Job 16:15 Douay-Rheims

I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

Gregory the Great

c. A.D. 540–604 Patristic

Ver. 16. My face is swelled with weeping.

For 'the face' of Holy Church are those, who being set in posts or governorships appear the foremost, that in their goodly appearance should be the honour of the faithful people, even if there were aught deformed in the body hidden from sight. Which same persons that are set over the people bewail the sins of those that go weakly, and so chasten themselves for the downfall of others as if for their own. And often when they see some returning to pardon after sin, and others persisting in wickedness, they marvel at the secret counsels of Almighty God, but cannot fathom them. For they are dumb at the things which they do not understand. And hence it is fitly added; And mine eyelids have become darkened.

For they are rightly entitled 'eyelids,' who are on their watch for the fore-ensuring the paths of the feet; but when not even the rulers on the watch can understand the secret judgments of God, 'the eyelids' of Holy Church are 'darkened;' but, as I remember that I have already often said, blessed Job, while bearing a type of Holy Church, uses at one time the voice of the body, and at another time the voice of the Head; and while he is speaking of her members, he is raised on a sudden to speak the words of her Head.

Source details
A.D. 604 · on Job 16:16 (Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIII)

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.

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