Death as a Moment of Becoming and Restoration.
Death is a particular stage in the development of man. It is a
moment of becoming or, more exactly, a moment of restoration. "The Creator did
not intend for us to merely remain embryos," Gregory writes. "The final goal of
our nature is not the state of in fancy nor the successive ages which follow
after it and change our appearance with the passage of time, nor even the
destruction of the body which occurs through death. All of these are only a part
of the path which we are following. The ultimate goal of this movement is our
restoration to our original state." Death is a path which leads us into a better
mode of existence. In death the soul is freed from the body and can make itself
more similar to its original state of beauty. The body is "melted down" and
purified in the earth from debased passions and inclinations. It is liberated
from the needs connected with the conditions of life on earth and it is
completely changed and recreated for another life. "The artist of everything
melts down the solidity of our body to form a new instrument for his grace."
This is a time of expectation and preparation for the resurrection and final
judgment.
This process is itself a type of judgment because not everyone
will share the same fate and not everyone will follow the same path. There are
differences among souls. Just souls will be glorified but sinful souls will be
punished. Some souls, however, will join neither the worthy nor the condemned
but will withdraw to an intermediate place. To this indeterminate group Gregory
assigns the souls of those who have received baptism only immediately before
death and have thus had no opportunity to bring forth its fruits. These are the
"infants who are prematurely seized by death," who have earned no reward for
themselves and who "by reason of their ignorance and lack of development are
incapable of participating in the bliss of true life." These souls must under go
a period of development. This doctrine is a further indication of the high
regard which Gregory had for man's active quest for virtue and
self-perfection.
Just souls will ascend to heaven but sinners will be cast down
into hell. Although Gregory speaks about heaven and hell as actual places and
even distinguishes different orders of heavenly dwelling, he ultimately
considers that the concept of "place" is only a metaphor here, since "a soul is
incorporeal and has no need to be in a specific place." On the contrary, heaven
and hell are modes of existence which cannot be described or defined. They "do
not submit themselves to words and are inaccessible to the intuition of reason."
In keeping with his basic conception of man's life as a journey, Gregory
describes the afterlife as a path which continues beyond the grave into
eternity. He borrows this idea from Origen.
The blessings of heaven are indestructible. "Not only do they
endure forever but they are like seeds which are constantly in creasing and
multiplying." There is "no boundary to interrupt the growth of heavenly bliss"
and the bliss which is sought "is constantly and regularly superior to the
strength of those who are seeking it." Furthermore, continual effort is proper
to the soul and after death there is nothing to oppose the soul's movement. "It
will always be ascending to the highest things and renewing its efforts through
that which it has achieved." There is a certain order and consecutiveness in
this ascent in accordance with the capacity of each soul to strive for the Good.
This process of growth is similar to the maturation of an infant and its
ultimate goal is the contemplation of God.
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