Humility Pleasing to God

Quote from Letter to Cyriacus, bishop of Constantinople. June 597

For I call upon Jesus as my witness for my soul, that I do not want to give anyone a reason to take offence, from the highest right down to the lowest of them. I want everyone to be great and honorable, provided their honor does not detract from the honor of almighty God. For whoever seeks to be honored contrary to God, is not honorable in my view. 
But, so that you may know what feelings I have for your Beatitude, I have sent over my most beloved son and deacon, Anatole, to the feet of our most pious emperor, to give satisfaction to his piety and to your Fraternity, because I seek to harm nobody in this affair [of the (ab)use of the title oecumenical patriarch], but to defend a humility pleasing to God and the concord pleasing to the Holy Church.
And because Antichrist, the enemy of our almighty Lord, is near at hand, I keenly desire that he does not find anything of his either in the morals or even in the titles of our priests.  And so, let those things that have been introduced in a new way be removed in the same way as they were brought in, and peace in the Lord will remain for us unimpaired.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 483

Take Courage

Quote from Letter 7,27 to Narses, a religious man. June 597

Look, most charming son, the holy preacher [saint Paul] has claimed that his entrance would have been worthless, had he not endured insolent treatment. And your beloved wishes to say good things, but refuses to suffer evils. 
So it is necessary that you gird yourself more tightly amid adversities, so that adversity itself may add more to your desire for the love of God and to your concern for good advice. 
Even so, the seeds of harvest germinate with more fertility when covered with ice, and fire likewise is pressed down with a blast of air to make it flare up. Indeed, I know that from perverse comments by so many evil tongues you are suffering a violent storm, and bear in your mind floods of contradictions. But remember the Lord said through the psalmist: 'I answered you in the secret plave of the tempest, I tested you at the waters of contradiction'. For if, amid those contradicting you, you do what belongs to God, you are then proved to be a true worker.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 481

Navigating through Time

Quote from Letter 7,26 to Andrew. June 597


Our life is like a mariner's, for he who navigates must stand up, sit down and lie down. He moves as the impulse of the boat drives him. And we are just the same, whether awake or asleep, whether silent or speaking, whether lying down or walking about, whether willing or unwilling, we move daily through the movements of time to our end. 
When, therefore, the day of our end shall come, where will all that be that we seek now with so much care and collect with so much concern? 
Therefore, no honor should be sought, no riches, as all this is left behind. But if we seek good things, let us love those that we shall have without end. But if we are afraid of bad things, let us fear those thar are tolerated by reporbates without end.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 479

Blessing

Quote from Letter 7,25 to Theodore, doctor at Constantinople. June 597

And may almighty God guard you with his protection, and so grant you human thanks in an earthly palace that, after a long time, it may lead you to the eternal joys of the heavenly palace.
We are sending to you, however, a blessing of Saint Peter, prince of the apostles, whom you greatly love, a key from his most sacred body, in which iron from his chains is enclosed, so that what bound the saint's neck for his martyrdom, may free you from all your sins.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 479

The School of the Heart

Quote from Letter 7,24 to Anastasius, bishop of Antioch. June 597

For, since you have learnt the precepts of life through the teaching of the Spirit in the school of your heart, namely to despise all earthly things and to hasten to the heavenly homeland, the more you have advanced in goodness, the more you think good things about others.
But wheb in the letter of your Beatitude, I heard many things being said about me full of praise, I realized your purpose. You wanted to record not what I am, but what I ought to be. As for your saying that I ought to remember my morality, and not give way for any reason to the malignant spirit, which seeks to sift men's souls, I certainly recall that I have always had bad habits, and I am making all haste to see if I can overcome them and wipe them out.
But if, as you beliefe, I had some goodness, I trust in the help of almighty God that I have not forgotten it.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 477

Two Kinds of Contrition

Quote from Letter 7,23 to Theoctista, patrician, and Andrew. June 597

You were onwilling to tell me aboout your most serene mistress [empress Conatantina], how studiously she is reading, and how she is made contrite by her religious texts. For indeed, your presence ought to be a great advantage for her, so that, amid the turbulent affairs which she endures continually, and through which she is drawn abroard, whether she likes it or not, she may always be recalled in mind to the love of the heavenly kingdom. Whenever she sheds tears for her own soul, you should inquire, if she is still contrite through fear, of through love now.
For there are two types of contrition, as you know. One that is afraid of eternal punishments, and the other that longs for heavenly rewards, as a soul thirsting for God is first made contrite by fear, and afterwards by love.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 47