Gregory the Great, on Ezek 40:7

“And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad: and between the little chambers were five cubits:”

“When we learn that the righteous who came before us acted bravely, we ourselves are girded for the strength of good work, and the soul of the reader is set aflame by the flame of holy examples. He sees what brave deeds were done by them, and is greatly indignant with himself because he does not imitate such things. Hence it is rightly said in the voice of the bridegroom to the bride in the Song of Songs: "Your neck is like the tower of David, which was built with its battlements. A thousand shields hang from it, all the armor of the mighty." For in the neck is the throat, and in the throat is the voice. What therefore is designated by the neck of holy Church, if not her sacred utterances? When a thousand shields are mentioned as hanging upon it, by this perfect number the universal number is shown, because all our protection is contained in sacred utterance. For there are the commandments of God, there the examples of the righteous. For if the soul grows sluggish from desire for its Creator, let it hear what is said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your mind, and with all your strength." Perhaps one slips into hatred of neighbor? Let him hear what is said: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Does he covet another's possessions? Let him hear what is written there: "You shall not covet your neighbor's goods." Is the mind kindled to anger over an injury inflicted by a neighbor's word or deed? Let him hear what is said: "You shall not seek vengeance, nor be mindful of the injury of your fellow citizens." Is a badly wounded mind kindled to lust of the flesh? Lest the eye follow the mind, let him hear what was said a little earlier: "Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Does someone perhaps dispose his soul to relax into hatred against an enemy? Let him hear what is written there: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." But he who no longer seizes another's goods, does he perhaps still retain his own in a disordered way? Let him hear what is said there: "Sell what you possess, and give alms." Does a weak soul desire to enjoy both God and the world at the same time? Let him hear what is written there: "No one can serve two masters." Does another retain his possessions not for the necessity of sustenance, but according to the will of desire? Let him hear what is said there: "Whoever does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple." For some leave all things, but many even while possessing them renounce them, because they retain their possessions for use in such a way that they do not succumb to them through desire. Does someone wish to be idle, and even when he has the strength, does he flee from undertaking labor for the Lord? Let him hear what is written there: "He who does not gather with me, scatters." Therefore in the neck of the Church, that is, in the preaching of sacred utterance, which is said to be like the tower of David because of its protection and height, a thousand shields hang, because however many commandments are there, so many also are the defenses of our heart. To preserve innocence, then, do we hasten to endure in humility even when harmed by our neighbor? Let Abel come before our eyes, who is both written to have been killed by his brother and is not read to have resisted. Is purity of mind chosen even in the conjugal bond? Enoch ought to be imitated, who, though placed in marriage, walked with God and was not found, because God translated him. Do we hasten to place God's precepts before our present advantage? Let Noah come before our eyes, who, setting aside domestic care, at the command of the almighty Lord, lived occupied for a hundred years in the construction of the ark. Do we strive to undertake the virtue of obedience? We ought to look upon Abraham, who, leaving behind home, kindred, and country, obeyed to go out to the place he was to receive as an inheritance, and went out not knowing where he was going; who stood ready to kill, for the sake of an eternal inheritance, the beloved heir he had received. And because he did not delay to offer his only one to the Lord, he received the whole multitude of nations in his seed. Does simplicity of character please us? Let Isaac come to mind, whom the tranquility of his life adorned in the eyes of almighty God. Is laborious fortitude sought, that it may be obtained? Let Jacob be brought to memory, who, after he learned to serve a man bravely, was also brought to such virtue that he could not be overcome by the wrestling angel. Do we endeavor to conquer the enticement of the flesh? Let Joseph return to memory, who, when his mistress was tempting him, strove to guard the continence of the flesh even at the peril of his life. Whence it came about that because he knew how to rule his own members well, he was also set over all Egypt to rule. Do we seek to obtain meekness and patience? Let us bring Moses before our eyes, who, ruling six hundred thousand armed men, not counting the little ones and women, is described as being meek above all men who dwelt upon the face of the earth. Are we kindled by zeal for righteousness against vices? Let Phinehas be brought before our eyes, who, piercing with a sword those who were lying together, restored chastity to the people, and being angry, appeased the wrath of God. Do we seek to presume upon the hope of almighty God in doubtful matters? Let us recall Joshua to memory, who, while he undertook doubtful battles with a certain mind, arrived at victory without doubt. Do we now desire to lay aside enmities of the mind and enlarge our soul in benignity? Let Samuel be brought into thought, who, cast down from leadership by the people, when the same people asked that he pour out prayers to the Lord for them, responded saying: Far be this sin against the Lord from me, that I should cease to pray for you. For the holy man believed he would perpetrate a fault if he did not return the benignity of grace in prayer to those whom he had endured as adversaries even to the point of being cast down. Who again, when, at the Lord's command, he was being sent to anoint David as king, responded: How shall I go? For Saul will find me and kill me. And yet because he knew God was angry with the same Saul, he had afflicted himself with such great mourning that the Lord said to him directly: How long will you mourn for Saul, when I have rejected him? Let us consider, therefore, how great an ardor of charity had inflamed his soul, who both wept for the one by whom he feared to be killed. But do we wish to beware of one whom we fear? We must consider with anxious mind, lest if perhaps we find an opportunity, we render evil for evil to the very one we flee. Therefore let David return to memory, who both found the king persecuting him so that he could have killed him, and yet, placed in that very power of striking, chose the good that he himself ought to do, not however the evil that the other deserved to suffer, saying: Far be it from me that I should put my hand upon the Lord's anointed. And when the same Saul had afterward been slain by enemies, he wept for the one slain whom he had endured as a persecutor while he lived. Do we determine to speak freely to the erring powers of this world? Let the authority of John be brought back to mind, who, reproving the wickedness of Herod, did not fear to be killed for the rectitude of his word. And because Christ is the truth, he therefore laid down his life for Christ, because for the truth. Do we hasten now to lay down our flesh for God in death? Let Peter come to mind, who rejoices amid scourgings, who resists the rulers though beaten, who despises his life for the sake of life. With the desire for death, do we resolve to despise adversities? Let us bring Paul before our eyes, who, prepared not only to be bound but also to die for Christ, does not make his life more precious than himself. Do we seek to have our heart kindled with the fire of charity? Let us consider the words of John, whose every utterance breathes with the fire of charity. Because therefore in the voice of sacred Scripture, while we seek the protection of any virtue we find it, a thousand shields hang from it, all the armor of the mighty. For if we wish to fight against spiritual wickedness, let us seek weapons of protection in the neck of the Church, which has been raised up for us like a tower of David, that is, in the divine Scripture, so that from the discernment of the commandment, the strength of assistance may be taken up against vices. For behold, do we hasten to be strong against the powers of the air? In this tower we find the armor of our mind, so that from there we may take up the commandments of the Creator, from there the examples of those who went before, through which we may be armed invincibly against our adversaries. For when you desire to undertake any virtue, and you see it already fulfilled there by the fathers, there you find your armor, through which you may be fortified against spiritual battles. Indeed a thousand shields hang from it: if anyone desires to fight, let him take it up, and from that virtue let him fortify his breast, and let him send forth the javelins of words. And it should be noted that it is said to be built with its battlements. For battlements serve the same purpose as shields, because both protect the one fighting. But between the two there is this difference: we move a shield wherever we wish for our protection; but we can defend ourselves with a battlement, yet we cannot move it. A shield is in the hand, for a battlement is not held. What then is the difference between battlements and shields, except that in sacred Scripture we read both the miracles of the preceding fathers and hear of the virtues of their good works? For there we learn that one was able to divide the sea, another to make the sun stand still, another to raise the dead, another to lift up a paralytic by his word, another to heal the sick by his shadow, another to drive away fevers through his handkerchiefs. Yet all these men were gentle with the longsuffering of patience and fervent with zeal for righteousness; rich in the preaching of the word and likewise in the generosity of mercy. Therefore their miracles testify how truly they spoke of God, because they would not have done such things through Him unless they had spoken truly about Him. And their deeds testify how pious, how humble, how kind they were. If therefore we are tempted regarding the faith which we have received from their preaching, let us behold the miracles of those who spoke, and we are confirmed in the faith which we received from them. What then are their miracles if not our battlements? Because we can be protected by them, and yet we do not hold these in the hand of our own choice, for we are not able to do such things. But a shield is in the hand and defends, because the virtue of patience, the virtue of mercy, with grace going before us, is both within the power of choice and protects from the danger of adversity. Therefore our tower has been built with its battlements, on which a thousand shields hang, because in sacred Scripture we are hidden from the darts of adversity under the miracles of the fathers, and we also hold the defenses of holy conduct in the hand of our work. But it should be noted that the threshold of the gate is measured by one reed. Now the reed extends to six cubits and a handbreadth, because clearly in sacred Scripture both the teaching of perfect action and the beginning of heavenly contemplation are found. But if by gate in this place each preacher is understood, the outer threshold in the gate is the active life, while the inner threshold is the contemplative life. For through the former one walks in faith, through the latter one hastens toward sight. The former leads outwardly, so that each person ought to live well; the latter leads inwardly, so that from the good life one may attain to eternal joys. Let it suffice that we have treated these matters today. For since, passing on to other things, we have spoken at length through digression, let us reserve what follows for another reading, hoping to be refreshed through silence in the Word, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, through all ages of ages. Amen.”

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