And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.
All Commentaries on Job 29:23 Go To Job 29
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
5. Where too it is fitly added, They waited for me as the rain, and opened their mouth as for the latter rain. For the words of holy preaching we undergo as rain, when by true humility we learn the dryness of our hearts, that we may be watered by the draught of holy preaching. Whence also it is rightly said to God by the Psalmist, My soul is like earth without water to Thee. [Ps. 143, 6] The Prophet charges us to be bathed with these streams of teaching, saying, Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters. [Is. 55, 1] Who whilst in the final portion of the world we now receive the words of holy preaching, as it were ‘open the mouth of the heart to the latter rain.’ For if there were not in the heart ‘a mouth,’ the Psalmist would not say, Crafty lips in heart, and with the heart they have spoken evil things. [Ps. 12, 2] The mouth of the heart, then, because we apply ourselves to the word of the preaching at the end, this, I say, we as it were open to the latter streams. Which same preaching came forth to us by the sacrifice of Him, Who says by the Psalmist, And the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. [Ps. 141, 2] For because our Redeemer at the end of the world underwent the violence of those that persecuted Him, Himself He ‘gave an evening sacrifice for us.’ Of this ‘latter rain’ it is elsewhere written, I will give you rain, both the early, and the latter rain. [Jer. 5, 24] For He ‘gave the early rain,’ because in the former period He bestowed on His Elect the knowledge of the Law. [Deut. 11, 14] He ‘gave the latter rain,’ because He caused the mystery of His Incarnation to be preached in the last days. Which same mystery because Holy Church ceases not to tell forth day by day, she waters the mouths of her hearers’ hearts as it were by ‘the latter rain.’
