On limitless desire - An analysis of a passage in Gregory of Nyssa's 'Lifeof Moses'

When thought through the conjunction of NO and of MORE, as an "insatiabilit y to have more," the desire of Moses represents the epectatic tension towar ds God, as the paradox of thirsting for what one already possesses to satie ty. Clearly such a thirst does no come from a lack, but from a plenty. Of t his marvel where fullness invariably overwhelms emptiness, of this profusio n from which man shall never tire, all the mystics have spoken, each in his or her own way. We analyse here step by step the extraordinarily profound interpretation on finds in Gregory of Nyssa's comments, in The Life of Mose s, on the incredible demand which the Legislator addresses to his God: "Sho w me your glory" (Ex 33, 18), and on the no less unbelievable answer he the n receives.