Letter 1,38 - to Felix, bishop of Messina. March 591.
"We are confident that it is welcome to you, of the travel burdens of your brother, the most venerable gentleman Bishop Paulinus, were to be relieved, and under his rule, at common expense, the monastry of Saint Theodore founded in your city, were to serve almighty God with more zeal. We have also learnt from a report of his that you already wanted to do this."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 156.
Saturday 26 June 2010
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Care of the Poor
Letter 1,37 - to Sub-deacon Anthelm. March 591.
"As you were leaving, I gave orders (and I remember enjoining you afterwards with instructions which went back and forth) that you should take care of the poor, and if you knew who where in need, you should indicate to me in a letter of repley.
And you have taken care to do so hardly any of them."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 156.
"As you were leaving, I gave orders (and I remember enjoining you afterwards with instructions which went back and forth) that you should take care of the poor, and if you knew who where in need, you should indicate to me in a letter of repley.
And you have taken care to do so hardly any of them."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 156.
Thursday 17 June 2010
Justice
Letter 1,36 - to Malchus, bishop of Dalmatia. March 591.
"John, a most eloquent gentleman and counselor of that most excellent gentleman, Lord George, prefect of Italy, has suggested to us that he has some controversial matter to sort out with Stephen, bishop of the city of Scutari (...). For that reason we have taken care to advise your Fraternity with the present injunction, to compel the aforesaid bishop to come and select a tribunal. And whatever is determined by the judgement of those elected (...) you must not fail to make it effective. Thus may both the plaintiff give thanks that justice has resulted, and the defendant, when his case is brought to trail, make no complaint over a miscarriage of justice against himself."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
"John, a most eloquent gentleman and counselor of that most excellent gentleman, Lord George, prefect of Italy, has suggested to us that he has some controversial matter to sort out with Stephen, bishop of the city of Scutari (...). For that reason we have taken care to advise your Fraternity with the present injunction, to compel the aforesaid bishop to come and select a tribunal. And whatever is determined by the judgement of those elected (...) you must not fail to make it effective. Thus may both the plaintiff give thanks that justice has resulted, and the defendant, when his case is brought to trail, make no complaint over a miscarriage of justice against himself."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
Friday 11 June 2010
Support and Certainty
Letter 1,35 - to John, bishop of Ravenna. March 591.
"If we are attentive to the promise of out order, and to the office that we administer, we should help those afflicted as far as we can, with the support of justice.
And so, since we have learnt that the splendid gentleman and ex-prefect, Maurilio, is residing in Fossa Sconii, I want your Fraternity to help him at once, as far as possible.
Not because we have any doubt, Heaven forbid, about the justice of that most excellent gentleman, the prefect Lord George, or think that he is in some way turning from the path of reason, a man whom we have got to know in all good ways, even before the administration of this high office."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
"If we are attentive to the promise of out order, and to the office that we administer, we should help those afflicted as far as we can, with the support of justice.
And so, since we have learnt that the splendid gentleman and ex-prefect, Maurilio, is residing in Fossa Sconii, I want your Fraternity to help him at once, as far as possible.
Not because we have any doubt, Heaven forbid, about the justice of that most excellent gentleman, the prefect Lord George, or think that he is in some way turning from the path of reason, a man whom we have got to know in all good ways, even before the administration of this high office."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
Not By Threats But By Sweetness
Letter 1,34 - to Peter, bishop of Terracina. March 591.
"The Jew, Joseph, bearer of this letter, has informed us, concerning a certain place in which the Jews residing in the castle of Terracina had been accustomed to meet together, to celebrate their holy festivals, that your Fraternity had expelled them from it, and that they had migrated to another place to carry out their religious festivities in a similar manner, with your knowledge also, and with your consent.
And now they complain that they are being expelled once again from the same place.
But if that is so, we want your Fraternity to avoid that sort of complaint, and we want them to be allowed to gather as their custom was, at that place which they obtained for their meeting with your consent, as we said above.
For one must bring those who disagree with the Christian religion to the unity of faith, with clemency and kindness, by making suggestions and being persuasive.
Otherwise, they mau be repelled by threats and terrors, when they could be invited to believe in Christ through the sweetness of preaching and the coming terror of the future judge."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
"The Jew, Joseph, bearer of this letter, has informed us, concerning a certain place in which the Jews residing in the castle of Terracina had been accustomed to meet together, to celebrate their holy festivals, that your Fraternity had expelled them from it, and that they had migrated to another place to carry out their religious festivities in a similar manner, with your knowledge also, and with your consent.
And now they complain that they are being expelled once again from the same place.
But if that is so, we want your Fraternity to avoid that sort of complaint, and we want them to be allowed to gather as their custom was, at that place which they obtained for their meeting with your consent, as we said above.
For one must bring those who disagree with the Christian religion to the unity of faith, with clemency and kindness, by making suggestions and being persuasive.
Otherwise, they mau be repelled by threats and terrors, when they could be invited to believe in Christ through the sweetness of preaching and the coming terror of the future judge."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
Tuesday 8 June 2010
Considering Divine Judgement
Letter 1,33 - to Venantius, patrician ex-monk. February 591.
"You know that divine judgement will condemn us for idle talk, and will examine our reason for useless words with great care. Consider therefore what this judgement will do concerning a perverse deed, if it will condemn some in its court for their words.
Ananias had solemnly promised to give money to God, but afterwards he withdrew it,overcome by the persuasion of the Devil. But you know with what death he was punished.
If therefore he who withdrew from God the money he had given deserved the danger of death, consider how great the danger you will deserve before the divine tribunal, you who have withdrawn from almighty God not money, but yourself, after devoting yourself to Him in you monk's habit."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 152.
"You know that divine judgement will condemn us for idle talk, and will examine our reason for useless words with great care. Consider therefore what this judgement will do concerning a perverse deed, if it will condemn some in its court for their words.
Ananias had solemnly promised to give money to God, but afterwards he withdrew it,overcome by the persuasion of the Devil. But you know with what death he was punished.
If therefore he who withdrew from God the money he had given deserved the danger of death, consider how great the danger you will deserve before the divine tribunal, you who have withdrawn from almighty God not money, but yourself, after devoting yourself to Him in you monk's habit."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 152.
No Flock Without a Shepherd
Letter 1,32 - to Romanus, patrician and exarch of italy. February 591.
"It has come to our notice that your excellency has already detained Blandus, the bishop of the city of Ortona, in the city of Ravenna for a long time. And it happens that a church without a bishop, and its people, just like a flock without a shepherd, disperse, and in that place infants die without baptism for the remission of their sins. Again, because we do not believe that your Excellency would have held him, unless for some likely case of aberration, it is necessary that a synod be held and the matter be brought out into the open, if any charge would be brought against him."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 152.
"It has come to our notice that your excellency has already detained Blandus, the bishop of the city of Ortona, in the city of Ravenna for a long time. And it happens that a church without a bishop, and its people, just like a flock without a shepherd, disperse, and in that place infants die without baptism for the remission of their sins. Again, because we do not believe that your Excellency would have held him, unless for some likely case of aberration, it is necessary that a synod be held and the matter be brought out into the open, if any charge would be brought against him."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 152.
Thursday 3 June 2010
Love & the Burdens of Office
Letter 1,31 - to Philip, count of the imperial guard. February 591.
"I was not worthy to take on the burdens of the episcopate, yet I subjected myself to the command of almighty God and to your wishes, you who wanted me to preside over this office more through generosity or your kindness than by the reckoning of your judgment.
For God, because of whom you love me, unworthy as I am, has the power to recompense you for ever for this payment, so that you can find the kindness which you bestow on his unworthy servants repaid by Him many times over."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 151.
"I was not worthy to take on the burdens of the episcopate, yet I subjected myself to the command of almighty God and to your wishes, you who wanted me to preside over this office more through generosity or your kindness than by the reckoning of your judgment.
For God, because of whom you love me, unworthy as I am, has the power to recompense you for ever for this payment, so that you can find the kindness which you bestow on his unworthy servants repaid by Him many times over."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 151.
Wednesday 2 June 2010
"Each Day I Groan"
Letter 1,30 - to John ex-consul, patrician and quaestor. February 591.
"I have been made bishop not of the Romans but of the Lombards, whose treaties are swords and whose gratitude is revenge. Just see where your patronage has led me. Each day I groan and oppressed by occupations, I cannot breathe any more.
But you who are still able to do so, flee from the occupations of this world; because the more someone had made progress in it, the more fully, as I see it, he shrinks from the love of God.
Furthermore I have sent over a very sacred key from the body of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, which placed over the sick, normally produces many brilliant miracles."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 150.
"I have been made bishop not of the Romans but of the Lombards, whose treaties are swords and whose gratitude is revenge. Just see where your patronage has led me. Each day I groan and oppressed by occupations, I cannot breathe any more.
But you who are still able to do so, flee from the occupations of this world; because the more someone had made progress in it, the more fully, as I see it, he shrinks from the love of God.
Furthermore I have sent over a very sacred key from the body of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, which placed over the sick, normally produces many brilliant miracles."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 150.
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Body and Mind
Letter 1,29 - to the illustrious Andrew. February 591.
"May almighty God inform your most charming heart that, even absent in body, I have not withdrawn from love of you in my mind. For I cannot forget your goodness even if I wanted to.
But as for you knowing that I have obtained episcopal rank, if you love me, weep for me. For here the occupations of this world are so great that I see that I have almost been separated from the love of God by this episcopal rank.
I bewail this incessantly and I ask you to pray to the Lord on my behalf."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 150.
"May almighty God inform your most charming heart that, even absent in body, I have not withdrawn from love of you in my mind. For I cannot forget your goodness even if I wanted to.
But as for you knowing that I have obtained episcopal rank, if you love me, weep for me. For here the occupations of this world are so great that I see that I have almost been separated from the love of God by this episcopal rank.
I bewail this incessantly and I ask you to pray to the Lord on my behalf."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 150.
A Word of Consolation
Letter 1,28 - to Aristobulus, ex-prefect and imperial secretary. february 591.
"I have heard that you labor under some adversities. But I am not all that distressed over this. For very often a ship, able to reach the open sea after a period of good weather, is checked at the very start of its sea-voyage, with the wind against is, and driven back, it is recalled to port."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 150.
"I have heard that you labor under some adversities. But I am not all that distressed over this. For very often a ship, able to reach the open sea after a period of good weather, is checked at the very start of its sea-voyage, with the wind against is, and driven back, it is recalled to port."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 150.
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