Letter 2,14 - to Maximian, Bishop of Syracuse. 29 February 592.
"A church in fortified places ought not to be without the office of a pastor. Since therefore the church of Lipari is known to lack a bishop, for that reason let your Fraternity decide that Paulinus, bishop of the church of Taurum, should be in charge of the aforesaid church of Lipari, to show the administration of this office with vigilance in that same church, and not cease to arrange whatever he learns to be suitable for its benefits."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 201.
Showing posts with label burden of office. Show all posts
Showing posts with label burden of office. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Monday, 25 October 2010
For The Good Of Your Souls
Letter 1,79 - to the clergy and nobility of Corsica. Two equal letters. August 591.
"Although you yourselves are not upset that a church of God has been without a bishop for a very long time now, yet the care of the office we have undertaken compels us to think about its governing, and our affection for your Beloved selves very much obliges us to do so, knowing that the good of your souls depends at the same time on its proper guidance."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 191.
"Although you yourselves are not upset that a church of God has been without a bishop for a very long time now, yet the care of the office we have undertaken compels us to think about its governing, and our affection for your Beloved selves very much obliges us to do so, knowing that the good of your souls depends at the same time on its proper guidance."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 191.
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.
Monday, 31 May 2010
Following God's Will
Letter 1,26 - to Anastasius, archbishop op Corinth. February 591.
"The more inscrutable the judgements of God are, the more they should be feared by human minds. And so, because mortal reason cannot comprehend them, it must subjugate itself before them, by humbling the heart's neck, so that wherever the Lord's will leads the reason, there it follows with the obedient footsteps of the mind.
But considering that my infirmity could in no way attain to the pinnacle of the apostolic see, I preferred to decline this burden, to avoid succumbing to a charge of unjust administration in pastoral rule.
But because it is not possible to oppose the decision of the Lord who disposes, I have obediently followed what the merciful hand of the Lord wished to be done concerning me. For it was necessary for your Fraternity to be informed that, even if a occasion did not eventuate at the time, the Lord had deemed me worthy of presiding over the apostolic see, although unworthy of it."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 148.
"The more inscrutable the judgements of God are, the more they should be feared by human minds. And so, because mortal reason cannot comprehend them, it must subjugate itself before them, by humbling the heart's neck, so that wherever the Lord's will leads the reason, there it follows with the obedient footsteps of the mind.
But considering that my infirmity could in no way attain to the pinnacle of the apostolic see, I preferred to decline this burden, to avoid succumbing to a charge of unjust administration in pastoral rule.
But because it is not possible to oppose the decision of the Lord who disposes, I have obediently followed what the merciful hand of the Lord wished to be done concerning me. For it was necessary for your Fraternity to be informed that, even if a occasion did not eventuate at the time, the Lord had deemed me worthy of presiding over the apostolic see, although unworthy of it."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 148.
Monday, 24 May 2010
Intercessor for a Sinful People
Letter 1,24 - to John of Constantinople, Eulogius of Alexandria, Gregory of Antioch and John of Jerusalem, and to Anastasius ex-patriach of Antioch, from the same original. February, 591.
"(For) why is a bishop chosen before the Lord except to intercede on behalf of sinful people? And so with what confidence do I come before Him as an intercessor for other people's sins when I am not secure about my own sins in his presence?
Just suppose somebody appearing before a man of power were to ask that I become his intercessor, and that man of power was both angry with him and unknown to me, I should reply at once; 'I cannot come to intercede, because I have no knowledge of him from a long-time friendship.'
Therefore if I should rightly blush to become an intercessor as a man before another man, about whom I would make no presumption, what great audacity it is to hold the position of the people's intercessor before God, when I do not recognize myself as a friend of His due to a life of merit.
In which matter there is still something else, which I should fear more seriously. For as we all clearly know, when one who displeases is sent to intercede, the mind of an angry party is provoked to a worse state. And I am extremely afraid that the Christian people entrusted to me may perish with the addition of my guilt, whose faults our Lord always used to tolerate with equanimity hitherto. But whenever I somehow suppress this fear and apply my consoled mind to the studies of pontifical work, considering the very immensity of the business, I am terrified."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 135.
"(For) why is a bishop chosen before the Lord except to intercede on behalf of sinful people? And so with what confidence do I come before Him as an intercessor for other people's sins when I am not secure about my own sins in his presence?
Just suppose somebody appearing before a man of power were to ask that I become his intercessor, and that man of power was both angry with him and unknown to me, I should reply at once; 'I cannot come to intercede, because I have no knowledge of him from a long-time friendship.'
Therefore if I should rightly blush to become an intercessor as a man before another man, about whom I would make no presumption, what great audacity it is to hold the position of the people's intercessor before God, when I do not recognize myself as a friend of His due to a life of merit.
In which matter there is still something else, which I should fear more seriously. For as we all clearly know, when one who displeases is sent to intercede, the mind of an angry party is provoked to a worse state. And I am extremely afraid that the Christian people entrusted to me may perish with the addition of my guilt, whose faults our Lord always used to tolerate with equanimity hitherto. But whenever I somehow suppress this fear and apply my consoled mind to the studies of pontifical work, considering the very immensity of the business, I am terrified."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 135.
Sunday, 16 May 2010
The Burden of Office
Letter 1,20 - to Natalis, bishop of Salona. January 591.
"(R)eason was advising us to rejoice with you over your rank as bishop. For that reason, made more joyful because of your greeting, we describe our feelings, admitting that I have taken on the burdens of this same office with a heavy heart. But because I was not able to fight against divine decrees, I have by necessity recalled my mind to a happier state.
For which reason, we beseech your Reverence with the words of this letter that we ourselves may enjoy the solace of your prayer, as does the Christian flock committed to our care, so that we can thereby overcome the storms of these times with the firmness of your support."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 133.
"(R)eason was advising us to rejoice with you over your rank as bishop. For that reason, made more joyful because of your greeting, we describe our feelings, admitting that I have taken on the burdens of this same office with a heavy heart. But because I was not able to fight against divine decrees, I have by necessity recalled my mind to a happier state.
For which reason, we beseech your Reverence with the words of this letter that we ourselves may enjoy the solace of your prayer, as does the Christian flock committed to our care, so that we can thereby overcome the storms of these times with the firmness of your support."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 133.
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