"And it came to pass," it says, "after Abraham died, the Lord blessed Isaac his son, and he dwelt at the well of vision." Concerning the death of Abraham, what more must we say than what the word of the Lord in the gospels contains, saying: "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read how he says in the bush: The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? Now God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all those live." Let us too, therefore, choose a death of this kind, as the Apostle also says, that "we may die to sin, but live to God." For such is the death of Abraham to be understood, which so widened his bosom that all the saints who come from the four quarters of the earth are "carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." But let us now see how, after his death, "the Lord blessed Isaac his son," and what that blessing is. "The Lord blessed Isaac," it says, "and he dwelt at the well of vision." This is the whole blessing with which the Lord blessed Isaac, that he should dwell "at the well of vision." To those who understand, this is a great blessing. Would that the Lord might grant this blessing to me too, that I might deserve to dwell "at the well of vision." Who can know and understand what is the vision "which Isaiah the son of Amos saw"? Who can know what is the vision of Nahum? Who can understand what that vision contains which Jacob saw in Bethel, when he was going into Mesopotamia, where he said: "This is the house of God and the gate of heaven"? And if anyone is able to know and understand each and every vision, whether those that are in the law or those that are in the prophets, he dwells "at the well of vision." But consider this too more carefully, that Isaac deserved to receive so great a blessing from the Lord, that he should dwell "at the well of vision"; but we — when shall we be able to deserve enough, if perchance we might be able to have a passage through "the well of vision"? He deserved to remain and to dwell in vision, while we, but a little illuminated through the mercy of God, can scarcely perceive or surmise anything about any single vision. If nevertheless I am able to perceive some one understanding concerning the visions of God, I shall seem to have made one day "at the well of vision." But if I am able to attain something not only according to the letter but also according to the spirit, I shall seem to have made two days "at the well of vision." And if I touch upon the moral sense, I shall have made three days. Or certainly, even if I cannot understand everything, yet I sit beside the divine scriptures and "meditate on the law of God day and night," and I never at all cease from inquiring, discussing, treating, and certainly, what is greatest, from praying to God and asking understanding from him "who teaches man knowledge," then I too shall seem to dwell "at the well of vision." But if I neglect it and neither exercise myself at home in the word of God nor frequently enter the church to hear the word — as I see some among you do, who come to church only on solemn days — those who are of this kind do not dwell "at the well of vision." But I fear that perhaps those who are so negligent, even when they come to church, neither drink of the well of life nor are refreshed, but are occupied with the concerns of their heart and the thoughts which they carry with them, and depart nonetheless still thirsting from the wells of the scriptures. Hasten, therefore, and take sufficient care that this blessing of the Lord may come to you, by which you may be able to dwell "at the well of vision," that the Lord may open your eyes and you may see "the well of vision" and receive from it "living water," which may become in you "a fountain of water springing up into eternal life." But if anyone comes rarely to church, rarely draws from the fountains of the scriptures, and, departing at once and occupied with other business, lets go what he hears, this man does not dwell "at the well of vision." Do you wish me to show you who it is that never withdraws from the well of vision? The Apostle Paul, who used to say: "But we all, with unveiled face, behold the glory of the Lord." And you too, therefore, if you always search the prophetic visions, if you always inquire, always desire to learn, meditate on these things, remain in them, you too receive a blessing from the Lord and dwell "at the well of vision." For to you too the Lord Jesus will appear "on the way" and will open the scriptures to you, so that you may say: "Was not our heart burning within us, when he opened the scriptures to us?" But he appears to those who think about him and meditate upon him and are occupied "in his law day and night." "To him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen."
Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 11.3