Opening The Heavens

Et aperti sunt ei caeli... Non rupta est ei ipsa creatura caelorum, sed per baptismum oculi sensus ejus aperti sunt, ut videant quae sunt super caelos. Si enim ipsa creatura rupta fuissent, non dixisset, Ei aperti sunt, non tantum ei aperti fuissent, quia quod corporaliter aperitur, omnibus est apertum: quod autem spiritualiter, illis solis qui illuminantur in Spiritu sancto: sicut Stephanus repletus Spiritu sancto dicebat: Video caleos apertos et Filium hominis stantem a dextris virtutis Dei. Sed dicit aliquis, Quid enim? ante oculos Filii Dei clausi fuerant caeli, qui etiam in terra constitutus, erat in caelo? Si ea superius dixit, Sic oportet, nos implere omnem justitiam, bene intellexisti, non dubitas quod secundum mysterium aperti sunt ei caeli. Nam sicut secundum dispensationem humanam baptizatus est, secundum naturam autem divinam baptismo non egebat: sic secundum humanam dispensationem aperti sunt ei calei, secundum naturam autem suam erat in caelis. Ergo non Deo aperti sunt posito extra carnem, nec puto homini extra Deum: sed Deo quasi homini, ut exemplo ejus intelligamus quia omnes homines recti, qui baptizati Spiritum meruerunt accipere santum, similiter aperiuntur eis caeli, et vident ea quae sunt in caelo: non carnalibus oculis videndo, sed spiritualibus fidei credendo. Qui enim non credit ea quae gloriosa et terribilia a Deo reposita promittuntur in caelis, ante oculos cordis ejus obturati sunt caeli: qui autem firmiter credit, et quasi ad illud quod videt tendit, illi aperti sunt caeli: et cum corpore sit in terra, animo est in caelo. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia IV Source: Migne PG 56.774c-775a

And the heavens were opened to Him... 1 The created things of the heavens were not rent apart for Him, but through baptism the sense of the eyes were opened, so that the things above the heavens appear. For if that which was created were rent, it would not have said, 'opened to Him' for they would not have been opened only to Him, since what is corporeally opened is opened to all, but spirtually it is only to those who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, as Stephen who filled with the Holy Spirit said: 'I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.' 2 But someone might say: What is this? Were the heavens closed to the eyes of the Son of God who placed on earth was in heaven? If you have correctly understood what He said above, 'Let is be so, that all righteousness be fulfilled,' 3 you shall not doubt the mystery of the opening of the heavens to Him. For as He was baptised according to His humanity and according to His Divine nature He did not need baptism, so according to His humanity the heavens were opened and according to His own nature He was in heaven. Therefore not to God without the flesh were they opened and not to man without God, I think, but to God as man, that by His example we understand that to every upright man, who being baptised is worthy to receive the Holy Spirit, likewise the heavens are opened to him, and the things in heaven appear, not seen with carnal eyes, but with spiritual eyes in the belief of faith. The heavens are closed before the eyes of his heart of him who does not believe in those glorious and wonderous things promised and kept by God in heaven. He who firmly believes, as if he takes hold of that which he sees, to him the heavens are opened, and with the body on earth, the soul is in heaven. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from The Fourth Homily 1 Mt 3.16 2 Acts 7.56 3 Mt 3.15