Let us think, my dearest brethren, how pious is that promise whereby it is said: “Thy belly shall eat, and thy bowels shall be filled with this book which I give thee.” [Ez. 3:3] Indeed many read and are hungry from this same reading. Many hear the voice of preaching but after the voice go empty away. Even though their belly eats their bowels are not filled because, although they mentally perceive the meaning of the holy word, through forgetting and not preserving what they have heard they do not store those things in the bowels of their hearts. This is why the Lord upbraids certain men through another Prophet, saying: “Set your hearts upon your ways. Ye have sowed much and brought in little; ye have eaten and ye are not satisfied, ye have drunk and ye are not yet inebriated” (Hag. 1:5-6). He sows much in his heart but brings in little who by reading from the heavenly commands or also by hearing knows many things but by careless actions bears few fruits. He eats and is not satisfied who, hearing the words of God, covets the riches or the glory of the world. For he is well said not to be satisfied who chews one thing and hungers for another. He drinks and is not inebriated who inclines his ear to the voice of preaching but does not change his mind. For the perceptions of drinkers are wont to be changed through inebriation. Therefore he who is vowed to understanding the word of God, but desires to acquire the things which are of this world, drinks and is not inebriated. For if he had been inebriated he would undoubtedly have changed his mind, so that he would no longer seek earthly things, nor love the vain and transitory things which he had loved. For it is said of the elect through the Psalmist: “They shall be inebriated with the plenty of Thy house” (Ps. 35:9).

Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Book of Ezekiel I.X: 7 (Ez. 3:1-14), trans. by Theodosia Gray, Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1990, p. 112.