THEOSISGregory the Great
He conceals the light from the powerful Job. For those who are deemed 'the powerful' are those who elevate themselves through prideful thoughts. Against these, Isaiah proclaimed: Woe to you who are wise in your own sight and prudent in your own estimation. Similarly, Paul admonishes, Do not be wise in your own conceits, yet the light remains obscured from these mighty ones, as surely, the truth is withheld from arrogant individuals. Truth itself asserts: I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things from the wise and learned, and have revealed them to infants. The wise and learned are thus called arrogant.
Read more (1082 words)
For the speaker did not say: ‘You have made this known to the foolish,’ but rather “to infants,” clearly indicating a judgment upon their arrogance rather than their intellect. Hence, it is also stated, The Lord watches over the innocent. To clarify this notion of smallness, He affirmed, I was weary, and He rescued me. Many within the Church neglect the virtue of humility, failing to strive against their own pride, even while in lowly positions. Often, they walk proudly, basking in accolades, indulging in pleasures, and displaying their aptitudes. Their primary ambition seems to be to dominate others and gain the esteem of many; they disregard living righteously while coveting the reputation of the just; they flatter and take pride in the accolades they receive. Full of resources, they forgo the joy that they ought to pursue. As their various duties captivate them, they become estranged from their true selves. Yet, when discussions arise regarding their faith, they may appear outwardly engaged, defending it with fervor, extolling their heavenly homeland, while failing to truly regard it with affection. The sons of Reuben and Gad, along with half the tribe of Manasseh, demonstrated this before Moses. Despite possessing an abundance of livestock, they expressed a desire to settle in the desirable plains they had seen on this side of the Jordan, declining to inherit the promised land, stating, The land that the Lord has defeated before the congregation of Israel is suitable for livestock, and our servants have livestock. They pleaded, If we have found favor in your sight, grant this land to your servants for our possession; do not lead us across the Jordan. Thus, those with many possessions preferred to avoid crossing the Jordan, as individuals preoccupied with worldly matters cease to aspire toward their heavenly homeland. Yet the faith they outwardly profess continues to compel them, lest they become lazy in the comfort of ease and hinder others, detracting through their example from the endurance required for perseverance and patience. Therefore, Moses inquired of them, Will your brothers go into battle? And will you remain here? Why do you discourage the hearts of the children of Israel? But out of a sense of obligation to defend their stated beliefs, they hastily commit to uphold the faith they professed, not solely for their own sake, but for their neighbors. Thus they say to Moses, We will construct pens for our flocks, and fortified cities for our children; but we will be armed and ready to proceed before the children of Israel. They boldly advance ahead of others, liberating the promised land from its foes, then return to tend to their herds on the opposite side of the Jordan. Many, though possessing faith, remain entangled in immediate concerns, grazing, so to speak, beyond the Jordan, as despite their baptismal faith, they are enslaved by their diverse desires for earthly things. However, as previously stated, when their faith is tested, they arm themselves for defense. They triumph over and vanquish the adversaries of faith, yet they do not cherish the inheritance of the promised land—that is, the fruit of their faith. They may cry out in its name but leave their commitments outside of it. By keeping their children away from her, they do not invest their love in her nor dwell within her. Hence, they return to the flatlands, retreating from the lofty heights of the mountains, abandoning the hope of heaven for the care of the beasts outside of the promised land. They toil arduously, yielding to the unreasoning stirrings of their hearts toward various desires, for those blinded by temporal pursuits fail to grasp the brilliance of eternal light, and while taking pride in worldly accolades, they close off the passage to heavenly illumination. Thus, it is rightly said, He conceals the light from the powerful. Occasionally, grace from on high does look upon these strong individuals, striking them with the burdens of their abundant possessions, intertwining their prosperity with burdensome yet beneficial cares, so that in their sorrow, they may return to their hearts and learn the futility of their worldly engagements. Therefore, following the statement, He hides the light from the mighty, it is joined with: And commands him to return again. For the light of truth, obscured from the arrogant and burdened minds, is revealed to the oppressed and meek. It is easily discerned when an afflicted soul perceives the darkness of sorrow associated with earthly endeavors; for if there were not some glimmer of light from within, it would not even recognize the absence of light. Yet this may also particularly pertain to the Jews, who rejected our Redeemer in the flesh precisely because they were strong in their own understanding. The light was hidden from these powerful individuals, for in their prideful pursuit of truth, they lost it. Yet they must eventually recognize the light anew and partake of it rightly. Thus, Isaiah proclaimed, Even though the people of Israel are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved. The light then returns to them when they return, having acknowledged the might of our Redeemer. If we analyze the term ‘inmanibus’ (hidden) not as a singular concept but as two words—’in manibus’—as seen in the Epistle to the Hebrews, it may be understood as the light being concealed by the hand, when the wicked are blinded by their actions in front of the righteous Judge. Yet, it is still commanded to return. When sinners realize their inability to rely on their own strength, they obtain the light of grace; illuminated by the rays of inward protection, they begin to yearn for their heavenly homeland with greater fervor than they previously sought earthly delights. In speaking of our heavenly homeland—where we know angels dwell, filled with marvelous brightness, presided over by the Creator, refreshed and illuminated by His presence, whose light is the true inheritance, unblemished in its brilliance—we must reflect on our own state. We recognize that we harbor earthly desires within us, acknowledge our birth in darkness, and realize how distant we’ve become from the rays of light due to our sinful living, as we have progressively distanced ourselves from spiritual aspirations. Confronted with this realization, the heart recoils, fearful, almost bereft of hope in becoming a citizen of that exalted realm of which it hears. Consequently, it is remarked that out of fear, the mind returns once more to hope, and immediately the addition about this light follows.