Job 39:14

"She abandons her widowers on the earth. He begins with the ostrich, or rather he speaks of the one of which this bird is the figure. He could not with his heavy wings imitate the rapid flight of the most agile, if he left on earth the first hopes represented by the eggs. "They are heating up in the dust. Though he now despises what he once sought in the world, what he disdains flourishes often for the sake of the friends of the world, compared here with the dust.

When she leaveth her eggs in the earth, wilt thou perchance warm them in the dust? [MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION] 37. In 'eggs' there is one thing which is seen, another which is hoped for: and hope cannot be seen, as Paul witnesses, who says, What a man seeth, why doth he hope for? [Rom. 8, 24] What then is designated by the 'eggs' of the ostrich, but the Apostles born of the flesh of the synagogue? who whilst they present themselves as despised and lowly in the world, teach us to look for glory in heavenly places. For regarded by the haughty as abject, and as if of no account, they lay, like eggs on the ground; but the power of living, and of soaring to heavenly places, upborne by the wings of hope, lay hid within them. Which eggs the ostrich leaves in the earth; because the synagogue, scorning to listen to those Apostles, whom it had begotten in the flesh, gave them up to the Gentiles who were to be called. But the Lord with wonderful power warms these very same eggs in the dust; because He roused to life the progeny of the Apostles, in that Gentile world, which had hitherto been cast off; and they, whom the synagogue had despised as void of sense and life, now live and soar aloft, in the veneration of the Gentiles, by the authority of doctrine. The ostrich leaves her eggs in the dust; because the synagogue raised not from earthly desires those whom it begat by preaching. And because the ancient enemy finds those desires conceived in the heart, he doubtless hurries the minds assailed by them even into sins.

Which leaveth her eggs in the earth. 14. For what is expressed by 'eggs,' but the still tender offspring, which must be long cherished, in order to be brought to a living bird? For eggs are, in truth, insensible in themselves, but yet when warmed are changed into living birds. And so, doubtless, it is certain, that young hearers and children remain cold and insensible, unless they are warmed by the earnest exhortation of their teacher. That they may not, therefore, when abandoned, become torpid in their own insensibility, they must be cherished by the frequent instruction of their teacher, till they have strength, both to live in understanding, and to fly in contemplation. But because hypocrites, though they are ever working perversity, yet cease not to speak right things, but bring forth children in faith and conversation by speaking rightly, though they cannot nourish them by good living, it is rightly said of this ostrich, Who leaveth her eggs in the earth. For the hypocrite neglects the care of his children, because he gives himself up, with his inmost love, to outward objects, and the more he is elated by them, the less is he pained at the loss of his children. To have left eggs, therefore, in the earth, is not to raise above earthly actions the children which have been born by conversion, by interposing the nest of exhortation. To have left the eggs in the earth, is to furnish to his children no example of heavenly life. For, since hypocrites glow not with the bowels of charity, they never grieve at the torpor of the offspring which has been born to them; that is at the coldness of their eggs; and the more willingly they engage in worldly pursuits, the more carelessly do they permit those, whom they beget, to pursue earthly courses. But, because the care of heaven deserts not the forsaken children of hypocrites, for it warms some even of such, foreknown in secret election, by the regard of grace bestowed, it is rightly subjoined; Wilt thou perchance warm them in the dust? 15. As if he said, As I, Who warm them in the dust; because, namely, I kindle with the fire of My love the souls of the young, even when placed in the midst of sinners. What is understood by 'dust,' but the sinner? Whence also that enemy is satiated with the perdition of this sinner, of whom it is said by the Prophet, For the serpent, dust is his bread. [Is. 65, 25] What is pointed…