The Failing Flesh

Tunc caro deficiet, et homo in cinerem per humilitatem revertitur.   Simul enim omnis caro deficit, quando iam nullis suis moribus servit, quia praesidens spiritus cuncta eius fluxa restringit, et quodam districtionis suae gladio omne quod in illa male vivebat, interficit. Hoc nimirum disciplinae gladio semetipsum Ieremias interfecerat, cum dicebat: Postquam convertisti me, egi poenitentiam; et postquam ostendisti mihi percussi femur meum. Quid enim in femore, nisi voluptas carnis accipitur? Et quid est quod ait: Postquam ostendisti mihi, percussi femur meum, nisi quod postquam superna spiritaliter vidit, omne quod in se inferius aliter vivebat exstinxit, ut quanto magis summa patescerent, tanto amplius ima quae tenuerat non liberent? Nam quanto incipit quisque superius vivere, tanto et inchoat inferius interire. Iuxta affectum namque carnalis operationis omnis caro Pauli simul interierat, cum dicebat: Vivo autem iam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus.  Peccator mortalitatis suae obliviscitur, secus iustus. Bene etiam Eliu hoc loco subdidit: Et homo in cinerem revertetur. In peccato enim quisque positus mortalitatis suae obliviscitur, et terram se esse non meminit, dum adhuc per superbiam inflatur. Post conversionis vero suae gratiam, cum humilitatis spiritu tangitur, quid esse se aliud quam cinerem recordatur? Iam in cinerem David reversus fuerat, cum dicebat: Memento, Domine, quod pulvis sumus. Abraham in cinerem reversus fuerat, dicens: Loquar ad Dominum meum, cum sim pulvis et cinis. Et si viventem carnem necnon in terra mors solverat, hoc tamen apud se erant, quod se futuros absque dubitatione praevidebant. Hinc alias dicitur: Auferes spiritum eorum, et deficient, et in pulverem suum revertuntur . Qui autem spiritus, nisi spiritus superbiae nominatur? Tollatur ergo spiritus eorum ut deficiant, id est subducto superbiae spiritu, nihil se de se esse cognoscant. Et revertantur in pulverem, id est humilientur ex infirma conditione. Propter hunc pulverem, ad cuius memoriam qui semetipsos considerant revocantur, per Sapientiam dicitur: Iusti fulgebunt, et sicut scintillae in arundineto discurrent . Sancti enim viri dum peccatoribus permiscentur, eos exemplorum suorum igne succendunt,  atque omne quod nitent, in cinerem redigunt, quia pietatis flamma consumpti, dum infirmitatem conditionis suae conspiciunt, nihil aliud quam favillam se esse cognoscunt, ut a superbiae suae duritia resoluti, per poenitentiam dicant id quod supra protulimus: Memento, Domine, quia pulvis sumus . Bene ergo dicitur quia cum ad se spiritum hominis Dominus trahit, deficiet omnis caro simul, et homo in cinerem revertetur. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, Moralia, sive Expositio in Job, Liber XXIV, Cap XXII

Then flesh shall fail and man shall on account of lowliness return to ashes 1 For all flesh fails together, when it is no longer a servant to its own flaws, because the spirit presiding restrains all its waverings, and, as it were, destroys with the sword of its severity all evil which lived therein. Jeremiah had, in truth, slain himself with this sword of discipline, when he said, 'After You converted me, I did penance, and after You revealed it to me, I struck my thigh.' 2 For what is understood by the thigh, but carnal pleasure? And what is he saying with, 'After You revealed it to me, I struck my thigh,' except that after he spiritually beheld heavenly things, he extinguished every infirm carnal desire which used to live in him, that as higher things opened to him he might feel less pleasure in those inferior things to which he had held? For the more a man begins to live to things above, so he begins to die to things below. For as far as concerns the love of carnal doings, the whole flesh of Paul had perished together when he said, 'I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.' 3 Eliu also properly spoke well in this place, saying, 'And man shall return to ashes.' 1 For every one who is involved in sin forgets his mortal condition, and while he is still puffed up with pride, remembers not that he is earth. But when, after the grace of his conversion, he is touched with the spirit of humility, what does he call to mind that he is, but ashes? David had already returned to ashes when he said, 'Remember, Lord, that we are dust.' 4 And Abraham had returned to ashes, saying, I will speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes. 5 And though death had not yet dissolved their living flesh into earth, yet in their own opinion they were that which they foresaw without doubt they were about to be. Hence it is said in another place, You will take away their breath and they will fail, and they will return to their dust. 6 And what is meant by their breath, but the breath of pride? Let their breath then be taken away, that they may fail, that is, feel themselves to be nothing in themselves when the breath of pride is withdrawn. And let them return to dust, that is, let them be humbled by their infirm condition. It is on account of this very dust, to the recollection of which those are recalled who ponder themselves, that it is said by Wisdom, 'The righteous shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds. 7 For the holy while they mix with sinners, kindle them by the fire of their example, and reduce to ashes all their brilliancy, for consumed by the flame of holiness, looking at the infirmity of their condition, they discern themselves to be nothing but ashes, so that when loosened from the hardness of their pride they may use the words we have quoted: Remember, O Lord, that we are dust. 8 It is well said, then, that when God draws the breath of a man to Himself, all flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes. Saint Gregory the Great, Dialogues, Moralia on Job, Book 24, Chapter 22 1 Job 34. 15 2 Jer. 31. 19  3 Gal. 2. 20  4 Ps. 103. 14  5 Gen. 18. 27  6 Ps. 104. 29  7 Wis. 3. 7  8 Ps 102.15