WHAT CHURCH IS LIKE YOU? After referring by impressive words to the destruction that would dwell on the nation and to the affliction through which all would go through, because of the corruption at all levels, here he presents the amazing divine promise, that “In the latter day, all will become one free kingdom, on which the Lord will reign.” By this he moves our mind away from the state of the Babylonian captivity to the return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of its walls and temple. And he moves us as well, on the level of all humanity, from the state of captivity to the devil to the freedom and the glory of the children of God, where the Church of the New Testament is established on the top of the mountains. The prophet Micah has demonstrated through his name and through his prophesies, that there is no other God like the Lord “pardoning iniquity” (Micah 7:18). He is calling us to become members in the Church of the New Testament, the unique icon of her Groom, to bear the fellowship of the features of her Groom through His exalted grace. This chapter came to present us this bride, the amazing unique Church, to whom we can refer by the following names: 1. The mountain of mountains 1. 2. The people of peoples, and a divine school 2. 3. The unique tribunal 3. 4. The unique paradise 4–5. 5. The home for the outcasts 6. 6. The royal throne 7-8. 7. The congregation of the redeemed 9-12. 8. The unconquerable army 13. 1. THE MOUNTAIN OF MOUNTAINS: The prophet Micah looks forward to the “fullness of time,” when the Word God incarnates to set out of humanity not a huge mountain like Mount Horeb, where the prophet Moses received the Law, but the Mountain of Mountains, whose top reaches the very heaven. The heavenly One came to set out of the fallen a glorified Church of exalted height, which bears the nationality of her heavenly Groom. An American kid, proud of his nationality, once wrote a letter to God, in which he said: ‘I am American! What about You?’ He is the heavenly One, who calls every believer to unite with Him and to bear His nationality, so that all can sing together with the apostle Paul, saying: “He let us all sit together with Him in the heavenly places.” “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow to it” (Micah 4:1) What came in verses [1 to 3] almost conforms to what came in the book of (Isaiah 2:3-4); and as the two of them were contemporaries, although Isaiah was older than Micah, some assume that the latter quoted from the former. Other scholars, however, believe that both of them quoted from a third source, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. The expression “in the last days” has been used by the prophets to refer to the Messianic era (Hosea 3:5). The prophet Isaiah (2:2) prophesies a glorified and a more extensive appearance, 67 which includes, beside the demolition of idols, the enjoyment by the house of the Lord of the ecumenical status fitting for it. By the mountains and hills, he means not only the wiping out of the errors that dwelt on all through the coming of our Savior when the deceit of idols was exposed, but also the proclamation of the beauty of the truth by which we see the realization of the prophecy. Moreover, by saying: “In the last days” he means: “The days that follow the coming of the Lord1. Theodoret of Cyrus Several fathers of the Church, including St. Cyril the Great2, St. John Chrysostom, and Eusebius of Caesarea3, believe that that glorified generation refers to the Church of the New Testament. The same thing is said by the apostle Paul: “When the fullness of the time had come” (Galatians 4:4); and by Isaiah: “In the latter days” or “In the days to come” (Isaiah 2:2), referring to the Church and its teachings, well established like a mountain… The amazing thing about the Church is not that it is victorious, but is the way it became as such; despite the fact that it is persecuted, outcast and torn apart in thousands of ways, it did not diminish, but it even became greater. By bearing its passions, it destroys those who strike her, like the diamond struck by iron that exhausts its striker. Portraying it like a mountain means its strength, exaltation, and holding fast. “And people shall flow to it” Notice here how the prophet not only proclaims the call directed to the nations, but also their yearning to respond to this call. He does not say ‘they shall be made to flow,’ but “they shall flow”4. St. John Chrysostom Is not all humanity ‘one flock’ to God? Is not God Himself the Lord and Shepherd of all nations5? Tertullian The Church rises up to the top of the mountains, namely it reaches up to the highest of heavens, where its heavenly nature unites with the heavenly Head and exalts above the hills beyond all the earthly measures and human thoughts, exalts above all human philosophies, cultures and arts, not being made by human hand, but by the hands of the mighty God Himself. “And people shall flow to it” This does not apply to the Jewish temple, that was shut to the nations; whereas, as far as the Church is concerned, and since the time it has set forth, the Lord Christ told His disciples to “go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). Some fathers believe that “the Mountain of the Lord’s house” is the Lord Christ Himself, who holds fast on the top of the mountains, namely over all prophets. This Mountain is the rock, on which the Church of the New Testament is established. The prophet Micah presents Christ under the symbol of a great Mountain, saying: “It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house…” (Micah 4:2-3)6. 1 Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on Isaiah 2:2. 2 PG 70:68D. 3 PG 16:3. 4 Commentary on Isaiah 2:2 5 Tertullian: On Modesty 6 St. Augustine: City of God 18:30. 68 St. Augustine 2. THE PEOPLE OF PEOPLES, AND THE DIVINE SCHOOL: The Jews used to assume that there is no salvation for anyone unless he becomes a Jew, and that all the other peoples had no relationship with God, as they are alone the people chosen by Him. They do not realize that God, who chose them to be a holy leaven, has chosen all the peoples to ascend by Christ, who ascends to heavens, to the Lord’s mountain, to heaven itself. If God sets out of the heart of every believer a holy temple for Himself, it is so that the Law of the New Testament would go forth from Jerusalem, the word of the Lord that draws every tongue and nation that all would enjoy the Word, the Giver of Life and Resurrection. The Church has become “the people of peoples,” that gathers from all the nations holy and heavenly people. It is a divine school, whose dean is the unique divine Teacher, who bears His students in Himself and dwells in their depths, so they can gain the fellowship of the divine nature. “Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways. And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the Law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Micah 4:2) The nations will come to the Church of the New Testament, the mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Jacob, for all to enjoy the prophecies and the symbols that came in the Law about the Lord Christ and His salvation work. In a message from Pope Athanasius to Epictetus, Bishop of Jerusalem, he quoted this phrase to speak about the coming of the incarnate Word of God from Jerusalem, proclaiming that the Word was not transformed to a body, bones and hair, and that His divine nature has not changed by His incarnation1. From here (Jerusalem) every nation in the world has experienced joy; from here came happiness, rejoice and sources of sound thoughts. Here Christ was crucified, and from here the apostles have gone forth… This joy is eternal2. St. John Chrysostom The prophet Micah uses the symbol of the high mountain to speak about the gathering of the nations in Christ (Micah 4:1-3) … He even told us about the location where Christ will be born (5:2)3. St. Augustine The prophet Micah proclaims that the new Law will be given according to the following way: “Out of Zion the Law shall go forth; and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples; and rebuke many nations afar off” (Micah 4:2, 3). The first Law, given through Moses, was not given on the Mount of Zion, but on the Mount of Horeb, whose ways ultimately lead to the Son of God, and once everything that the Law (literally) talked about was realized, it would be 1 St. Athanasius: letter 59 to Epictetus, 2. 2 On Ps 48 3 City of God, 18: 30. 69 annulled1. Lactantius2 When the Prophetic Spirit prophesied about the coming things, He said: “Out of Zion the Law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples; and rebuke many nations afar off. They shall beat their swords into plowshares; and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up sword against other nations; neither shall they learn war any more”. We can reveal to you that all that have actually materialized, when a group of twelve uneducated and untrained men came out of Jerusalem, yet by the power of God, they testified to Christ to teach everyone the word of God. Now, we, who used to kill one another, will wage war no more, but are ready to die for the sake of confessing Christ3. St. Justine Here you see how they gather together to celebrate the feasts, everyone encouraging the other; everyone became a teacher, not one nation, or two, or even three nations… He says: "Many peoples came together from different nations". That never happened with the Jews, who, if some nations came, they were few proselytes with great difficulty and were never called nations, but outsiders4. St. John Chrysostom The great David says: “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord” (Psalm 95:1); Micah says: “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” (Micah 4:2); and the Savior Himself says: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28); or: ‘Let us go, shining with splendor, brighter than snow, whiter than milk, and more shining than rubies’ (Lamentations 4:7) 5. St. Gregory the Nazianzus After experiencing so much troubles, being captivated by the Assyrians and then by the Babylonians, this location will be greatly transformed. Huge numbers of people from everywhere, even from the western nations, will hasten to come together to reach the mountain of the Lord, where the Lord dwells exalted overall the other mountains and hills, because of the glory covering it through the divine compassion, where they will learn how to commit themselves to live as it is fitting for them6. Theodore of Mopsuestia The divine evangelistic preaching will reach the end of the earth according to the prophecy of the Lord in the holy gospels: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the entire world as a witness to all the nations” (Matthew 24:14). He provoked His saintly apostles by His words: “Go… and make disciples of the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). That evangelic Law and apostolic preaching started in Jerusalem, as though from a spring, 1 Sibylline Oracle, 8: 299-300. 2 Epitome of the Divine Institutes, 4: 17. 3 Euripides Hippolytus. اقتبسها من ایریبیدس هیبولتیس ٦١٢ 4 Commentary on Isaiah 2:2. 5 Oration on the Holy Baptism, 25. 6 Commentary on Micah 4: 1-3. 70 and reached the whole world presenting fulfillment to those seeking faith1. “Out of Zion the Law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Here the prophet speaks about a new Law and a new word; as the old Law was given in Sinai, whereas the Law of the New Testament was given in Zion. The first Law was presented to the Jews alone, whereas the new one was given to all peoples and nations, to the whole race of mankind. God gave the old Law, not in Zion, but on Mount Sinai. It is clear that he is referring to the New Testament, which He gave first to the apostles, who delivered it to all nations2. Theodoret of Cyrus 3. THE UNIQUE TRIBUNAL: After speaking about the Church as being the well-established mountain of mountains and as a unique school under the divine Teacher, Jesus the Lord of glory, here he speaks to us about it as an amazing and unique tribunal, on which a Judge presides, the Savior of the world; not to destroy and avenge, but to renew by His Holy Spirit the human nature to grant heavenly peace and exalted harmony. Instead of a battle between the soul and the body and between the mind and the human emotions, His exalted peace prevails over the whole being of man to become a ‘guitar’ of the Spirit that produces a praise of heavenly love proclaiming the realization of a reconciliation with God as well as with men and the heavenly creatures. “He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more” (Micah 4:3) Since the coming of the Lord, the New Testament brought back peace; and the Law, that grants life to the whole earth, has set forth according to the sayings of the prophets3. St. Irenaeus Who would bring peace to men, who used to hate one another, but the Son, beloved to the Father, the Savior of all, Jesus Christ, who, by His love, ordained everything for our salvation? From the old days it was prophesied about the peace He will bring about; the Scripture saying: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares” 4 . Pope Athanasius, the Apostolic What are these swords, but the emotions, feelings and energies, with which we used to kill ourselves and those attached to us? But through the spiritual peace granted to us by the Savior, all these energies would be transformed into shares for the plows of our souls that work through our hearts to uproot the stones and thorns, and to turn our inner wilderness into a spiritual paradise, filled with the fruits of the Spirit. Man will no more practice war against his fellow man, but will enjoy peace without fear (Zechariah 3:10). 4. THE UNIQUE PARADISE: God has planted the Garden of Eden for man and his children to live under the 1 Commentary on Micah 4: 13. 2 Commentary on Isaiah 2:3. 3 St. Irenaeus: Against Heresies, 4:34:4. 4 The Incarnation of the Word, NPNF, Vol. 4, p. 64. 71 tree of life to eat, to be fulfilled, to sit, and to find comfort in the Lord. But man soon drove himself out of the garden to live in the valley of tears, moaning under the burden of sin, which he has chosen by his complete free will, to become a slave to it. Now, as our Christ has come, He set His Church a joyful divine paradise for His children (those of the Second Adam) to live in, where the believer sits under the vine and finds rest under the fig tree. Who is this Vine, but the Lord Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, the Source of true joy, the Wine of the New Testament? And who is this Fig Tree, but the Holy Spirit, the Giver of life, who binds the believers together like the seeds of a fig to give a sweet taste covered by the skin of unity, which embraces the seeds inside? It is a unique paradise, in which we eat and drink the Lord’s body and blood, and get fulfilled by His Holy Spirit, the living water! “But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid. For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken” (Micah 4:4) Sitting in the shade is a symbolic expression referring to peace and happiness of the nation (See 1 Kings 4:25; Zechariah 3:10), based on the custom prevailing in the East at that time, for man to search for a joyful shade under a vine or a fig tree1. The book of the Song of Solomon refers to the vine and the fig tree when it says: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the roes of the field. Do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (Songs 2:7 LXX). This is the field of righteousness filled with peace, about which the Lord speaks in the Psalm: “everything that moves in the field is Mine” (Psalm 50:11 LXX). In this field there is the vine that produces the blood that cleanses and purifies the world. In it there is the tree, under which the saints sit to rest and to be renewed by a good spiritual grace. In it there is the fruitful olive tree, which is crushed to produce the oil of the Lord’s peace. And in this field the trees of pomegranate flourish (Songs 8:2). Shades of many fruitful trees in the bosom of the one faith, which provides the warmth of love2. St. Ambrose In many locations the vine refers to the Lord Himself (John 15:1); and the fig tree to the Holy Spirit; as the Lord “rejoices the hearts of men,” and the Holy Spirit heals them. King Hezekiah was instructed to have a lump of figs (namely of the fruits of the Spirit) to be laid on his boils to recover. The apostle Paul says that this healing starts by love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The prophet calls these spiritual fruits “fig trees”, saying: “Everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no man shall make them afraid” (Micah 4:4). Surely, whoever resorts to the Spirit and finds comfort under it and under the shade of the Word, will never be afraid or terrified by him, who causes troubles to the human heart3. Methodius In the book of Genesis we read that “God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there He put the man whom He had formed” (Genesis 2:8). Who has the ability to create a paradise, but the mighty God, who “spoke, and it was done” (Psalm 33:9), 1 James M. Freeman: Manners and Customs of the Bible, 1972, article 613. 2 Jacob and the Happy Life, 2: 13. 3 Banquet on the Ten Virgins 10: 5. 72 who was in no need for what He brought into existence? He planted this paradise, of which He speaks in His wisdom: “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted” (Matthew 15:13). It is a good plantation, under whose vine and fig trees the angels and the saints find rest in the peace to come1. St. Ambrose “For all people walk, each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever” (Micah 4:5) Those who walk in the name of the Lord will have eternal peace. Those who love to ascend the mountain of the Lord and wish to learn His ways shall prepare themselves with obedience to gain the glories of life in Christ, and pledge with all their strength to be wholly, zealous in holiness. He says: "In every town and city, everyone walks the way he chooses, and worships whomever he finds good for him". But, as far as we are concerned, our only interest is in Christ, whose Law we make our upright way, and along which we walk together with Him, not only in this present world or the past one, but in what is beyond. It is a truthful saying: “If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” (See 2 Timothy 2:11-12; Romans 8:17). But those, who prefer nothing to the love of Christ, would make Him their interest, would avoid the distraction of this vain world and would rather seek the righteousness adopting the virtues. An example of those was the apostle Paul, who wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20); and also: “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2) 2. St. Cyril, the Great 5. THE HOUSE FOR THE OUTCASTS: The incarnate Wisdom of God was accused of being witless and thus was driven out of the camp to be crucified outside Jerusalem. There, He stretched His arms to embrace everyone crushed, wounded, broken and outcast. He is the Lord of the outcasts. He was rejected by His own people to receive in Himself those, who have no place to put their heads. He is the father of the orphans, the Judge of the widows, the support for the persecuted and the refuge of those, who have no one to care for them. “In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame; I will gather the outcast, and those I have afflicted. I will make the lame a remnant and the outcast a strong nation” (Micah 4:6) Here he prophesies about the return from captivity, as the nation has become an outcast. After chastisement, the Lord will get the outcast back and will heal their wounds. The outcast will become a chosen remnant; the strong people of God (Isaiah 37:32; 46:3; Jeremiah 23:3; Amos 5:15). 6. THE ROYAL THRONE: The prophet Ezekiel marveled when he saw the dry bones becoming an exceedingly great army (Ezekiel 37:10). It is every day’s revelation, as the Lord Christ sets out of the weak, the ignorant and the outcasts a great tower that accommodates the 1 On Paradise 1: 2. 2 Commentary on Micah 2:4:5. 73 flock and protects it against the fierce wolves; a great summit over which the serpent cannot crawl to strike with its fangs the heals of the children of God; and a royal throne, on which the King of kings sits to reign over the heavenly daughter of Jerusalem -His holy church. Now, it is clear that no one in the whole world can put the fear into us or can submit us, we who believe in Jesus. Despite being beheaded, crucified, cast to the fierce beasts, chained, burned and bear all kinds of torture, we shall never deny the creed of our faith. The more we are persecuted, the more will be those who receive the faith and who become worshippers of God in the name of Jesus. It is like when a branch of the fruitful vine is cut off, it will grow again and produce other fruitful branches. The same happens with Christians; the vine is planted by God, and Christ is the Savior of His people. But the rest of the prophecy will be realized with the second coming. The prophet Micah says: “I will assemble the lame; I will gather the outcast, and those whom I have afflicted.” This refers to the fact, that you do not have the last word when you, and all the other people who have the authority, cast away every Christian not only from his possessions, but even from the whole world; you, who do not allow any Christian to live1. St. Justine, the Martyr “I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation. So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion, from now on, even forever. And you, O (dark) tower of the flock; the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, even the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem” (Micah 4:7-8) Regaining a greater and stronger splendor, Jerusalem will become like a high tower, from which the good Shepherd will guard His flock. “And you, O (dark) tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come” These words refer to the incredulous king Zedekieh, whom the prophet calls ‘a tower,’ because the people of Judah lived under his shadow. He calls him ‘a shepherd,’ because he reigned over the kingdom; and calls him ‘dark,’ because of the idolatry, to which he attached himself. The devil is called a ‘dark shepherd’ as well, as he symbolically always attacked the daughter of Zion under a dark heaven; and once he catches her, he draws her away from the light -Yes, he who walks with deceit hates the light. But finally, the exalted and legal Prince of Jerusalem has destroyed that tyrant by His coming and drove that dark shepherd away2. St. Ephram the Syrian 7. THE CONGREGATION OF THE REDEEMED: If the Church is subjected to continuous persecutions and looks as though captivated, yet her Redeemer Groom will save her from her enemy the same way He brought the old people out of Egypt saving them from the servitude of the Pharaoh, and the same way He brought His people back from the captivity of Babylon by an amazing and strong hand. As the Jews’ interpretation of God’s promise to King David, that his seed will 1 Dialogue with Trypho, 110. 2 Commentary on Micah. 74 reign forever and that Judah will always have a king of David’s seed, the talk of the prophet Micah about a Babylonian captivity, a century and a half before it happened, came to be very terrifying; especially that the false prophets were proclaiming and confirming, in smooth words, God’s protection of the city of Jerusalem, its unique temple and the endurance of the kingdom of David of the tribe of Judah. “Now, why do you cry out loud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor. Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city. You shall dwell in the field, and you shall go even to Babylon. There you shall be delivered; there the Lord will redeem you from the hands of your enemies” (Micah 4:9-10) Salvation will be realized through chastisement, as God allows for Jerusalem to become without a king, like a woman in labor who is in pain to deliver a new child. Judah was committed to be captivated to Babylon, then to be brought back to enjoy freedom and a return to the Promised Land. Moan in pain, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor: “For now, you shall go forth from the city. You shall dwell in the field (the wilderness). And shall go even to Babylon; There you shall be delivered.” The meaning is that you, the people of Zion will be captivated to Babylon and after several years you will return from there not by the hand of a soldier, but by that of a Leader who, by His ascension to heaven, will carry His captives to follow Him, holding hands together with their brethren and with the leaders of our army who captivate all minds to the account of Christ1. St. Ephram the Syrian “Now also many nations have gathered against you, who say, ‘let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion’” (Micah 4:11) Looking upon the captivated Jerusalem under chastisement the pagan nations, being ignorant of God’s plans, thoughts and counsel, mocked her and gloated for her misery anticipating her destruction. All nations will gather together against God and His people in a decisive battle (Joel 3; Ezekiel 38-39; Zechariah 12; Revelation 20:8; etc.). Zion’s holy place will be defiled and greatly despised by many nations gathering against her under the leadership of ‘Gog’. Zion will be defiled; the holy place of Zion will severely despised by those, who are not aware that they will eventually be treaded upon by God’s justice like sheaves of hay on a threshing floor2. St. Ephram the Syrian “But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, nor they understand His counsel; for He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Micah 4:12) The prophet requests from us not to seek knowledge of future events just to satisfy our curiosity, but to recognize God’s intentions and plans concerning us. 8. THE UNCONQUERABLE ARMY: The prophet David looked at the Groom of the Church, whose beauty surpasses 1 Commentary on Micah. 2 Commentary on Micah. 75 that of mankind, and saw Him a Leader carrying His sword on His thigh coming out to conquer. The bride of this victorious Leader, likewise, has an iron horn and bronze hooves; it will crush the army of devils underneath her feet and will present the Lord with many souls as a true exalted wealth. “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hooves bronze. You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the Lord, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth” (Micah 4:13) Now he presents us with an ultimate conquest to crush the devil, our enemy, and turn all events to the glory of the Lord. I will make your horn that was broken by the Babylonians an iron horn to crush with it many nations, to" consecrate their gain to the Lord.” This will happen after you possess their riches and after you give the tithes for the whole land to the Lord. As I said, God revealed the sign of that great prosperity to the Jews who returned from captivity; and kept this same thing for His Church1. St. Ephram the Syrian 1 Commentary on Micah. 76 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF MICAH 4 YOU MADE YOUR PEOPLE A WONDER Who is like You, O Lord, a Forgiver of sins and a Grantor of the kingdom? You made Your Church a wonder! And proclaimed Your might in me, as a member in Your unique Church. You set out of me, the weak and broken, A mighty mountain with its head in heaven. You counted me as Your mighty mountain, the object of pleasure to the heavenly creatures. You, the King of kings, and the Lord of Lords. You counted me as the mountain of mountains, extremely high. You counted me in Your holy church! As a heavenly Teacher, You have set the Church as a unique school. Which embraces students from every nation, people, and tongue. I became a member in it, learning the language of heaven from You. By my fellowship with You, O Love, I speak the language of heavenly love. My soul praises You; as no fear would come to me. In Your Church -the icon of heaven- I will not suffer lack of relationships. As everyone speaks the language of love, No one will suffer from an ignorance of this language or an inability to speak it. How amazing You are, O heavenly Teacher! You carried me in You; And I carry You in me. You are in my heart, as well as in my mouth; to utter Your name all the time. I would no more covet the Garden of Eden like my father Adam. As You set for me a divine paradise. In which I pluck from You the grapes of joy, O divine Vine! I pluck sweet and fulfilling figs from Your Holy Spirit. You have turned my depths into Your paradise. I behold You together with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit, the Source of my joy. I will never moan from the oppression prevailing in the world. I behold You, cast out of the camp; I find glory in being cast out together with You, to bear Your cross. You stretch Your hands on the cross, To embrace those who have no place in the hearts of others. To draw the poor, O You, who became poor to make us rich. To draw those who suffer, O You, who was crucified to turn the passion of love into an exalted sweetness. To embrace the lost, O You, who became the Way, that will bring us to the divine bosom. To receive the outcast to grant them a fellowship in the heavenly glories. How often has my soul felt repugnance, because of the lusts of my body! How often has my depths moaned, because of vain thoughts! How often has my heart cried out, because of my licentious emotions! 77 To You is the glory, O You, who sanctifies my whole being. You took a body, to make me proud of your sanctifying my body. You granted me Your Holy Spirit to control my thoughts. You sanctified my emotions and consecrated them a throne for Your love. You set in my depths your heavenly kingdom. You turned my heart into your splendid throne. Why do you moan in me, O my soul? Have hope in the Redeemer Lord. The Pharaoh has no authority to enslave me. Nor Babylon has the ability to bring me into captivity. My Redeemer is the Liberator of my soul, the Grantor of conquest to my depths. I behold Satan falling like lightening from heaven. He has no place in me, after the Redeemer has turned me into a heaven. I shall not preoccupy my mind with you, Satan. You have no place other than under my feet. My Savior has given me authority over you, O weak devil. My soul will no more mourn. As my heavenly Groom has set a glorified Church out of me. He made me, the dry bones, a very very great army. The glory is Yours, O Groom of the Church, her Savior, and her Leader.
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