The Splendour Of Judgement

Quantum enim Deus distat ab homine, tantum caeleste judicium a terreno. Istius enim judicii splendor in schemate, illius autem judicii majestas in veritate, testante propheta: Deus manifeste veniet, Deus noster et non silebit. Ignis in conspectu ejus ardebit, et in circuitu ejus tempestas valida. Manifeste, inquit non jam celatus in corpore, sicut antea, ut vix eum etiam boni cognoscerent: sed manifestus in gloria, ut etiam mali eum confiteantur inviti: ut qui contempserunt eum in humilitate, cognoscant eum in potestate. Et qui scire noluerunt quam dulcis et misericordia ejus, sentiant quam gravis et ira ipsius. Deus noster, et non silebit. Non dixit, Et silebut, ostendens quia ipse quidem de se tacebit, sed ipsa gloria ejus de ipso loquatur. Aliquando transfiguratum eum in monte videntes apostoli, acceperunt mandatum ne cui dicerent, ne videretur Christus per potentiam subjugare sibi populum, et non per fidem. Tunc autem jam nemo tacebit, quia non est venturus adhuc tentare fideles, sed jam perdere infideles. Tunc praedicatores necesarii non erunt. Nam etsi vox omnium taceat, visio ipsa clamabit, sicut ipse de secundo suo adventu dicit: Sicut fulgur exit ab Oriente, et paret usque ad Occidentem, sic erit adventus Filii hominis. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia LIV Source: Migne PG 56.646-647

For as great as the distance of God from man, so great is the distance of heavenly judgement from a worldly one. The latter is the splendour of judgement in shadow, the former is the majesty of judgement in truth, as the prophet bears witness: 'God shall come openly, our God, and He shall not be silent. Fire shall blaze in His face, and around Him a great storm.' 1'Openly,' he says, and as before hidden in a body, so that even the good could scarcely know him, but openly in glory, so that even the wicked, though unwilling, shall have to acknowledge Him, and they who scorned him in humility shall know Him in power. And those who did not wish to know how sweet and merciful He is, shall know how heavy is his anger. 'Our God, and He shall not be silent.' He does not say, 'He will be silent' indicating that He shall be silent about Himself, but His glory shall speak of Him. When the Apostles saw Him transfigured on the mountain, they received a command not to speak of it, lest it seem Christ subjugated the people by power, rather than through faith. 2 But then indeed no one shall be silent, because He shall not come to try the faithful but to destroy the faithless. Then preachers shall not be needed. For even if all voices were silent, the sight itself would cry out, just as He says about His second coming: 'As lightning comes from the east and is seen in the west, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man.' 3 Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 54 1 Ps 49.3 2 Mt 19.9 3 Mt 24.27