THEOSISGregory the Great
Though one's arrogance may reach the heavens and one’s pride is lofty like the clouds, in the end, such a person shall be brought to ruin, resembling refuse. The pride of the insincere is described as reaching to heaven when their boastfulness seems to epitomize a divine existence, and their wisdom appears equal to that of the saints. Yet, ultimately, they will meet their end like refuse, for in death, overwhelmed by torment and wicked deeds, they will be subjected to the influence of malevolent spirits. The fleeting pleasures that the unrighteous cherish as substantial are regarded as worthless by the righteous.
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Thus it is stated, “The slothful man shall be stoned with stones from the dung of oxen.” For one who neglects the quest for God becomes idle, distracted by the allure of eternal life. When afflicted by the loss of temporary blessings, he feels the pangs of such loss, which the righteous would view as refuse. And when he is hurt by the absence of worldly goods, is it not true that he experiences being “stoned with stones out of the dung of oxen”? The hypocrite is aptly compared to refuse, as he pursues worldly honor, swelling with pride in his heart one moment and lamenting the glory of others the next, while deriding those who possess it genuinely. His being is tainted by vile traits, rendering him like refuse in the sight of the Eternal Judge. Thus it can be said, although his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his pride is lofty, he will ultimately meet ruin like refuse. For despite his pretense of living a heavenly existence and claiming alignment with the wisdom of true messengers, he shall perish in the end like refuse, since his soul is condemned by the foulness of his character. It continues, “They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?” It is common for the life of a hypocrite to reveal its vanity, ultimately recognized as cursed, and in the present, its true nature is apparent. Thus, those who have witnessed his ascent in life will proclaim upon his death, “Where is he?” For he is absent from the very place where he once enjoyed fleeting glory, and neither is he present in the eternity he presumed to attain. To highlight the brevity of such a life, the message continues.