Ezek 40:47

“"And he measured the porch of the temple by the length of one hundred cubits, and the width of one hundred cubits, square: and the altar that was before the temple." But this man who introduced Ezekiel into the inner courtyard, and so to speak, into the Holy of Holies, measured the courtyard itself, in which there were two chambers or treasuries assigned to the guards of the temple or the dwelling places of the altar, and he found it to be two hundred cubits in length and breadth: so that the priests of God who serve in the ministry, who had entered through a narrow and tight path, may have wide walkways and dwell in a perfect and complete number of virtues. And in the very courtyard there was an altar in front of the face of the temple, so that the prayers of the saints never ceased before God.”

“But because we have said that from the faithful people sons of Zadok are taken for the ministry of almighty God, are there not many in that same people who are found to live perfectly in God's commandments? There certainly are; for it is added: "And he measured the court, one hundred cubits in length and one hundred cubits in width, foursquare." We have often said that length signifies the longsuffering of hope, while breadth signifies the amplitude of charity. Moreover, it has been fully stated above that the number one hundred, in which ten is multiplied by ten, signifies the sum of perfection. What then is the court of the spiritual building, if not the amplitude of the faithful peoples? This very longsuffering of hope and breadth of charity is not empty in the hearts of the faithful, for through faith it accomplishes whatever it is able. Hence it is said through Paul: In Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works through love. If therefore in the life of the faithful, according to a certain measure, the longsuffering of hope is perfect in each one, the breadth of charity is perfect, the certainty of faith is perfect, the zeal for work is perfect, the court of the temple measures one hundred cubits square. In the measurement of a square, one side is not greater and another smaller, but all four sides together extend to an equal length, because we find that these same virtues which we have mentioned—namely faith, hope, charity, and work—are equal to one another within ourselves as long as we live in this life. Charity is said to be greater than hope and faith because after we arrive at the vision of our Creator, hope and faith indeed pass away, but charity remains. For now we love as much as we believe, and we presume from hope as much as we love. Concerning faith and work as well, the apostle John declares, saying: He who says that he knows God, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar. For knowledge of God pertains to faith, keeping of the commandments to work. Therefore, when virtue, time, and place for working are at hand, one works as much as one knows God; and one shows that one knows God as much as one does good works for God. Let therefore the virtues of the faithful people be measured as a square, because each one who is engaged in the exercise of the active life believes as much as he hopes, loves, and works; hopes as much as he believes, works, and loves; loves as much as he believes, hopes, and works; works as much as he believes, loves, and hopes. Since therefore in the people of holy Church there are many who are strong through faith, longsuffering through hope, expansive through charity, and effective through work, the court of the temple is measured at one hundred cubits square.”

“For that we may also say something about their virtues, we often see some among them prudent through understanding, strong in adversity, just in deed, temperate from pleasures, and moderating themselves by the measure of discretion in all zeal. Those who hold prudence, fortitude, justice, and temperance, or, as some prefer to enumerate them, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, have the measure of the spiritual court in a square. For behold, those very virtues which we said the good and faithful possess are so arranged in a square that one does not exceed another. Great indeed is prudence; but if it is less temperate from pleasures, less strong in dangers, less just in deeds, it is assuredly less prudent. Great is temperance; but if it less understands whence it should temper itself, if it is less able to endure adversities through fortitude and casts down the spirit in fear, if through its own haste it sometimes rushes forth to works of injustice, it is less temperate. Great is fortitude; but if it less understands what good things it should guard, what evils it should resist, if it less tempers itself from the appetite for pleasure but is conquered by delight, if it less maintains the works of justice and is sometimes overcome by the dominion of injustice, it is less strong. Great is justice; but if it less discerns as it ought between just and unjust works, if it less tempers the heart from the delight of the world, if it less strengthens itself against adversities, it is less just. Let the life of the perfect faithful therefore be measured by a square, and let one side of the spiritual court have as much as each of the individual sides, because each person is as prudent as he is temperate, strong, and just; as temperate as he is prudent, strong, and just; as strong as he is prudent, temperate, and just; as just as he is prudent, temperate, and strong. Yet there are very many among them who still live carnally. Even if they perhaps do not know letters and are unable to read the precepts of God, certainly in the company of many faithful they see good things which they may imitate. Behold, in the Church the words of the holy Gospel and of the apostles resound; behold, the examples of those living well are daily set before the eyes of all. Nor will they be able to say in excuse: We did not see what we ought to imitate.”

“Whence it is also added: And the altar before the face of the temple. What is a temple, if not the faithful people? As it is said to the disciples through the Apostle Paul: "For the temple of God is holy, which you are." And what is the altar of God, if not the mind of those living well? Who, mindful of their sins, wash away their stains with tears, mortify the flesh through abstinence, do not entangle themselves in any affairs of this world, give to the needy what they have, and do not covet having what they do not have. Rightly, therefore, the heart of such people is called the altar of God, where the fire burns from the sorrow of compunction, and the flesh is consumed. And do we not see such people daily, dearest brothers, among this holy faithful people as if in the court of a temple? Do we not constantly behold their life set before us as an example? The altar, therefore, is before the face of the temple when many are placed in the sight of holy Church who, mindful of eternal judgment, daily slay themselves as a sacrifice to God in the lamentation of compunction. Who, as has been said, chastise their bodies so that they may fulfill what is said through the Teacher of the Gentiles: "That you may present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God." For a victim is slain in order to be offered. But a living victim is a body afflicted for the Lord. It is called both a victim and living, because it lives in virtues and is slain from vices. A victim, indeed, because it is already dead to this world from wicked deeds; but living, because it works all the good it is able to accomplish.”

“But because under the name of the altar a discourse on the flame of compunction has presented itself, I think it necessary to show what the diversity of that same compunction is. For one compunction is that which is born through fear, another which is born through love, because it is one thing to flee punishments, another to desire rewards. Hence also in the tabernacle two altars are commanded by the law to be made, one namely exterior, the other interior; one in the court, the other before the ark; one which is covered with bronze, the other which is clothed with gold. And on the bronze altar flesh is burned, but on the golden altar incense is kindled. What is this, dearest brothers, that outside flesh is burned, inside incense, except this which we see daily, that there are two kinds of compunction, that some still weep through fear, but others already afflict themselves in lamentations through love? For many, mindful of their sins, while they dread eternal punishments, afflict themselves with daily tears. They bewail the evils they have done, and burn their vices with the fire of compunction, whose suggestions they still suffer in their heart. What are these but a bronze altar on which flesh burns, because carnal works are still bewailed by them?”

“But others, free from carnal vices, now secure through long weeping, burn with the flame of love in tears of compunction; they set before the eyes of their heart the rewards of the heavenly fatherland, they long to be present among the citizens above. The servitude seems hard to them, the length of their pilgrimage. They desire to see the King in his beauty, and they do not cease to weep daily from love of him. What are these if not a golden altar, in whose heart incense of spices has been kindled, because virtues burn? And rightly it is said of that same altar that it is placed before the veil of the ark in the holy of holies. For the ark of the testament has become for us he of whom we know it is written: "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The ark within the veil is our Redeemer in heaven. But the golden altar on which incense is burned before the veil is the hearts of the saints, which, kindled with great virtues in the love of God, burn through holy desire for him whom they cannot yet see with unveiled face. For between the ark and the altar there is a veil, because that which still separates us from the vision of God—the obstacle of our corruption—has not been removed. But as long as we are before the veil, we must burn with the flame of love like kindled incense. Through tears of compunction we ought to seek nothing earthly, nothing transitory. May he alone who made all things suffice for us. Let us transcend all things through desire, so that we may gather our mind into one. No longer by fear of punishments, no longer by the memory of vices, but kindled by the flame of love, let us burn in tears with the fragrance of virtues.”

“That prayer of the elect was already foreseen when it was said in praise of the bride: "Who is this that ascends through the desert like a column of smoke from the aromatics of myrrh and frankincense, and all the powder of the perfumer?" For the holy Church of the elect, when she raises herself from this world in holy prayers with burning love, ascends through the desert that she abandons. But how she ascends is added: "Like a column of smoke from aromatics." Smoke is born from incense, just as it is said through the Psalmist: "Let my prayer be directed like incense in your sight." Smoke usually draws forth tears. Therefore the smoke from aromatics is the compunction of prayer conceived from the virtues of love. Yet this prayer is called a column of smoke because, while it seeks only heavenly things, it proceeds so directly that it is not at all bent back to seeking earthly and temporal things. And it should be noted that it is called not a rod but a small rod, because sometimes in the ardor of compunction the force of love is of such subtlety that even the mind itself, which when illuminated merited to have it, cannot comprehend it.”

“And it is well said, of myrrh and frankincense. For frankincense according to the law is burned to the Lord in sacrifice. But through myrrh dead bodies are preserved, lest they be corrupted by worms. Therefore they offer a sacrifice of myrrh and frankincense who both afflict the flesh, lest the vices of corruption dominate them, and burn a fragrant offering of their love in the sight of the Lord, and present themselves to God in holy virtues. Whence it is also added there: And of all the powders of the perfumer. The powder of the perfumer is the virtue of one who works well. And it should be noted that the virtues of those who work well are called not spices but powders. For when we do any good deeds, we offer spices. But when we also examine the very good deeds that we do, and by the judgment of examination take care lest anything sinister be in them, we make as it were powder from spices, so that we may burn our prayer more finely to the Lord through discernment and love.”

“Behold, these things, as we were able by God's bounty, we have examined before you, most beloved brethren. But let no one reproach me if after this discourse I shall cease, because, as you all perceive, our tribulations have increased: on every side we are surrounded by swords, on every side we fear the imminent danger of death. Some return to us with their hands cut off, others are reported captured, others slain. Now I am compelled to restrain my tongue from exposition, because my soul is weary of my life. Let no one now require of me the study of sacred eloquence, because my harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those who weep. Now the eye of the heart does not keep watch in the discussion of mysteries, because my soul has slumbered from weariness. Now reading is less sweet to my mind, because I have forgotten to eat my bread from the voice of my groaning. But for one who is not permitted to live, how is it pleasing to speak mystical things concerning the meanings of sacred Scripture? And I who am compelled daily to drink bitter things, when am I able to offer sweet things? What therefore remains, except that amid the scourges which we suffer on account of our iniquities we give thanks with tears? For He Himself who created us has also become a father to us through the spirit of adoption which He gave. And sometimes He nourishes His children with bread, sometimes He corrects them with the scourge, because through sorrows and gifts He trains them for the perpetual inheritance. Therefore let there be glory to our almighty Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all ages of ages. Amen.”