God no man has seen at any
time. God is not seen in the same was as those visible things known to
physical senses. But even if he was once seen in that way of seeing, he was not
seen as those things of nature are seen, but by his own will, appearing in the
form that he wished, his nature being hidden and remaining immutably in him. As
to the manner in which he is seen as he is, maybe he is now seen in this manner
by the angels, and will be seen by us when we are the equals of angels. But not
even then will he be seen in the same way as those visible things that are perceived
by physical sight, but the Only begotten who is in the Father’s bosom will
himself tell that which does not concern the eyes, but the sight of the minds.
Therefore, as if we wished to see the sun, we would cleanse the eye of our
body, so, wishing to see God, let us cleanse the eye of our heart. But since we
hope for this sight in the future, what should we do, what consolation should
we use while we are still travelling in our body? Let us love one another, and
thus God abides in us. (Bede Expo. On 1 John) (The Glossa Ordinaria—Epistles
of St. John 1-3: An English Translation [Consolamini Commentary Series:
trans. Sarah Van Der Pas; West Monroe, La.: Consolamini Publications, 2015], 44)
