"All Humanity Will Come"

All Will Come

Photo by svickova

On Sundays I like to let some ancient writer or thinker of the Christian movement explain something about a passage of scripture. Today I enlisted Ambrose of Milan, the mentor of the great Augustine of Hippo and considered a "Doctor" (i.e., authoritative teacher) of the Church. Ambrose sees the 'marriage feast' of Christ, when he and his people become one, reflected in the 65th Psalm.  


Praise waits for you in Zion, O God,
     and it is to you that vows shall be paid.
O you hearer of prayers,
     to you all humanity will come.
Wicked deeds have overwhelmed us,
     but for our crimes you will atone.
Blessed is the one you choose
     and allow to draw near,
          to live in your temple courts.
Satiated we will be
     with the goodness of your house --
          your holy temple.
By fearful, righteous deeds you will answer us,
     O God who saves,
     security of the uttermost earth
     and the far distant sea.

Psalm 65.1-5 (My own translation)

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And your soul shall see your marriage feast, O Lord Jesus, wherein the bride is led from earthly to heavenly dwellings, as all sing in joyous accord, “to you all humanity will come,” 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. 

Ambrose of Milan (AD 333 - 397)

On His Brother Satyrus 2.132, (quoted from Fathers of the Church 22:258)