THEOSISGregory the Great
Eliou, having initially addressed the profound anguish of sorrow followed by the delights of solace, aptly observes concerning a man who is so shattered and despised: God accomplishes these actions three times with every individual. This signifies: in repentance, during trials, and at the moment of death, for within these three conditions, a person first endures deep sorrow, only to subsequently receive immense joy and assurance. Given that every chosen soul experiences suffering in each of these states—whether it be the discomfort of repentance, the scrutiny of trials, or the dread of demise—it is fittingly stated: that his spirit may be delivered from the grave and illuminated by the radiance of the living.
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This light pertains, of course, to the perceptible world, as it is observed through our physical eyes. Those who remain attached to this earthly existence dwell in the shadows cast by the light of mortality. Conversely, those who turn away from the transient light and return to the brilliance of the inner illumination are filled with the light of the living, allowing them to reside in a realm where the true light is perceptible through the senses, a place where light and life are indistinguishable, where light itself embodies life. In this environment, light envelops us externally and penetrates within, so that there is no part of us that remains untouched. Thus, through the light of the living, one gains clarity, perceiving with increasing sharpness as one lives in greater purity.