Seeing God

Et quid mirum si in praesenti saeculo, nisi quando vult, Dominus non videtur? In ipsa quoque resurrectione non facile est Deum videre, nisi iis qui corde sunt mundo. Et ideo ait: Beati mundo corde; ipsi enim Deum videbunt . Quantos beatos iam numeraverat, et tamen videndi his Deum non promiserat facultatem! Si ergo ii qui mundo sunt corde, Deum videbunt; utique alii non videbunt. Neque enim indigni Deum videbunt, neque is qui Deum videre noluerit, potest Deum videre. Nec in loco Deus videtur, sed mundo corde: nec corporalibus oculis Deus quaeritur, nec circumscribitur visu, nec tactu tenetur, nec auditur afflatu, nec sentitur incessu. Et cum absens putatur, videtur: et cum praesens est, non videtur. Denique nec apostoli omnes Christum videbant; et ideo ait: Tanto tempore vobiscum sum, et adhuc me non cognovistis! Qui enim cognovit quae sit latitudo, et longitudo, et altitudo, et profundum, et supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi, vidit et Christum, vidit et Patrem. Nos enim iam secundum carnem non novimus Christum, sed secundum spiritum; spiritus enim ante faciem nostram Christus Dominus, qui nos in omnem plenitudinem Dei misericordia sua implere dignetur; ut videri possit a nobis. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Expositio Evangelii Secundum Lucam, Liber I

And why be amazed if in the present age, unless when he wishes, the Lord is not seen? Even in the resurrection itself it is not easy to see God, unless for those who have pure hearts. And therefore he says 'Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God.'1 How many he names blessed and yet he does not promise them the ability to see God. If therefore those who have pure hearts shall see God, then the others shall not. For the unworthy shall not see God, nor is he able to see God who is unwilling. God is not seen in a place but in a pure heart. Corporeal eyes do not seek out God, nor is He circumscribed by vision, nor receptive to touch, nor is the Spirit heard, nor is His going felt. And when He is thought to be absent, He appears, and when He is present He is not seen. And finally not every Apostle saw God, and therefore He said, 'For such time I am with you and still you do not know me.'2 He who knew what was the breath and the length and the height and the depth and supereminent charity of the knowledge of Christ, saw Christ and saw the Father. We according to the flesh do not know Christ, but rather according to the Spirit, for the Spirit before us is the Lord Christ, we who are worthy to be filled with all fullness of the mercy of God, so he is able to be seen by us. Saint Ambrose, Commentary On The Gospel Of Luke, Book 1 1 Mt 5. 8 2 Jn 14. 9