THEOSISGregory the Great
The period of our enlightenment culminates with the appearance of the eternal Judge of the holy Church, marking the conclusion of her earthly pilgrimage. In that moment, she will be rewarded for her efforts: after completing her spiritual struggle, she will return to her true home. As the psalmist eloquently states, “Thou crownest the summer of Thy goodness” (Psalm 64:12). This crowning signifies a divine acknowledgment that virtues are recognized after enduring labor. Each day of the year symbolizes individual virtues, while the months represent the collection of blessings received. Thus, if the heart remains steadfast in faith, there is hope that the arrival of the Judge will bring rewards.
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Yet, alongside this, all wrongdoings will also come to light: there exists a profound apprehension that the exacting Judge, while determining the merits of virtues, will also scrutinize the sins committed, weighing them justly—as if the conclusion of the year must inevitably involve the darkness of night.
Some individuals neither show remorse for their actions nor hesitate to take pride in them, seeking to rationalize their misdeeds. However, when guilt attempts to find validation, it becomes truly multiplied. As the scripture counsels: “My son, if thou hast sinned, add no more sins, and pray for the former ones” (Sir 21:1). To justify wrongful actions is to link oneself in sin; the night continues for those who deepen the shadows of their guilt with defensiveness. Consider Adam, the first man, who when questioned about the darkness of his transgression, resisted leaving it in the past. Instead of repenting, he shifted blame, asserting, “The woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12). In this way, Adam reproached the Creator for his own wrongdoing, implying that it was God's gift of a wife that led to his fall. This tendency to justify wrongdoing has persisted in humanity: evil acts are often immediately excused.