The Sensory Recognition of Christ

He heard him as speechless: a sheep heard through the slaughter and through the participation in his holy members and his immortal protection from the seal of his own holy blood. The Shepherd was heard: 'For I am the good shepherd' (John 10:11), because he restored the wandering sheep and killed our adversary the lion with the staff of the cross. The Pearl was heard, because he was born just like a pearl in a shell between two folds of a virgin body and soul, without the seed of a man, either because he was the ornament of the soul or because of his many-shining and pure nature, dazzling from every side with the splendor of divinity. The Light was heard, for it was the true light (John 1:9) which enlightens every man coming into the world, because he drove away the dark wandering of the ancient darkness from our intellect and opened the eyes of our ruling mind, so that we might truly see those whom we worshipped before, that they are not gods, but works of the hands of men, stones and wood. The Cornerstone was heard, because having built the two peoples like two walls through faith, he places himself upon them to draw together into one joint of salvation. The Sun of Righteousness was heard, because of his bright and warm nature—for there is no one who shall hide from his warmth—and because of the twelve-rayed light of the apostles. The Grain of Mustard Seed was heard (Matt 13:31), because it diminishes itself and descends with our infirmities according to the principles of faith, and then, having stained the furrows of our soul, it is spread into the depths, but is raised to a height like heaven, being warmed toward piety and prudence. The Worm was heard: 'For I am a worm and not a man' (Ps 22:6), because having hidden the dazzling divinity like a hook in the worm of the body, he cast him into this depth of life and, like a good fisherman, pulled him up to fulfill the written: 'You shall catch a dragon with a hook' (Ps 106:15). Man was heard, because he bore a body not having been conceived from pleasure and sleep, but having come to be from a virgin and the Holy Spirit. But since each of us, beloved, also receives the unstable teaching of the fathers, let us here seal our basket of words with the Holy Spirit, so that they, coming from the most excellent wisdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, may fill the vessels of our hearts, and each of you may bring forth much fruit of piety—one making thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred (Matt 21:31)—the crown of the angels, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom be glory, honor, and power to the Father, together with the Holy and life-giving Spirit, now and throughout all the ages of ages. Amen.