My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag: behold, he stands behind our wall, he looks forth through the windows, showing himself through the lattice.
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Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
He came then, and at first he is behind the wall, so that he may destroy the enmity between soul and body by removing the wall, which seemed to offer an obstacle to harmony. Then he looks through the windows. Hear the prophet as he tells what the windows are: “The windows are opened from heaven.” Thus he means the prophets, through whom the Lord had regard for the race of humankind, before he should come down on earth himself. Today also, if any soul seeks after him much, it will merit much mercy, because very much is owed to the person who seeks much. Therefore if any soul searches for him with greater zeal, it hears his voice from afar and, although it inquires of others, it hears his voice before those from whom it is asking. It sees that he is running, bounding, that is, hastening and running and leaping over those who cannot receive his strength from weakness of heart. Then, by reading the prophets and remembering their words, the soul sees him looking through their riddles, looki...
Because we ought always to be anxious, always attentive, and because the Word of God leaps forth like the gazelle or the hart, let the soul who searches after him and longs to possess him always be on watch and maintain her defenses. - "Isaac, or the Soul 5.38"
Be a follower of him “who comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills, looking through the windows,” beyond the reach of snares. The bonds of pleasure, which give delight to the eye, charm to the ear, but pollution to the mind, are evil. What pleasure offers is often spurious. - "Cain and Abel 1.5.15"
gazelle or stag: This refers to the swiftness of God's descent when he gave the Law. (Nicholas of Lyra) Or, Christ is compared to a gazelle in taking on flesh and in humility, and with a young stag in the variety of his virtues and miracles. (Alcuin)
Hart, (Proverbs v. 18.) which is swifter that the dogs. (Xenophon, Cuneg.)
This animal is said to destroy serpents, as Christ did the power of the devil. (Theodoret)
Wall. Under the old law, Christ was only seen in figure. He manifested himself in the new. Yet our sins separate him from us, Isaias lix. 2. He is concealed in the sacred mysteries, (Calmet) and his humanity keeps from our sight the glory of his divinity, which alone can impart full content. (St. Ambrose; St. Bernard)
He showed a glimpse of it at his transfiguration, and by his miracles. (Menochius)
Holy church says to the one she is seeking under the figure of a young stag, “Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you lie down at noon.” The Lord is referred to as a young stag, an offspring of deer, because of the flesh he assumed as a son of the ancient fathers. Heat increases at noon, and the young stag seeks a shady place not affected by the heat. The Lord rests in hearts not on fire with love of the present age, which are not burnt up by unspiritual desires, and which, if they are on fire, are not dried up by their anxious desires in this world. - "Forty Gospel Homilies 33"
