taken up for writing, while with the rush one cannot write, what should we understand by the rush and the reed, except that there is one doctrine of truth which irrigates many hearers? But some who are irrigated advance in the word of God even to the point that they also become writers, that is, like reeds; but others hear the word of life, maintain the greenness of good hope and right works, yet cannot advance to writing at all.

What are these in the water of God except certain rushes, so to speak? They indeed advance by growing green, but they cannot express letters at all. Our Redeemer, therefore, because He granted that the words which He spoke should also be written through the zeal of teachers, held a reed in His hand. This reed is called a reed of measure, because the very zeal of teachers is held under a certain dispensation of hidden judgment, so that it may benefit some who read, and may not be able to benefit others who read. Hence the holy apostles, when they asked the master of truth speaking to them more openly why He spoke to the crowds in parables, heard: "Because it is given to you to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not. Or certainly it is a reed of measure, because in that sacred eloquence of His which has been written for us, we recognize that there are hidden dispensations of His. For through His incomprehensible judgment, one is sent within the measure of the elect, and another is left outside, so that he may in no way deserve to belong to the number of the elect. He has therefore a measuring cord, He has in His hand a reed of measure. For he who measures a place with a cord draws the cord to one spot, withdraws it from another, and leads here what he removes from elsewhere.

Thus indeed, thus does our Redeemer act in the gathering of men, while He leads some out from their iniquities, and leaves others in their iniquity. For in those whom He has deigned to gather, He drew the cord of hidden measure, and from those whom He judged should be abandoned, what else did He do but withdraw the cord? So that the good may be held within the measure of the heavenly building, and the evil may remain outside the building, in whom the good things that are supposed are not, as if without measure. Our Redeemer held this cord and measuring reed in His hand when He deigned to admonish the apostle Paul through a man of Macedonia appearing to him, so that this same Macedonian man said: "Come over and help us. And yet when the apostles wished to go into Asia to preach, the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. What does it mean that the holy apostles are both called to go where perhaps they had not thought to proceed, and are forbidden to go where they desired to proceed, except that the cord of hidden judgment and the measuring reed is held in the hand, so that some may hear the words of life, while others may by no means deserve to hear? Therefore there is a cord of measure, which was drawn to one place and withdrawn from another. We have also learned from the testimony of the Holy Gospel that one came who said:

"Master, I will follow You wherever You go. To whom the answer was given: "Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Another came who said: "Master, let me first go and bury my father. To whom it is said: "Let the dead bury their dead, but you follow Me and proclaim the kingdom of God. What does it mean that the one who promises to go is abandoned, while the other who wishes to return home is nevertheless commanded to follow? The former is not received, the latter is not released from service even for a moment. Therefore, by the internal dispensation of hidden judgment, the measuring line and the measuring rod are drawn out, by which this one is drawn in and that one is left behind, so that the heavenly structure may be built not without a devout and just examination. The measuring rod can also be understood as Sacred Scripture for this reason: that whoever reads it measures himself in it—either how much he advances in spiritual virtue, or how far removed he remains from the good things that are commanded; how much he now rises up to do good, how much he still lies prostrate in wicked deeds. There follows: And he stood in the gate. Whoever stands in a doorway is partly inside and partly outside, because one part of him is seen outside while another part is hidden within.

And so our Redeemer, mercifully incarnate for us, stood as if in a doorway before human eyes, because through his humanity he appeared visible, yet kept himself invisible in his divinity. Hence the Jews, who had awaited him according to the promise of the prophets, were troubled by the confusion of their own faithlessness, because they saw as mortal the one whom they had believed would come for their deliverance. Therefore he who stands in a doorway, as was said above, is seen partly outside and partly inside. Hence even the faithlessness of the Jews was not left without a display of divine power. For seeing his miracles, they were drawn to believe, but then again, weighing his sufferings, they disdained to believe that he was God whom they saw mortal in the flesh; whence it came about that they doubted in their knowledge of him. For they saw him hungering, thirsting, eating, drinking, growing weary, sleeping, and they supposed him to be merely a man. They saw him raising the dead, cleansing lepers, giving sight to the blind, casting out demons, and they perceived him to be more than human. But his humanity, considered in their hearts, disturbed their understanding of his miracles. Hence holy Church, in the voice of the bride, desiring now to see him openly, says: "Behold, he stands behind our wall.

For he who showed to human eyes what he assumed from mortal nature, and remained invisible in himself, stood as if behind a wall for those seeking to see him, because he did not offer himself to be seen with his majesty revealed. For he stood as if behind a wall, who showed the human nature which he assumed but hid the divine nature from human eyes. Hence it is added there: "Looking through the windows, gazing through the lattices. For whoever looks through windows or through lattices is neither entirely hidden nor entirely seen. Just so, indeed, our Redeemer appeared before the eyes of doubters, because if while working miracles he had suffered nothing as a man, he would have appeared fully to them as God; and again, suffering human things, if he had done nothing as God, he would have been thought merely a man. But because he both did divine things and suffered human things, he looked out to humanity as through windows or lattices, so that as God he would both appear through miracles and be hidden through sufferings, and as man he would be perceived through sufferings, yet be recognized as more than man through miracles. But since this man is said to stand in the doorway, we must ask whether his face was toward the inside and his back toward the outside. In this matter, if we consider what precedes and what follows, we quickly discover how he stood. For first it says:

"There was something like a building of a city facing toward the south, and he led me there. And a little later it is added about this same man: "And he was standing in the doorway. And immediately it is added: "And the same man spoke to me. For he who spoke to the prophet when he was introduced into the building, standing in the gate, certainly stood with his face inward and his back outward. But the prophet who was introduced, to whom the man standing in the gate spoke, without doubt held his face toward the gate, from where he heard the words of the speaker. What does it mean, then, that the man looks inward while the prophet looks outward? What does it mean that the face of that same man is toward the building, but the eyes of the prophet are toward the gate, except that the Only-begotten of the Father became incarnate for this reason: that he might introduce us into the spiritual building, that is, into faith in the holy Church? His eyes always look upon his building, because they unceasingly observe how much each person advances in virtues. But the prophet looks toward the gate, because he who hears the words of God must always place the eyes of his heart upon his departure, and meditate without ceasing on when he will leave this present life and reach eternal joys. For God became incarnate for this very reason:

that he might introduce us to faith and lead us back to the sight of his vision. Hence also in the holy Gospel, Truth speaks, saying: "If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. He will go in, namely, to faith; he will go out to sight; and he will find pasture in eternal satisfaction. Hence also the Psalmist says: "May the Lord guard your entrance and your departure. For the Lord guards the entrance of each soul, by which it enters into faith, and also the departure by which it goes out to sight, so that neither when entering the Church is it tripped up by errors, nor when departing from this temporal life to the eternal is it snatched away by the ancient enemy. Concerning this departure of ours, which we ought to meditate upon daily in our mind, the Apostle speaks of our Redeemer, saying: "That he might sanctify the people through his own blood, he suffered outside the gate. Let us therefore go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we do not have here a lasting city, but we seek the one to come.

The man who appeared, therefore, stood in the gate and spoke in this way, because the Mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus, even in the very time of his passion gave precepts of life to his disciples, so that those who believe in him might always look toward the gate, and, weighing his passion with careful consideration, might not turn the eyes of their heart away from their own departure. We also, when we have already begun to despise the confines of the flesh, to pass through the straits of our mortality through the desire for immortality, to reach toward the freedom of the supernal light, to yearn for the joys of the heavenly homeland—we hold our eyes toward the gate, because while we desire to pass from temporal sacraments to eternal ones, we have, as it were, already turned our backs on the present life, and we have the face of our heart fixed on the desire of our departure. For it is written: "The body that is corrupted weighs down the soul, and the earthly dwelling oppresses the mind thinking many things. Thus, therefore, through contemplation we already stretch the mind beyond the straits of the flesh; yet we are still held within the gate by that very carnal constraint in the sacraments which we have come to know. For often the mind is so suspended in divine contemplation that it now rejoices to perceive something of that eternal liberty which eye has not seen nor ear heard, through a certain image;

yet nevertheless, struck back by the weight of its mortality, it slips back to the depths, and is held bound by certain chains of its punishment. Therefore he strains toward the gates who beholds the joys of his true liberty, and now desires to go out, but is not yet able. Hence it is that the Hebrew people, freed from the servitude of Egypt, when they beheld the pillar of cloud as God spoke, each one stood at the doors of his tabernacle and worshiped. Of whom it is said a little earlier: "When Moses went out to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and each one stood at the door of his tent. For we stand there where we fix the eyes of our mind. Whence Elijah says: "The Lord lives, in whose sight I stand. He surely stood there where he had fixed his heart. But what is it for the people to gaze upon the pillar of cloud and to stand at the doors of their tabernacle and worship, except that when the human mind somehow beholds those higher and heavenly things in an enigma, it now exits the enclosures of its bodily habitation through uplifted thought, and humbly adores him whose substance it cannot see, yet now marvels at his power through the illumination of the spirit?

And when Moses enters the tabernacle, the people gaze upon his back, and stand at the doors of their tents, because when any holy preacher speaks lofty things about God, he somehow enters the tabernacle of the heavenly dwelling. Though the weak cannot fully weigh the power of his preaching, nevertheless they gaze upon his back as it were, because they follow through understanding the last things they are able to grasp. But even in those very small things which they are able to comprehend, they now go out from their tents as it were, and stand at the doors, because they strive both to leave the dwellings of the flesh and to advance toward those joys of eternal life which they hear. Hence also Elijah, when he heard the voice of the Lord speaking with him, is described as having stood at the door of his cave and veiled his face, because when through the grace of contemplation the voice of heavenly understanding comes into the mind, the whole man is no longer within the cave, because care of the flesh does not possess his soul, but he stands at the door, because he meditates on escaping the straits of mortality.

But now he who stands in the entrance of the cave and perceives the words of God in the ear of his heart must cover his face, because while we are led through heavenly grace to understand higher things, the more subtly we are raised up, the more we must always press ourselves down through humility in our understanding, lest we strive to be wiser than we ought to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety; lest while we examine invisible things too much, we go astray; lest in that incorporeal nature we seek something of corporeal light. For to extend the ear and cover the face is to hear the voice of the inner substance through the mind, and yet to turn away the eyes of the heart from every corporeal form, lest the soul fashion for itself anything corporeal in that which is everywhere whole and everywhere uncircumscribed. Therefore, dearest brothers, we who have already learned of eternal joys through the death and resurrection of our Redeemer, and his ascension into heaven, we who know that our fellow citizens the angels appeared outwardly in testimony of his divinity, let us long for the King, let us desire the citizens whom we have come to know, and standing in this edifice of holy Church let us keep our eyes on the door; let us turn our back of the mind to this corruption of temporal life, let us direct the face of our heart toward the freedom of the heavenly homeland.

But behold, there are still many things that press upon us from the care of corruptible life. Therefore, since we cannot go out perfectly, let us at least stand in the entrance of our cave, destined to go forth prosperously someday through the grace of our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all ages of ages. Amen.

Homily 2.2

Let no one perhaps reproach me in silent thought because I presume to discuss such profound mysteries of the prophet Ezekiel, unattempted by great expositors; let them recognize with what mind I do this. For I undertake this not with rashness but with humility. For I know that very often many things in sacred Scripture which I was unable to understand alone, I understood when placed before my brethren. From which understanding I have also studied to understand this as well, so that I might know by whose merit understanding was given to me. For it is clear that this is given to me on account of those in whose presence it is given to me. From this matter, by God's generosity, it happens that both understanding grows and pride decreases, since I learn for your sake what I teach among you, because (I confess truly) very often I hear with you what I say. Whatever therefore I shall understand less in this prophet is due to my blindness; if indeed I shall be able to understand anything fittingly, it is from the divine gift of your veneration. Often however through the grace of the almighty Lord certain things in His Scripture are understood better when the word of God is read more privately, and the soul, conscious of its faults, when it recognizes what it has heard, strikes itself with the dart of grief and pierces itself through with the sword of compunction, so that nothing pleases it except to weep, and to wash away stains with flowing tears.

Among which things sometimes it is also snatched up to contemplate higher things, and is tortured with sweet weeping in desire for them. The soul grieves to be here, where it still lies prostrate through weakness, and to not yet be there where, illuminated, it might vigorously flourish, and no longer bring back the eye of the mind to the darkness of mortality. Hence therefore, hence ardor is born in the mind, grief arises from ardor. And because it is not yet able to cling to heavenly things, wearied by its fervor it rests in tears. But it is one thing when the matter concerns the progress of one person, another when it concerns the edification of many. Therefore those things are to be brought forth in the discourse of teaching, by God's generosity, which compose the life and conduct of the hearers. Now therefore let us pursue, as we have begun, whatever edifies us toward the zeal of good works in the words of the prophet. Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears. Brought to the testimony of spiritual things, what is it that when it is said: "See with eyes," "your" is added, and when it is subjoined "Hear with ears," "your" is added? But it should be known that the eyes and ears of the body are present even to carnal men, and are in use for them for things that are seen corporeally.

But the eyes and ears of the heart belong only to spiritual men, who see invisible things through the intellect, and hear the praise of God without sound. The almighty Lord was seeking these ears when He said: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear. For who in that people could there have been then who did not have ears of the body? But when it is said: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," it is openly shown that He was seeking those ears which not all could have. Let it be said therefore: "Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears. Now in the earlier part of our expositions we have already said why the prophet, as often as he is led to see spiritual things, is called son of man. But lest this should slip from mind, I briefly repeat that by this appellation he is always reminded what he is from weakness, lest he be lifted up by the greatness of contemplation. And it should be noted that it is distinctive that he is told, "See with your eyes, hear with your ears," and yet is called son of man. But through these words what else is openly said to him, except: behold spiritual things spiritually, and yet remember your carnal weaknesses? Hence it is also that often one who is more caught up in contemplation happens to be more wearied in temptation;

as is wont to happen frequently to certain ones who are making good progress, whose mind, while either compunction affects it or contemplation carries it above itself, temptation also immediately follows, lest it be exalted on account of those things to which it was carried. For by compunction or contemplation it is raised up to God, but by the weight of its temptation it is beaten back to itself, so that temptation may burden it lest contemplation puff it up; and likewise contemplation may elevate it lest temptation plunge it down. For if contemplation were to lift it up in such a way that temptation were utterly absent, the soul would fall into pride. And if temptation were to press down in such a way that contemplation did not elevate, it would slide fully into fault. But by a wondrous dispensation, the soul is balanced in a certain middle state, so that it neither grows proud in good things nor falls in evil things. Whence also it is said of the Lord through blessed Job: "And he weighs out the waters by measure. For to weigh out the waters by measure for God is to guard the perception of souls in humility between prosperity and adversity, between gifts and temptations, between the highest and lowest things. Thus Elijah had brought down fire from heaven, had bound up the waters from heaven, and yet terrified by the fear of one woman, he was fleeing through the wilderness.

An angel appears to him as he flees, offers him food, foretells that a long journey remains, and yet does not shake the fear from his heart, because in the prophet's mind that weakness of fear was a great guardian of fortitude. There follows: "Set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you have been brought here so that they might be shown to you. Announce all that you see to the house of Israel. Set your heart upon it. As if it were said: Consider. Because you have been brought here that these things may be shown to you, and declare all that you see. That is, you have been brought here in order to see, and you see in order to declare, because whoever advances by seeing spiritual things, must also offer them to others by speaking. Indeed, he sees in order to declare, who in that wherein he himself advances also takes care to preach for the advancement of his neighbor. Hence it is also written elsewhere: Let him who hears say: Come. For he in whose heart the voice of God calling has already become effective, must necessarily break forth in voice to his neighbors through the office of preaching; and therefore he calls another, because he himself has already been called. Hence also the bridegroom speaks in the Song of Songs, saying: You who dwell in the gardens, friends are listening, make me hear your voice.

For the holy Church dwells in gardens, each soul dwells in gardens, which is already filled with the greenness of hope and the charity of good works. Indeed, the hope of this world is dry, because all things that are loved here wither with haste; and the apostle Peter urges us to hasten, saying: To an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, unfading. She therefore who already dwells in the gardens must make her bridegroom hear her voice, that is, send forth the song of good preaching, in which he whom she desires may delight, because friends are listening, namely all the elect, who, that they may be revived to the heavenly homeland, desire to hear the words of life. But now let the prophet open to us the things he sees. There follows: And behold a wall outside round about the house on every side. Generally in sacred Scripture the incarnate Lord Himself is accustomed to be called a wall from the protection of His defense, just as it is said of holy Church through the prophet: "A wall and a rampart shall be set in her. For He Himself is a wall to us, who surrounds us by guarding us on every side. But the rampart of our wall were all the prophets, who before the Lord appeared in the flesh were sent to build up faith by prophesying.

In holy Church, therefore, the Lord is set as a wall to us and His prophets as a rampart, because to us whom He Himself perfectly protects, the words of the prophets also came for the building up of faith. Whence also the wall is rightly placed first, and the rampart afterward, because we who were called from the Gentiles would by no means have received the sayings of His prophets unless we had first come to know the Lord. And it should be noted that this wall of the spiritual building is said to be on the outside. For a wall that is built for the fortification of a building is customarily placed not on the inside but on the outside. What need was there, then, to say "on the outside," since a wall is never customarily placed on the inside? Because it is necessary that being placed on the outside it defend those things which are within. But in this word what is openly demonstrated except the Lord's incarnation itself? For God is a wall to us within, but God made man is a wall to us without. Whence it is said to Him through a certain prophet: "You went forth for the salvation of Your people, to save Your anointed ones. For this incarnate wall, namely the Lord, would not be a wall to us if He had not been on the outside, because He would not protect us within if He did not appear outwardly.

But neither should this be carelessly passed over, that this same wall is said to be placed around the house on every side. For the house of God is not only the holy angels, of whom the Psalmist says: "Lord, I have loved the beauty of Your house, and the place of the tabernacle of Your glory," but we also are His house, whose minds He deigns to inhabit. And this wall is on every side around the house, because the Only-begotten of the Father, who is the strength of the angels above, He Himself became below the redemption of men. To them He is strength lest they fall, to us He is help that we may rise after the fall. But if by the house of God in this place only the multitude of redeemed men is signified, the Lord is our wall on every side and all around, because, in order to guard us perfectly, He demonstrated all things that He taught, as it is written: "What Jesus began to do and to teach. For since He came to call us to the heavenly fatherland, He surely taught us to despise transitory goods and not to fear temporal evils. Hence He did not disdain reproaches, He endured injuries, He did not fear death, He did not flee from the gibbet of the cross; and when they wished to seize Him and make Him king, He immediately fled;

what else was He indicating to us by these examples, except that we ought not to fear the adversities of this world, and to avoid its prosperities? Because its goods usually occupy the mind more than its evils disturb it. Indeed, before His passion He heard insults, yet did not return insults; He silently endured His betrayer for a long time, and did not refuse to give a kiss to him who greeted Him deceitfully; He accepted death, so that we would not fear to die; He showed forth the resurrection, so that we might believe that we can rise again. After His passion also, He called to the grace of faith those who had crucified Him, He returned a gift for iniquity. Therefore He who instructed us by His own example concerning all things has become a wall for us all around and on every side. There follows: "And in the man's hand was a measuring reed of six cubits and a handbreadth. In the previous reading we already said that Sacred Scripture is signified by the reed. This reed is said to be for measuring, because in it we measure every action of our life, so that we may see either how much we are progressing, or how far distant we are from progress. For often when doing something, we believe ourselves to be of a certain merit; but when we return to the words of God, we hear the lofty precepts, and there we recognize how far short we fall of perfection.

Therefore the reed is for measuring, because through the hands of those who write, the life of those who hear is measured. This reed is said to be in the hand of the man, either because sacred eloquence is in the power of the Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, or certainly because what He willed to be written He fulfilled by His working. Moreover this same reed is described as being six cubits and a handbreadth. For there are two lives in which almighty God instructs us through sacred eloquence, namely the active and the contemplative. And by the six cubits what else is expressed but the active life? Because on the sixth day God completed all His works. But the handbreadth, which is said to be beyond the six cubits, is already of the seventh, yet is not a cubit. Therefore the active life is signified by the six cubits, the contemplative by the handbreadth, because we complete the former by work, but of the latter even when we strive, we are scarcely able to attain some small part. The active life is to give bread to the hungry, to teach the word of wisdom to the ignorant, to correct the erring, to recall a proud neighbor to the path of humility, to care for the sick, to dispense what is expedient for each individual, and to provide for those entrusted to us how they may subsist.

But the contemplative life is to retain the love of God and neighbor with the whole mind, yet to rest from outward action, to cling only to the desire of the Creator, so that nothing is now pleasing to do, but, with all cares trampled underfoot, the soul burns to see the face of its Creator; so that it now knows how to bear the weight of corruptible flesh with sorrow, and with all desires longs to be present among those hymn-singing choirs of angels, to be mingled with the heavenly citizens, to rejoice in eternal incorruption in the sight of God. In the palm, therefore, the hand and fingers are extended. But only a small part of the cubit's measure is touched by the palm, because however great the love with which the soul burns, however great the strength with which it stretches itself toward God in thought, it does not yet perfectly see what it loves, but still only begins to see what it loves, because as the most mighty preacher says: We see now through a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face. And, Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. From the seventh cubit, therefore, we touch only a palm, because while placed in this life we taste only the beginnings of intimate contemplation. For since the active life can be held perfectly, and man was created on the sixth day, who ought to do good works, the measuring rod has six cubits.

These two women have aptly signified both lives, namely Martha and Mary: one of whom was busy about frequent service, while the other sat at the Lord's feet and listened to the words from his mouth. And when Martha complained against her sister that she neglected to help her, the Lord answered, saying: Martha, you are occupied and busy about many things; but one thing is necessary. Mary, however, has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken from her. Behold, Martha's part is not reproved, but Mary's is praised. For he does not say that Mary chose a good part, but the best, so that Martha's part also might be indicated as good. And why Mary's part is best is added when it is said: Which shall not be taken from her. For the active life fails with the body. For who in the eternal homeland will offer bread to the hungry, where no one hungers? Who will give drink to the thirsty, where no one thirsts? Who will bury the dead, where no one dies? Therefore, with the present age the active life is taken away, but the contemplative begins here to be perfected in the heavenly homeland, because the fire of love which begins to burn here, when it sees him whom it loves, will blaze more greatly in love of him. The contemplative life, therefore, is by no means taken away, because when the light of the present age is withdrawn, it is perfected.

These two lives, as has also been said before us, the two wives of blessed Jacob signified, namely Leah and Rachel. For Leah is interpreted as "laborious," but Rachel as "sheep" or "the beginning of vision. The active life indeed is laborious, because it sweats in work; but the contemplative life, simple, yearns only to see the beginning, namely Him who says: "I am the beginning, wherefore I also speak to you. Now blessed Jacob had desired Rachel, but in the night he received Leah, because indeed everyone who is converted to the Lord desires the contemplative life, longs for the rest of the eternal homeland; but first it is necessary that in the night of the present life he work the good things he can, that he sweat in labor, that is, that he receive Leah, so that afterward he may rest in the embraces of Rachel to see the beginning. Now Rachel was seeing, but barren; but Leah was blear-eyed, yet fruitful; Rachel was beautiful and unfruitful, because the contemplative life is beautiful in the soul, but while it desires to rest in silence, it does not beget children through preaching. It sees and does not give birth, because while it loves the pursuit of its own quiet, it kindles itself less in the gathering of others; and however much it perceives inwardly, it does not suffice to open this to others by preaching.

But Leah is blear-eyed and fruitful, because the active life, while it is occupied in work, sees less, but while it kindles neighbors to imitation of itself now through word, now through example, it begets many children in good work. And if it cannot stretch the mind in contemplation, yet from what it does outwardly, it is able to beget followers. Rightly therefore in the measure of the rod six cubits are said first, and afterward a handbreadth, because the active life is carried out first, so that one may come afterward to the contemplative. But it must be known that just as the good order of living is to advance from the active life to the contemplative, so very often the mind is usefully turned back from the contemplative to the active, so that through what the contemplative life has kindled in the mind, the active life may be held more perfectly. Therefore the active life ought to transfer us to the contemplative, and yet sometimes the contemplative life ought to call us back better to the active from what we have beheld inwardly with the mind. Hence the same Jacob, after the embraces of Rachel, returned to Leah, because even after seeing the Beginning, the laborious life of good work must not be utterly abandoned.

There is, moreover, in the contemplative life a great straining of the mind, when it raises itself toward heavenly things, when it directs its attention to spiritual realities, when it strives to transcend everything that is seen corporally, when it narrows itself in order to be enlarged. And indeed sometimes it prevails, and overcomes the resisting darkness of its own blindness, so that it touches something of the uncircumscribed light, furtively and faintly; but nevertheless, immediately repelled, it returns to itself, and from that light to which it passed over by breathing in, it returns by sighing to the darkness of its blindness. Sacred history designates this well, which narrates that blessed Jacob wrestled with an angel. For when he was returning to his own parents, he found an angel on the way, with whom he had a great contest in wrestling. For he who contends in wrestling sometimes finds himself superior, but sometimes finds the one with whom he has contended inferior. The angel therefore designates the Lord, and Jacob who contended with the angel expresses the soul of any perfect man established in contemplation. Which soul indeed, when it strives to contemplate God, as if placed in a certain contest, now as it were prevails, because by understanding and perceiving it tastes something of the uncircumscribed light; but now it yields, because even in tasting it fails again. The angel is therefore as it were conquered when God is apprehended by the innermost understanding.

But it should be noted that the same angel, being conquered, touched the sinew of Jacob's thigh and immediately made it wither, and from that time Jacob limped on one foot, because indeed when almighty God is now known through desire and understanding, He dries up all fleshly pleasure in us. And we who before seemed to seek God and hold onto the world, as if leaning on two feet, after the knowledge of God's sweetness one foot in us remains sound and the other limps, because it is necessary that, with love of the world weakened, the love of God alone may grow strong in us. If therefore we hold the angel, we limp on one foot, because while the strength of inward love grows in us, the strength of the flesh is without doubt weakened. For everyone who limps on one foot leans only on that foot which he has sound, because whoever has had earthly desire already dried up sustains himself with all his strength on the sole foot of the love of God. And he stands on that one, because the foot of worldly love which he was accustomed to place on the earth, he now carries suspended from the earth. And therefore if we return to our own parents, that is, to our spiritual fathers, let us hold the angel on the way, that we may apprehend God with inward sweetness.

For the lovable sweetness of the contemplative life is very great, which snatches the soul above itself, opens heavenly things, shows that earthly things ought to be despised, and reveals spiritual things to the eyes of the mind while hiding corporeal things. Whence the Church well says in the Song of Songs: I sleep, and my heart watches. For she sleeps with a watching heart, because through that which she advances inwardly by contemplating, she rests from restless outward work. But amid these things it must be known that as long as one lives in this mortal flesh, no one advances so far in the power of contemplation that he may fix the eyes of his mind upon that very uncircumscribed ray of light. For Almighty God is not yet beheld in His brightness, but the soul gazes upon something beneath it, whereby being refreshed it may advance, and afterward attain to the glory of beholding Him. For thus Isaiah, when he confessed that he had seen the Lord, saying: "In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up," immediately added: "And the things that were under Him filled the temple. When king Uzziah, proud and presumptuous, dies, the Lord is seen, because when the exaltation of this world is slain from the desire of the mind, then the mind itself contemplates the glory of God. And it should be noted that the Lord sits upon a throne high and lifted up.

For what is His throne, except the angelic or human creature, over which He presides through the understanding He gave? Which throne indeed is called high and lifted up, because both human nature advances, being raised to heavenly glory, and the angelic creature, since when many spirits were falling it was already made firm in heaven lest it fall, was lifted up from the same source whence it was also confirmed. But His temple is the same as His throne, because the eternal King dwells where He sits. We therefore are His temple, in whose minds He deigns to dwell. But the things that were under Him filled the temple, because whatever is now beheld of Him is not yet Himself, but is beneath Him. Thus Jacob saw an angel, and confesses that he saw the Lord, because when we behold His ministers, it is already much that we are raised above ourselves. But it should be noted that it says: "They filled the temple," since even if an angel appears, he satisfies the desire of a weak mind, so that if it cannot yet see something greater, it may nevertheless already wonder at the lesser thing it sees. Therefore the things that are under Him fill the temple, because, as has been said, even when the mind has advanced in contemplation, it does not yet contemplate what He Himself is, but that which is beneath Him. In which contemplation indeed a taste of inner rest is touched.

Because this is as it were a certain part, and cannot now be perfect, it is rightly written in the Apocalypse: "There was silence in heaven, as it were for half an hour. For heaven is the soul of the just, as the Lord says through the prophet: "Heaven is My throne. And, "The heavens declare the glory of God. Therefore when the rest of the contemplative life is carried on in the mind, there is silence in heaven, because the tumult of earthly activities is quieted from thought, so that the mind may apply its ear to the innermost secret. But because this rest of the mind cannot be perfect in this life, the silence made in heaven is by no means said to be a full hour, but as it were half an hour, so that not even that half hour itself is fully perceived, since "as it were" is put before it, because as soon as the mind has begun to raise itself up, and to be suffused with the light of innermost rest, when the tumult of thoughts returns more quickly, it is confounded from within itself, and being confounded is blinded. Therefore the contemplative life which is there called as it were half an hour, is called by the prophet Ezekiel not a cubit, but a handbreadth. Behold, dearest brethren, while we desired to express the conditions of each life, we have spoken a little more extensively in digression.

But to good minds, to whom both of these same lives are lovely to pursue, it should not be burdensome to hear. There follows: "And he measured the breadth of the building, one reed, and the height also one reed. Almighty God, who is neither stretched in great things nor confined in the smallest, speaks of the whole Church at once as if He speaks of one soul. And often what is said by Him of one soul presents no obstacle if it is understood of the whole Church at once. The breadth of the building, therefore, pertains to charity, of which the Psalmist says: "Your commandment is exceedingly broad. For nothing is broader than to receive all in the embrace of love and to endure no narrow straits of hatred. Indeed, charity is so broad that in the amplitude of its love it can embrace even enemies. Hence it is also commanded: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. We must also consider that breadth extends in equality, while height extends in sublimity. Breadth, therefore, pertains to love of neighbor; height to the understanding of the Creator. But the breadth and height of the building are measured by one reed, because indeed each soul, however broad it may be in love of neighbor, will be equally high in knowledge of God. For while it expands itself alongside through love, it exalts itself above through knowledge; and it becomes as lofty above itself as it extends itself alongside itself in love of neighbor.

And because the building that God inhabits is completed from both angelic and human nature together, through the fact that the angelic creature is above and the human still below, both of these creatures can be signified by the breadth and height of the building, because the latter still dwells in the depths while the former remains in the heights. But both are measured by one reed, because the humility of humans is at some point brought to equality with the angels. Hence it is written: "They shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, but shall be as the angels of God in heaven. And hence it is said through John: "The measure of a man, which is of an angel. Because man is brought to that height of glory in which the angels rejoice that they are established. The breadth of the building, therefore, is as great as its height, because all the elect who now labor in the depths will at some point not be unequal to those most blessed spirits. But let us amid these things return to our mind, and love God and neighbor with all the marrow of our heart. Let us be expanded in the affection of charity, that we may be exalted in the glory of loftiness. Let us suffer with our neighbor through love, that we may be joined to God through knowledge.

Let us condescend to the least of our brothers on earth, that we may be made equal to the angels in heaven, because the man who signifies the Redeemer by his image measured the breadth of the building with one reed, and the height also with one reed. Now therefore He measures conduct, weighs works, considers thoughts, so that afterward He may render recompense without end—Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten of the Father, who lives and reigns with Him in the unity of the Holy Spirit, through all ages of ages. Amen.