Ezekiel 3:13

(Verse 13.) And the sound of the wings of the living creatures striking against one another, and the sound of the wheels following the creatures, and the sound of a great commotion.

"And the sound of the wings of the living creatures striking one against another." The prophet hears behind him the sound of a great commotion, because, as has been said, the word of those preaching is followed by the lamentation of the penitent. He hears behind him the sound of the wings of the living creatures, because from that very lamentation of the penitent arise the virtues of the saints, so that they advance all the more in holy action, the more they remember having acted wickedly before their knowledge of life. But there is great uncertainty in these words, because it is not clearly stated by the prophet whether each living creature strikes its wings against itself, or whether these same holy living creatures beat one another in turn with their wings, so that the wing of one touches another, and the wing of another touches this living creature. But because often in sacred Scripture something is said obscurely so that, by God's wonderful dispensation, it may be explained in many ways, we ought by the Lord's gift to explain both meanings to your charity. We have already often said that the wings of the living creatures are the virtues of the saints. How then does each living creature, spreading its wings, strike one wing against another, unless it is openly given to understand that, if we become holy living creatures, virtue in us stirs up virtue, while one strikes against another toward perfection? For behold, someone already has knowledge of the word of God; he learns to have also bowels of mercy. For through knowledge of the word of God he learns: "Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you." And when he has begun to be merciful in almsgiving, he reads the words of holy authority; and whatever is said in them about mercy, he understands more deeply through experience. […]

But if, as we have said, the living creatures in turn strike one another with their wings, and the wing of each strikes against the wing of another, the meaning of this description also lies open, with the Lord's help. What does it mean, then, that these winged creatures in turn strike their wings one against another, except that all the saints mutually touch one another with their virtues, and rouse each other to advancement through the consideration of another's virtue? For all things are not given to one person, lest being lifted up in pride he should fall, but to this one is given what is not given to you, and to you is given what is denied to him, so that while the former considers the good that you have and he does not have, he may set you before himself in his thought; and again, while you observe that he possesses what you yourself do not have, you may place yourself after him in your thought, and so it comes about as it is written: "Considering one another as superiors." For to speak briefly of a few things out of many: to this one is granted the virtue of marvelous abstinence, and yet he does not have the word of knowledge. To that one, however, is given the word of knowledge; and yet he strives to attain the virtue of perfect abstinence, and cannot. To this one is granted freedom of speech, so that, providing the consolation of protection to all who are oppressed, he may speak freely in defense of justice; but yet, still possessing many things in this world, he wishes to leave all, and cannot. To that one, indeed, it has already been given to leave all earthly things, so that he desires to have nothing in this world; but yet he does not presume to exercise authority of speech against any who are sinning. […]

Let us see how Paul was touched by the wings of the apostles and stirred to repentance. Considering the evils of his past persecution and the innocent life of the apostles, he said: "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God." He considered indeed the innocence of the apostles, and because of his preceding wickedness, all the care he showed in the Church became worthless in his eyes; and he did not consider how many he surpassed by the understanding he had received, because, weighing their innocence, he grieved that he had once been a persecutor. But let us see if any of the apostles marvels at the understanding given to Paul. We must first consult the chief of the apostles himself, who, admonishing his disciples, says: "As also our most beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you; as in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which there are certain things hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable distort." Therefore Paul marvels at the innocence in all the apostles, and the chief of the apostles marvels at the wisdom in Paul. They therefore touch each other with their wings, mutually stirring one another to progress by that whereby they fly. Therefore, Almighty God works in the hearts of men what He does in the regions of the earth. For He could have bestowed all fruits upon any single region; but if any one region did not need the fruits of another region, it would have had no communion with the other. […]

"And the sound of the wheels following the living creatures, and the sound of a great commotion." We said above that the Testaments are signified by the wheels of sacred Scripture. The voice of the wheels, therefore, is the word of the Testaments. Thus after the voice of the wings of the living creatures, the voice of the wheels is also heard, because when the preaching of the preachers is received, while the virtues of the saints fly upward to accomplish higher things and mutually urge one another toward advancement, the state of the holy Church is raised up, so that throughout the whole world the pages of the sacred Testaments may be read. For everywhere now the holy Gospel resounds, everywhere the words of the apostles, everywhere the law and the prophets. Therefore the voice of the wheels follows after the voice of the wings, because after the miracles of the saints, the words of sacred Scripture are freely and openly heard within the holy Church. The wheels follow the living creatures, because, as was said above, after the life of the saints came into honor, the words of the Testaments also appeared venerable to men. Or certainly the living creatures follow, because in the life of the holy Fathers we recognize what we ought to understand in the volume of sacred Scripture. For their action opens to us what the page of the Testaments says in its proclamations. But we must ask why, after it was said above, "I heard behind me the voice of a great commotion," after the voice of the wings and wheels there is added: "And the voice of a great commotion." If this is carefully examined, it can be found that it is not repeated idly. For indeed there are two great commotions by which our hearts are stirred. One commotion is from fear, the other from love; one arises from the grief of the penitent, the other from the fervor of those who love. […]