Ways Of Seeing

Levavi oculos meos in montes... Humanae mentis natura est, ita si cogitatione aliquid contemplemur, talem se nobis unaquaeque species exhibeat, qualem eam et cogitando formemus, Quoquo enim mentis nostrae oculos intenderimus, id ipsum in quo defixi sunt referunt ad sensum. Et ut planius intelligi id quod dictum est possit, afferemus exemplum. Si quis hiemis die ver cogitaverit, et ornamentum ejus lumine mentis inspexerit, oblitterata hieme in qua sit atque algeat, totum ei in sensu suo ver cum habitu suo ornatuque consistet. Adeo mentis oculi oculis corporis praestant, ut ineunte in nos oblivione praesentium, totos nos obtineat quidam quasi animo praesumptus usus absentium. Hoc igitur quo spectet, mox videbimus. Levat in montes Propheta oculos. Quosnam oculos? Nempe de quibus scriptum est: Revela oculos meos et cognoscam mirabilia ex lege tua, et rursum: Praeceptum Domini lucidum illuminans oculos. Numquid non isti oculi nostri corporali lumine ad contemplandum accensi sunt? Numquid non naturam videndi sortiti sunt? Quae illuminatio vel quae revelatio erit necessaria? Deinde quae visuri mirabilia in lege? Nisi forte in casis festa frondium, in templo pecudum sanguinem, in pascha agni victimam, in summa religione sabbati otium? Sed, ut puto, fieri haec ab his qui adspectatores aderant videbantur. Non ergo ad id revelandi sunt oculi quod cernebatur, sed ad id quod intelligi optabatur in lege. Mentis ergo oculos propheta elevavit in montes. Quosnam in montes? Non utique in hos lucis atque aris profanatos et conventibus impios, neque in illos silvis horrides, saxis nudos, praeruptis invios, nivibus concretos: quid enim in his aut admirationis aut spei situm est? Sed montes accipimus propheticos libros ex terra in altum elatos, per quos sit in superiora conscensus, et gradus in aeterna. Poterimus autem et montes existimare anglica ministeria et coelorum virtutes et potestates, quarum ministerio nobis in sublimia praestatur adscensus. Si enim secundum Danielem Dominus ipse mons magnus est, non ambigendum est, montes eos nuncapari, qui praecepti ejus  et voluntatis et communicandae in nos beatitudinis sunt ministri. In hos igitur montes propheta oculos cordis elevans, horumque intra se omnium monita, ministeria, officia, dona contemplans, et in his intelligentiae suae lumen intendens, reddidit sensui suo contemplatae speciei integram perfectamque naturam, et totum id quod cogitatione viderat, mente continuit, sciens unde ei venturum esset auxilium, dicens, 'Unde veniet auxilium mihi.' Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum CXX Source: Migne PL 9.654c-655c

I lifted up my eyes to the mountains... 1 It is the nature of the human mind that if we contemplate something in thought, the thing appears in us in its appearance as we form it by thinking of it. And also when we consider the eyes of our mind, that on which they are fixed is communicated to the understanding. That what I say may be easier to understand I shall offer an example. If someone thinks of spring on a winter's day and he looks upon its appearance in the light of his mind, the winter in which he sits shivering falls away, for the whole of his intent is occupied with spring and its appearance. Therefore when the eyes of the mind outstrip the body, present things are cast into oblivion and we are wholly occupied by things absent which are grasped by the soul. And this way of looking we shall soon see. The Prophet raises his eyes to the mountains. What eyes? Certainly concerning which it is written: 'Open my eyes and I shall know the wonders of your law.' 2 And again, 'The teaching of the Lord is a light enlightening the eyes.' 3 And are these eyes for contemplation our eyes which are lit by material light? Is it the seeing of nature that is wished here? What illumination or revelation shall be necessary for that? Then what wonders shall be seen in the Law? Shall it be perhaps that the height of religion is to be found in festal huts roofed with palms, in the blood of the cattle in the temple, in the sacrificed lamb at the Pasch, and in the idleness of the Sabbath? But, so I think, these things were seen by those who had come near to see. Not then in such things are the eyes given to revelation by what was seen, but in what was wished to be understood by the Law. Thus are the eyes of the Prophet lifted up to the mountains. And to what mountains? Certainly not to those in the light here where there are profane altars and heathen gatherings. Not to fearful woods, or bare stone or pathless precipices, or drifts of snow. For what in these things is there to admire or to fix one's hope? But we understand the mountains  to be the books of the Prophets which have been raised up from earth to the heights, by which there may be ascent to the heights, and a path to eternity. And we can also understand these peaks as the ministry of angels, the virtues of heaven, and the powers, whose ministry is given to us that an ascent to the heights might be possible. For if, as according to Daniel, the Lord is a great mountain, 4 it is clear that they are named mounains, who in communion with His commandments and will  are ministers of blessings upon us. To such mountains, then, the prophet lifts up the eyes of his heart, and contemplating in himself all the teachings, ministries, duties and gifts, and looking on these in the light of his understanding, the perfect and integral nature of the things contemplated is given to his mind, and all that he has seen in his thought, he keeps in his mind, knowing that help shall come to him, for then he says, 'From where help shall come to me.' 1 Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 120 1 Ps 120.1 2 Ps 118.18 3 Ps 18.9 4 Dan 2.35