THEOSISGregory the Great
The beast retreats into its shelter and dwells in its lair. Who else can be recognized by this designation of the beast except for our ancient adversary, who maliciously sought to lead astray the first man and shattered the wholeness of his existence through wicked counsel? The words of the prophet promise a restoration of the original condition within the Church for the chosen, declaring that the ravenous beast shall not enter there. Yet, once the Redeemer arrives, following the proclamations of the preachers and the divine thunder, this vile creature seizes the accursed figure, the Antichrist, and does nothing more than retreat into its hiding place, remaining in its lair.
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This instrument of the devil serves as the den and refuge of the beast, hiding and lying in wait for souls traveling the path of life; it entices them with its miracles, then destroys them with its malice. Even now, it occupies the hearts of all the outcasted, before revealing its true nature, filling them with its hidden wickedness as if they were its own refuge, and concealing itself in the mind to execute its nefarious designs against righteousness. Were not the hearts of the persecuting Jews the very lair of this beast? Hearts in which it had been lurking for a long time, only to suddenly erupt with the cries of those that shouted, "Crucify him"? And since it could not find a way to wound our Redeemer's mind with its temptations, it agreed to His crucifixion in the flesh. This beast indeed held sway over many hearts, but the Lamb, through His death, expelled it from them. As is stated in the Gospel, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out." Because the Lord, through a marvelous and righteous judgment, has shed light upon and accepted the confession of humility, He has forsaken and blinded the eyes of pride. Therefore, as the Psalmist proclaims, "You have set darkness, and it has become night; in it all the beasts of the forest will roam; the young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God." For God has the authority to appoint darkness when, as punishment for sins, He withdraws the light of His wisdom. This occurs at night, as the minds of the wicked are clouded by their own ignorance. Through this darkness, all the beasts of the forest will pass, representing the evil spirits that move stealthily under the cover of deceit, realizing their malevolent schemes in the hearts of the rejected. In this context, the young lions roar, as they are incited by intrusive temptations, which serve as agents of evil. However, they seek sustenance from God, for they cannot ensnare souls unless permitted by His righteous judgment. Thus, it is rightly said, "The sun rises; they gather together and lie down in their dens," for when the light of Truth, revealed in the flesh, drives them from the hearts of believers, they retreat to their hidden places, remaining only in the hearts of those without faith. The roar of the lion signifies the den of the beast.
It should be emphasized that it is said of this beast that it does not merely enter its lair; it settles there. It sometimes infiltrates the minds of the righteous, proposing sinful thoughts, burdening them with temptations, and attempting to divert them from a pure heart to carnal pleasures; it seeks their consent to indulge in such temptations. Yet, it is restrained by divine support. Hence, it can intrude into the thoughts of the righteous, but it cannot dwell there, for the heart of the righteous is not the lair of this beast. It firmly resides in and occupies the minds of those it claims as its own refuge, first leading them from thoughts to evil inclinations, and then guiding those inclinations towards even the gravest sinful actions. The rejected do not strive to counteract the suggestions of him whose desires they willingly wish to submit to. When an evil thought arises in their hearts, they embrace it eagerly, and when this thought goes unchallenged, it quickly gains strength through mutual approval, which then translates into action, and these actions solidify into habitual behaviors. Therefore, it is aptly stated that this beast dwells in its cave, for it not only enters into the thoughts of the forsaken but also resides in their lives through wicked deeds. As the Lord declared to Judah through the prophet, "How long shall wicked thoughts lodge in you?" He does not chastise them for the mere presence of these thoughts but for their persistence. Unlawful thoughts may arise even in a virtuous heart, yet they are not permitted to linger there; the righteous strive to safeguard the sanctity of their conscience by driving the enemy from the threshold of their hearts. Even if he somehow sneaks in through sudden temptation, he does not succeed in passing through the door of consent. It was undoubtedly this beast that caused Peter to open the gates of his heart through his denial, driven by fear, only to quickly realize and shut them again with his tears. However, since the ancient foe not only infiltrated but also seized the hearts of the persecutors, it is rightfully declared that the beast retreats to its refuge, dwelling in its lair. We can discern its duration in the minds of the Jews by considering their plots, as recounted in the Gospel narrative, which reveals the ferocity with which they demanded His death upon witnessing our Lord; the many treacherous schemes they fervently desired to enact against Him, yet feared the populace; the countless opportunities they sought to eliminate Him but found unobtainable; the duplicitous hands they used to realize their cruel intentions; for they betrayed Him to be slain by the Gentiles—whom they could not lawfully execute—rather than carrying out their wicked designs directly.