THEOSISGregory the Great
Her stones are likened to sapphire, and her lumps resemble gold, as referenced in Job 28:6. The acknowledgment of a prior glory only heightens the sin that follows. A man’s transgression weighs more heavily in light of the blessings he once possessed. Thus, we can assert regarding Judah, as well as regarding all she represented, that the splendor of her previous virtues amplifies the guilt of her subsequent failings: her stones are like sapphire, and her lumps like gold. What do we perceive in this context as ‘gold’ if not the minds imbued with holiness and strength? In Scripture, ‘stone’ can symbolize both evil and goodness; when ‘stone’ represents insensitivity, it refers to hardened hearts.
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Hence, John proclaimed that God is able to raise children to Abraham from these stones (Matthew 3:9), referring to the hearts of the Gentiles, which were then unyielding and indifferent to faith. The Lord promises through the Prophet, "And I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 11:19). Yet ‘stones’ can also signify the resilience of the faithful. As St. Peter wrote, “And ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5). The Prophet also foretold the glory of the Church, saying, "Behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and your foundations with sapphires... and I will make your battlements of rubies, and your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the Lord" (Isaiah 54:11-13), meaning He aligns holy souls within it according to their merits. The sapphires in its foundation symbolize souls striving for heavenly things, paralleling their beauty to the heavens. As for the jasper, due to its green hue, the strongholds are described as such because they will defend the Holy Church against her foes, remaining ever resilient and flourishing in their inner yearning, unyielding to the parched curse of apathy. The gates, composed of cut stones, signify those whose lives instruct countless believers in their entrance into the faith. The teachers are adorned with profound acts, both spoken and lived, deserving to be more than merely recorded but inscribed in stone. The addition of “and all your fence of precious stones” encapsulates the multitude of the elect. To affirm that these stones shall be revealed, it is stated: “All your children shall be taught by the Lord.” Thus, since Judah did not seek a soul of holiness to lead a heavenly existence, it is noted: “The stones are the place of sapphire.” Considering her previous brilliance in faith and exemplary life, it follows that his description includes: “and her lumps are gold.” What is meant by ‘lumps’ if not the compacted grit formed by moisture and dust? Those who are nurtured by the dew of grace perceive rightly and understand that death returns them to dust, even though they were once resplendent with virtuous life, now akin to lumps of gold. These ‘lumps of gold’ refer to the prophets, the ‘lumps’ to the teachers, and the ‘lumps’ to the ancient fathers, who, through grace, held true to both doctrine and deed in unison. Thus, let it be affirmed: “And her lumps are gold”; for the more spiritual souls shone in her perfection, the more they were united in God and in community. However, this gold later became obscured by the grey shadow of disbelief, a condition which the prophet Jeremiah mourned over, exclaiming, “How is the gold become dim? How is the most fine gold changed!” (Lamentations 4:1). The dimming of the gold points to the loss of their ancient faith and innocence due to the shadow cast by emerging unbelief, diminished by the pervasiveness of wickedness. Thus, we reflect on the words: “Her stones are the place of sapphire, and her lumps are gold.” Now let us seek to understand how such beloved people of God forfeited these tremendous blessings. Further inquiries are warranted.