Ezekiel 1:24

"And when they stood, their wings were let down." The holy living creatures stand when they consider the things of God with intent contemplation. But their wings are lowered, because while they behold the lofty judgments of God, their own virtues become worthless to them.

"And I heard the sound of their wings, as the sound of many waters." In sacred speech, peoples are customarily designated by waters. Hence it is said through John: "The waters are peoples." Peoples are designated by waters for this reason: because in life they have sound from the tumult of the flesh, and daily they flow away through the course of mortality. As we have now often said, the wings of the living creatures are the virtues of the saints. What then does it mean that the prophet hears the sound of wings as the sound of many waters, except that by the mercy of almighty God those wings of virtues, which formerly sounded in few saints, now also, with preaching spread abroad, resound in the conversion of many peoples? For when the Lord was incarnate, suffered, and rose again, the winged living creatures were few, because those who desired heavenly things and raised themselves on high by the wings of virtues were very rare. But after the preaching of his divinity was spread throughout the world, how many little ones, how many older persons, how many strong youths, how many weak ones, how many converted sinners, how many aged virgins fly to heavenly things through faith, through hope, through love—who is able to tell, who to estimate? Behold, the sound of wings, which formerly was in few living creatures, now resounds among peoples, now the wings of virtues lift the multitude of the world to heavenly desire. Well therefore is it said: "And I heard the sound of their wings, as the sound of many waters," because, as we said before, that sound of virtues which was made in God's ear formerly from few saints was afterward multiplied from many waters, that is, from innumerable peoples.

"As the sound of the most high God." What is it that the sound of wings in the holy living creatures is called as the sound of the Most High God, except that Almighty God both fills the minds of the saints with heavenly desire, and himself hears them when filled? For he himself creates love in the hearts of the saints, and he himself receives prayer from loving hearts. Peter wept bitterly over his denial, but yet there it is first stated that Jesus looked upon Peter. Mary Magdalene came after many stains of guilt, to the feet of our Redeemer with tears; but who poured this into her within, except he who kindly received her outwardly? Who was urging her to tears through the spirit of compunction, except he who outwardly was receiving her unto pardon before those reclining together at table? Therefore our Redeemer was drawing forth the mind of the sinful woman when he pierced her with compunction over her guilt, and was receiving her so that he might free her from guilt. Well therefore is this sound of wings called as the sound of the Most High God, because whatever is done in the virtues of the saints belongs to the grace of him who bestows merits. He is rightly called the Most High God through the prophet. For in Sacred Scripture, God is sometimes spoken of nominally, and sometimes essentially. He is spoken of nominally, as it is written: "Behold, I have made you a god to Pharaoh." And as Moses says: "If anyone does this or that, bring him to the gods," that is, to the priests. Who again says: "You shall not revile the gods," that is, the priests. And as the Psalmist says: "God stood in the assembly of gods, and in their midst He judges gods." But God is spoken of essentially, as He Himself says to Moses: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." Hence the Apostle Paul, wishing to distinguish the nominal name of God from the essential, spoke of our Redeemer, saying: "Whose are the fathers, from whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all, blessed forever." For he who is called God nominally is among all things; but he who is called God essentially is God over all things. Therefore, to show that Christ is God by nature, he mentioned that He is not merely God, but God over all things, because any chosen person, as we said before, placed as an example of righteousness, can be called a god, but among…