Their joys now, because they exceed the grasp of our minds, are recorded as being above the heads of the living creatures. For who, set in corruptible flesh, could comprehend what that ineffable and unending gladness of the angels is? What that beatitude, to behold the countenance of the Creator without failing, and to abide in delight of him without change? Moreover, by the name of the firmament our Redeemer himself can be understood by way of figure—true God above all things, and made among all things a perfect man, in whom our nature has been confirmed with the Father. Of whom also it is said in prophecy through the Psalmist: Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself (Psalm 74:18).
For human nature, before it was taken up by the Creator of all, was earth; for it was not a firmament. For to sinful man it was said: Earth thou art, and into earth thou shalt go (Genesis 3:19). But after it was assumed by the Author of all, and lifted up into the heavens, and led above the angels, that which was earth was made a firmament. But whose likeness the firmament that is beheld possesses is subjoined, when it is said: As the appearance of dreadful crystal. Crystal, as has been said, congeals from water and becomes solid. But we know how great is the mobility of water.
But the body of our Redeemer, because until death it lay subject to sufferings, was in some respect like water, since by being born, growing, wearying, hungering, thirsting, dying, it ran mutably on through the moments of time up to its passion. Gazing upon its course, the Prophet says: He hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way (Psalm 18:6). But because through the glory of his resurrection it grew strong out of its very corruption into the power of incorruption, it hardened, as it were, after the manner of crystal out of water, so that in him both this same nature might exist, and yet in it there might no longer be that mutability of corruption which had already been. Water therefore was turned into crystal, when the weakness of its corruption...
...was raised through his resurrection to the firmness of incorruption. But it is to be noted that this crystal is called dreadful, that is, to be feared. Yet who does not know of what beauty crystal is? And it is a wonder how in this crystal beauty should meet with dread. But to all who know the truth it is plain that the Redeemer of the human race, when he shall appear as judge, will be both fair to the just and terrible to the unjust. For the same one whom the elect behold as gentle, the reprobate look upon as fearful and terrible. But the elect therefore will not then see him terrible, because now they cease not to consider his terror.
For diligently they consider how terrible he comes to judgment; they weep over past faults, they turn aside from the impending ones; they set his dread daily before the eyes of the mind, and how tremendous he will appear they without ceasing hold in apprehension, and daily by fearing they act so that they may not dread when he shall have come. The likeness therefore above the heads of the living creatures of the firmament is as the appearance of dreadful crystal. And because his very dread, which they hold in their thoughts, protects their minds, it is rightly subjoined: Stretched out above their heads from above. This firmament, which appears in the likeness of crystal above the heads of the living creatures, is both dreadful and stretched out, because from that whence it terrifies the minds of the good, thence it protects them.
For if he were not to be feared in their hearts, he would not have been a protector both now from sins and afterward from punishments. But because they always consider what dread threatens from the judgment, they keep the wings of the virtues in uprightness. Whence also it is fitly next subjoined: Verse 23.—And under the firmament their wings were straight, one toward the other. Then are the wings of the virtues straight under the firmament, when the good which one has, this he bestows upon another, so that he who has received earthly substance may relieve the want of his needy neighbor; he who is full of the grace of doctrine may enlighten with the word of his preaching the darkness of his ignorant neighbor; he who is upheld by temporal power may relieve those oppressed by violence; he who...
...he who is full of the spirit of prophecy, by persuading to good things, may turn aside the evils threatening his neighbor's life; he who has received the grace of healing, may piously and humbly devote it by his intercession to the salvation of the sick; he who, free from earthly deeds, has deserved to be at leisure for God alone, may pray for his sinning neighbors. But it often happens that he who is too much occupied with earthly substance does not keep watch in prayer as much as he ought. And it very frequently happens that he who, stripped of all the world's burdens, is at leisure to entreat the Lord, has not the sustenance of living. But while the rich man offers food and clothing to the poor, and while the poor man devotes his prayer to the soul of the rich, the wings of the living creatures are stretched straight one toward the other.
For while that man exhibits to me the word of preaching, and the light of truth from my heart drives out the darkness of ignorance, and while I, in turn, because he is perhaps oppressed by some power of this world, impart to him the solace of my defense, and pluck him out of violent hands, we mutually stretch out our wings toward one another, so that we may touch each other with affection and reciprocal aid out of the good which we have received. Whence the first pastor well admonishes, saying: The end of all things is at hand. Be therefore prudent, and watch in prayers; before all things having mutual charity continual among yourselves, for charity covereth a multitude of sins. Being hospitable one to another without murmuring.
Each one, as he hath received grace, ministering the same one to another (1 Peter 4:7ff.). What therefore in Ezekiel is called a wing, this in Peter the apostle is called received grace. And what the former says: Their wings straight, one toward the other, this the pastor of the Church says: Each one, as he hath received grace, ministering the same one to another (ibid. v. 10). For our wings are no longer straight, if they are bent back only to our own advantage. But they then become straight, when we direct what we have to the advantage of our neighbor. For since our good things are not from ourselves, but we have received them from him by whom it was granted that we should exist, so much ought we not to retain them as private to ourselves, as much as we perceive them given us by our Author...
...for the common benefit. Whence rightly Peter the apostle, in exhortation of this matter, subjoins, saying: As good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). And still he adds: If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the power which God administereth (ibid. v. 11). As if he plainly said: Humbly bestow good upon your neighbors, for you know that what you have is not from yourselves. For whatever wing of virtue is stretched out in imparting to a neighbor, will not be straight if it lack humility. There follows: The same.—Each one covered its body with two wings; and the other likewise was covered. 22. That by the body action is understood, but by the wings the virtues, we have already said above (Homily...
...4, n. 5). And since he says: But under the firmament their wings were straight, one toward the other, it must be asked in what manner it is subjoined: Each one covered its body with two wings. In which matter this is plainly indicated, that they both stretched their wings one toward the other, and yet with two wings covered their own body. What is this, but that we ought so to bestow upon others the virtues we have received, that we cease not carefully to think upon those things in which we have sinned, and daily to bewail our guilt through fear and penitence? For by the two wings above, with which the body is covered, we said were meant fear and penitence. So therefore let us grow in charity, that we may stretch out our wings toward our neighbors; and let us never cease to think upon and to bewail ourselves.
Let the wings be stretched out for justice, let the wings cover the bodies, so that we may both offer examples from good deeds, and that fear and penitence may hide from the judgment the evils we have done. But in the old translation it is said of these wings: Joined two by two to each, and covering their bodies. In which words it is understood that both those same were the wings which were joined one to another, and those same which covered their bodies. Which is gently taken by way of figure, because those virtues protect us before Almighty God which out of charity we impart and join to our neighbors; with which, while we live concordantly, we veil the evils we have done. Therefore also by these wings the two precepts of charity can be understood, namely, love of God and of neighbor.
For by loving God, we pursue our own evils within us, that is, we cover the body. But by loving our neighbor, we hasten toward him in whom we can profit him, that is, we stretch our wings one toward the other. But this which is subjoined, And the other likewise was covered, is not found in the old translation. And it may be asked why, after it was said: Each one covered its body with two wings, it is subjoined: And the other likewise was covered. But carefully searching through the translation of the Seventy interpreters, of Aquila, of Theodotion, and of Symmachus, we find nothing from these words; but re-reading the writings of blessed Jerome, we recognized that he found this sentence so placed in the Hebrew truth, not indeed according to the word, but according to the sense.
For it can be asked why, after it was said: Each one shall cover its body, it is at once subjoined: And the other likewise was covered. For if it said the one and the other, the manner of speaking would stand. But after it was said Each one, why is the other added, since in each one all are comprehended? But if we distinguish both the life of the perfect and the merits of those making progress, we see that both each one and the other are placed not without reason. For those who both bewail their own things, and stretch out the wings of the virtues toward their neighbors for an example, are without doubt perfect. But there are very many of the little ones who behold their tears and imitate them. And those who might have been naked in their own depravities, consider holy and more vigilant men;
and presently, angry at their own depravities, they are kindled to weep, and are inflamed to penitence. And as they behold the holy ones covering their bodies, so they too are covered with the wings of their own tears. For they strike themselves with great rebukes: why, having no virtues, do they not at all deplore their sins, if even they cease not to weep who already stretch out the wings of the virtues by their examples toward their neighbors? 24. In which words it is necessary that we who are still little ones should always set both the virtues and the tears of the perfect before the eyes of our mind. Let us imitate what we behold in them, so that when we have begun to grow by increases, we may be able to veil from that strict examination the evils we have done.
For in continual weepings, in our daily penitence, we have a priest in the heavens, who intercedes for us. Of whom also it is said through John: If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just, and he is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:1). Behold, the soul exults when we hear of the power of our advocate. But fear again gnaws at our exultation, because he himself who is said to be our advocate is just. For we have unjust causes, but a just advocate by no means takes up unjust causes, nor consents to plead for injustice. What therefore shall we do, my dearest brethren? But behold, there occurs to the mind what we may do.
The evils which we have done, let us both forsake and accuse. It is written: The just man is in the beginning the accuser of himself (Proverbs 18:17). For any sinner whatever, converted in weepings, already begins to be just when he begins to accuse what he has done. For why should he not be just, who is already accustomed through tears against his own injustice? Our just advocate therefore will defend us as just in the judgment, because we both acknowledge and accuse ourselves as unjust. Let us therefore trust, not in our weepings, not in our deeds, but in the pleading of our advocate, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all ages of ages. Amen.