To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender grass to spring forth?
Read Chapter 38
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
But these things that have been stated generally of the Gentile world, we see taking place, if we carefully examine them, in individuals within the bosom of holy church. For there are many, grievously insensible to the words of God, who are counted under the name of faith, who hear the words of life with their ears but do not permit them to pass through to the inward places of their heart. What else are these than desert land? And that land in truth has no human vitality, because their mind is void of the sense of reason. And no mortal dwells in this land, because if thoughts of reasonable meanings ever spring up in their conscience, they do not remain there. For evil desires find a resting place in their hearts, but if good desires have ever come there, they pass away, as if urged on. But when the merciful God deigns to give a course to his shower and a way to the sounding thunder, being stung with grace within, they open the ears of their heart to the words of life. And the pathless ...
But what it produced when rained on, is shewn, when it is immediately subjoined, And should produce green herbs.
51. For the Gentile world, to which a way was not open for the word of God, was a long while pathless. For on the coming of our Redeemer it so received the calling of grace, as that there had not been in it before the way of Prophecy. It is also rightly called desolate; namely, as being destitute of either the wisdom of counsel, or of the fruit of good works. The Lord therefore gave a course to the most violent shower, and a way to the sounding thunder, that it should rain in the desert, and fill the pathless and desolate land, and should produce green herbs. That is, He added to outward preaching inward inspiration; that the parched hearts of the Gentiles might become green, the closed might be opened, the empty filled, the unfruitful germinate.
52. For in holy Scripture ‘grass’ is sometimes taken for the verdure of temporal glory, sometimes for the food of the devil, som...
