Gregory the Dialogist — Commentary on Scripture

Romans 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

And again: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:15

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

To make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:30

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

And again: "Now I beseech you, brethren, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and by the love of the Spirit."

Ruth 1:20

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

In describing loftily the sweetness of contemplation, you have renewed the groans of my fallen state, since I hear what I have lost inwardly while mounting outwardly, though undeserving, to the summit of rule. Know then that I am stricken with so great sorrow that I can scarcely speak; for the dark shadows of grief obscure the eyes of my soul. Whatever is beheld is sad, whatever is thought delightful appears to my heart lamentable. For I reflect on what a dejected height of external advancement I have ascended in falling from the lofty summit of my rest. And, being sent for my faults into the exile of employment from the face of my Lord, I say with the prophet, in the words, as it were of destroyed Jerusalem, “He who should comfort me has departed far from me.” … For I, my good man, have, as it were, lost my children, since through earthly cares I have lost works of righteousness. Therefore “call me not Naomi, that is lovely; but call me Mara, for I am full of bitterness.”

Song of Solomon 1:2 · 3 passages

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

Holy church, sighing for the coming of the mediator between God and humanity, for the coming of her Redeemer, prays to the Father that he would send the Son and illuminate him with his presence, that he would speak to the church no longer through the mouths of prophets but by his own mouth.

The Gentiles who were called did not cease kissing their Redeemer’s feet, because they longed for him with uninterrupted love. Hence the bride in the Song of Songs said of this same Redeemer: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” It is fitting that she desires her Creator’s kiss, as she makes herself ready through her love to obey him.

"You gave me no kiss; but she, from the time she entered, has not ceased to kiss my feet." A kiss is indeed a sign of love. And that faithless people did not give God a kiss, because they did not wish to love him out of charity, whom they served out of fear. But the Gentiles, once called, do not cease to kiss the footsteps of their Redeemer, because they continually sigh in love for him. Hence also in the voice of the bride concerning this same Redeemer it is said in the Song of Songs: "Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth." Rightly does she desire the kiss of her Creator, who prepares herself to serve him through love.

Song of Solomon 1:3

Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

[Jesus] was anointed with this oil when he became incarnate. For it was not that the man existed first, then received the Holy Spirit afterwards. Rather, because he became incarnate by the mediation of the Holy Spirit, the man was anointed with this oil at the moment of his creation.

Song of Solomon 1:4 · 4 passages

Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

You see how Truth, having made himself known in the flesh, gave some leaps for us to make us run after him. “He exulted like a giant to run his course,” so that we might tell to him from our hearts, “Draw me after you; let us run in the fragrance of your ointments.”

The church of God is like the house of a certain king. It has a gate, it has a staircase, it has a dining room, and it has a bedroom. Everyone within the church has faith and has already entered the gate to the house, for, just as the gate opens the way to the rest of the house, so does faith provide entrance to the rest of the virtues.

The one who says “draw me” has something in mind that he wants but does not have the ability to obtain it. Human nature wants to follow God, but, overcome by habitual infirmity, as it deserves, it cannot follow. He sees therefore that there is something in himself whereby he yearns, but something else whereby he fails to attain. Rightly, then, does he say “draw me.”

Do you wish, dearest brothers, to recognize His very leaps? From heaven He came into the womb, from the womb He came into the manger, from the manger He came to the cross, from the cross He came into the tomb, from the tomb He returned to heaven. Behold, so that He might make us run after Him, the Truth made manifest through the flesh made certain leaps for us, because "He rejoiced as a giant to run His course," so that we might say to Him from the heart, "Draw us after You; we will run in the fragrance of Your ointments."

Song of Solomon 1:5

I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

For we know that in the first days of the church, when the grace of our Redeemer had been preached, some of the Jews believed and others did not. Those who believed were despised by the unbelievers and suffered persecution as though they had been found guilty of taking the way of the Gentiles. Hence the church in their name cries out against those who had not converted: “I am black but beautiful, daughters of Jerusalem.”

Song of Solomon 1:6

Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

The church says of its weak members, “They have put me as a guard in the vineyards; my own vineyard I have not guarded.” Our vineyards are our deeds, and we cultivate them by our daily labor. We are put as guards in the vineyards, but we do not cultivate our own. When we are involved with external affairs, we neglect to watch over our own activities.

Song of Solomon 1:7 · 2 passages

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

That which we said about heretical teachers we can also say about catholics who do not behave properly. For many of the faithful poor within the church seek to live rightly, desire to maintain a just life, and consider the example of the priests who were set over them. Thus, as long as the priests themselves do not live righteous lives, as long as they who preside do not act properly, they who follow also slip into error. This is why the church says, as though in the name of the poor and faithful, “Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where do you pasture, where do you rest at noon?”

It is fitting meanwhile to consider this contemplation of such great mercy. The deeds of a sinful woman, but one repenting—with what esteem does Truth preserve them in His presence, which He enumerates to her adversary with such detailed distribution. The Lord was reclining at the Pharisee's dinner, but He was delighting in the feasts of the mind at the penitent woman's. At the Pharisee's house, Truth was fed outwardly; at the sinful woman's, yet one who had converted, He was fed inwardly. Hence the holy Church says to Him in the Song of Songs, whom she seeks under the likeness of a young deer: "Show me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you rest at midday." For the Lord is called a young deer, according to His assumed flesh the son of the ancient fathers. Indeed, a more fervent heat burns at midday, and the young deer seeks a shady place where the fire of heat does not affect it. Therefore, the Lord rests in those hearts which the love of the present age does not inflame, which the desires of the flesh do not burn up, which, set ablaze by their anxieties, do not wither…

It is fitting meanwhile to consider this contemplation of such great mercy. The deeds of a sinful woman, but one repenting—with what esteem does Truth preserve them in His presence, which He enumerates to her adversary with such detailed distribution. The Lord was reclining at the Pharisee's dinner, but He was delighting in the feasts of the mind at the penitent woman's. At the Pharisee's house, Truth was fed outwardly; at the sinful woman's, yet one who had converted, He was fed inwardly. Hence the holy Church says to Him in the Song of Songs, whom she seeks under the likeness of a young deer: "Show me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you rest at midday." For the Lord is called a young deer, according to His assumed flesh the son of the ancient fathers. Indeed, a more fervent heat burns at midday, and the young deer seeks a shady place where the fire of heat does not affect it. Therefore, the Lord rests in those hearts which the love of the present age does not inflame, which the desires of the flesh do not burn up, which, set ablaze by their anxieties, do not wither in the lusts of this world.

Song of Solomon 1:9

I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

All who are servants of hedonism, pride, avarice, envy and falsehood are still under Pharaoh’s chariot, being like horses under [the control of] Pharaoh’s chariot, that is, under the devil’s rule. But all who strive for humility, chastity, doctrine and charity have been made horses of our Creator, having been placed in the chariot of God, with God as their driver.

Song of Solomon 2:2

As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

Solomon, in the voice of the bridegroom, said of the church, “As a lily among briers, so is my love among the maidens.”

Song of Solomon 2:5 · 2 passages

Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

What do we understand by “arrows” but the words of preachers? For when they are drawn forth by the voice of those leading holy lives, they transfix the hearts of the hearers. With these arrows holy church had been struck, saying “I am wounded with love.”

Hence again the Church says in the Song of Songs: "I am wounded with love." For it is just that she should reach health from the sight of the physician, who bears the wound of love in her breast through the heat of her desire for him.