The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite (Divine Names, Celestial Hierarchy, Mystical Theology)

paired, are filled with every inspired harmony and holy beauty. But pre-eminently, It is celebrated as loving towards man, because It truly and wholly shared, in one of Its Persons (subsistences), in things belonging to us, recalling to Itself and replacing the human condition. Out of this, in a manner unutterable, the simple Jesus original: "ἁπλοῦς Ἰησοῦς." was composed; the Everlasting took on temporal duration, and He Who is super-essentially exalted above every rank throughout all nature became part of our nature, while retaining the unchangeable and unconfused steadfastness of His own properties.

And whatever other divinely-wrought illuminations, conformable to the Oracles, the secret tradition of our inspired leaders bequeathed to us for our enlightenment, in these also we have been initiated. Now indeed, we see according to our capacity, through the sacred veils of the loving-kindness towards man, made known in the Oracles and hierarchical traditions—which envelop things intellectual in things sensible, and things super-essential in things that are; and place forms and shapes around the formless and shapeless; and multiply and fashion the supernatural and formless simplicity into the variedness of divided symbols. But then, when we have become incorruptible and immortal, and have reached the Christlike and most blessed repose, according to the Divine saying, we shall be “ever with the Lord,” fulfilled, through all-pure contemplations, with the visible manifestation of God covering us with glory, in most brilliant splendours, just as the disciples in the