THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, declares: I will put an end to the sounds of joy and celebration in this place before your eyes and during your lifetime, including the voices of the bridegroom and the bride. When you share these words with the people, they will question why the Lord has pronounced such great calamities against them, asking what their transgressions are and what sins they have committed against the Lord their God. You shall respond, Your ancestors abandoned Me, says the Lord, turning to foreign deities, serving and worshipping them, while neglecting My commandments. Yet, you have acted even more wickedly than your forefathers.
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When the Church strays, it loses all joy and gladness, as the Apostle reminds us: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4), along with the voices of the bridegroom and bride, about which it is stated: He who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29). But if the people inquire why they endure such suffering and seek the reasons for their troubles, you must tell them, Your ancestors turned away from Me, says the Lord, and those who lead the churches pursued the idols of the nations, whose god is their appetite and whose desires lie in greed, indulgence, and a desire for glory. They worshipped these idols, for those who are conquered become servants to their conquerors, and everyone honors what they cherish. They forsook Me, failing to observe My commandments. It is not solely the priests' responsibility to instruct in the law, but to embody it, teaching the congregation entrusted to them not just through words but through their own conduct. In case they presume that the judgment is unjust, claiming their ancestors have eaten unripe grapes and that their children's teeth are set on edge (Ezekiel 18:2), it is made clear: you have sinned even more grievously than your forefathers, and those who have transgressed even more will face rightful punishment.