THEOSISGregory the Great
I understand that You will lead me to death and to the gathering place of all who live. Even the just were confined by the barriers of the grave before the grace of our Savior came. The entrance to the underworld is referred to as the dwelling of the living, as no one could enter it before the arrival of the Savior without the weight of their own sin. No one reached that place without experiencing the mortality of the flesh, which is the result of that very sin. This judgment, when viewed as a metaphor, also applies to the Holy Church, which includes individuals who profess faith yet act upon their own desires contrary to that faith.
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Thus, the Church proclaims, ‘I know that you will bring me to death and to the assembly of all the living.’ In recognizing the throngs who surrender to worldly pleasures, she understands that they are destined for destruction; she realizes they are truly serving their own appetites during this earthly life, and that all who live according to the flesh will arrive at the grave. Some may plunge into the abyss of excess, but through heartfelt tears of regret, they swiftly withdraw from the depths; for them, the chastisement from above serves as an opportunity for correction rather than demise. Surely, You will not extend Your hand towards their ruin; if they stumble, You Yourself will rescue them. It is critical to recognize that when the blessed Job speaks of his own experience, he embodies the plight of humanity as a whole. The Lord does not reach out to annihilate sinners; instead, through discipline, He redirects them from sin. He saves those who falter, healing them through their afflictions. Though they may be outwardly brought low, they are uplifted within; though their bodies may be cast down, their spirits rise, while those who appear to stand firm are spiritually brought low.