The soul has to depart from the tortuousness of this life and the defilements of the earthly body. It must hasten to those heavenly gatherings, although it is granted to the saints alone to reach them. There it shall sing praise to God. For in the lesson taken from the prophet^[1] we hear of those singing praise to God to the accompaniment of their harps,^[2] Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God almighty, just and true are your ways, O King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and magnify your name? For you only are holy: for all nations will come and worship before you.^[3] And it shall see your marriage feast, O Lord Jesus, wherein the bride is led from earthly to heavenly dwellings, as all sing in joyous accord, All flesh shall come to you, now no longer subject to the world but espoused to the Spirit, and shall look on bridal chambers adorned with linen, roses, lilies and garlands. For whom else are the nuptials so adorned? For they are adorned with the purple stripes of confessors, the blood of martyrs, the lilies of virgins and the crowns of priests.

What indeed is lacking to the one who possesses the good and has virtue always as his companion and ally? In what role of life is he not most powerful? In what poverty is he not rich? In what lowly status is he not noble? In what leisure not industrious? In what weakness not vigorous? In what infirmity not strong? In what quiet of sleep not active? Even when he is asleep, his own virtue does not forsake him. In what solitude is he not in a crowd? The happy life surrounds him, grace clothes him, the garment of glory makes him radiant. He is no less happy when at leisure than when he works, no less filled with glory when he sleeps than when he is awake, because he is no less safe and sound when sleeping than when he is awake. Now when can he appear to be on holiday? His mind is always at work. When can he appear to be alone? He is always with that good of which the psalmist says, We shall be filled with the good things of your house. When can he appear to be downcast? His citizenship is in heaven.^[1] When can he appear not to be handsome? He conforms himself to the likeness of the beautiful and only good; although weak in his members, he is strong in his spirit.

Only let us recognize the purpose of the evil. Why have the crops withered, our storehouses been emptied, the pastures of our flocks failed, the fruits of the earth been withheld and the plains been filled with shame instead of such fatness? Why have valleys lamented and not abounded in corn, the mountains not dropped sweetness, as they shall do hereafter to the right-eous, but been stripped and dishonored and received on the contrary the curse of Gilboa?^[1] The whole earth has become as it was in the beginning, before it was adorned with its beauties. You visited the earth and made it to drink, but the visitation has been for evil and the draught destructive.

For the fact that each of the four rows worn on the chest contains three stones^[1] corresponds to the sequence of the yearly cycle, which is divided into four seasons of three months each. Now in the Scriptures the entire year is designated as the time of our salvation, in which we strive for an eternal reward. As the Savior bears witness, he was sent in accordance with the saying of Isaiah to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of recompense.^[2] The psalmist also sings to him concerning the same year, saying, You bless the crown of the year with your goodness. For in the present time he gives them the goodness of right faith and works, and on the day of recompense he will give the crown of everlasting blessing.