Gregory the Dialogist

We must all of us strive zealously to make known to the church both the dreadfulness of the coming judgment and the kingdom of heaven’s delight. Those who are not in a position to address a large assembly should instruct individuals, offering instruction in personal talks; they should try to serve those around them through simple encouragement.… You who are pastors, consider that you are pasturing God’s flock. We often see a block of salt put out for animals to lick for their well-being. Priests among their people should be like blocks of salt. They should counsel everyone in their flocks in such a way that all those with whom they come in contact may be seasoned with eternal life as if they had been sprinkled with salt. We who preach are not the salt of the earth unless we season the hearts of those who listen to us. We are really preaching to others if we ourselves do what we say, if we are pierced with God’s love, if, since we cannot avoid sin, our tears wash away the stains on our life that come with each new day. We truly feel remorse when we take to heart the lives of our forebears in the faith so that we are diminished in our own eyes. Then do we truly feel remorse, when we attentively examine God’s teachings and adopt for our own use what those we revere themselves used for theirs. And while we are moved to remorse on our own account, let us also take responsibility for the lives of those entrusted to our care. Our own bitter compunction should not divert us from concern for our neighbor. What good to love and strive to do good for our neighbor and abandon ourselves? We must realize that our passion for justice in the face of another’s evil must never cause us to lose the virtue of gentleness. Priests must not be quick-tempered or rash; they must instead be temperate and thoughtful. We must support those we challenge and challenge those we support. If we neglect this, our work will lack either courage or gentleness. What shall we call the human soul but the food of the Lord? It is created to become nothing less than Christ’s body and to bring about growth in the eternal church. We priests are to season this food. Cease to pray, cease to teach, and the salt loses its taste.

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.

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 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.

"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 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 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.

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.

"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 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.

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.

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.

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.