Letter 3,47 - to Bishop Columbus. July 593
"I congratulate you and praise God our Creator especially, who does not deny the gifts of his mercy to his humble servants. For this reason I truly confess that your Fraternity has so inspired me to love you with the flame of charity, and that my spirit has been so united with yours, that I both long to see you, and yet in your absence I shall always think of you in my heart. For the union of minds in love can certainly show more honor than bodily presence. Furthermore with all my mind, with all my heart and with all my soul, I know that you adhere even now to the apostolic see, and are devoted to it, and before your letter gave witness of this devotion, I knew it full well."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 265.
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Friday, 11 March 2011
Good, Dust And Ashes
Letter 3,4 - to Boniface, bishop of Reggio. September 592
"I have learnt from certain persons coming to Rome, that your Fraternity is very active in works of charity, and I thanked almighty God, because in accordance with the words of that outstanding preacher, ' we now live, if you stand form in the Lord' .
But I must admit that my mind was greatly troubled by the fact that you ourself have announced these same works to many others.
From this fact i have gathered that your object must have been to please not the eyes of God, but the judgment of man.
Wherefore, my dear brother, when your actions are good outwardly, you must guard those within with great care, to prevent the desire of pleasing men from creeping in, and to prevent all the labor of your good deeds from becoming to nothing.
For who are we, who seek to be pleased by men? What are we other than dust and ashes?"
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 237.
"I have learnt from certain persons coming to Rome, that your Fraternity is very active in works of charity, and I thanked almighty God, because in accordance with the words of that outstanding preacher, ' we now live, if you stand form in the Lord' .
But I must admit that my mind was greatly troubled by the fact that you ourself have announced these same works to many others.
From this fact i have gathered that your object must have been to please not the eyes of God, but the judgment of man.
Wherefore, my dear brother, when your actions are good outwardly, you must guard those within with great care, to prevent the desire of pleasing men from creeping in, and to prevent all the labor of your good deeds from becoming to nothing.
For who are we, who seek to be pleased by men? What are we other than dust and ashes?"
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 237.
Sunday, 19 December 2010
About Castor
Letter 2,25 - to John, bishop of Ravenna. April 592.
"Your Fraternity showed your compassion, keen before to visit our brother and fellow-bishop Castor, suiting your convenience, and also to receive him afterwards in the city of Ravenna, because of the growing sickness of his body.
Wherefore you have without doubt indebted not just us, for the charity given by you, but God as well. For you have proved that you felt compassion over a brother's illness, and have not only visited him when sick with bodily pains, but also received him at your home.
In fact I myself refused totally to consecrate him there, because of his simple-mindedness. But the insistence of his supporters brought it about that I could in no way speak against him. But if it ca be done, you will greatly benefit me and yourself if you send him down to me even via Sicily, provided you judge that the journey is not painful for him."
"Your Fraternity showed your compassion, keen before to visit our brother and fellow-bishop Castor, suiting your convenience, and also to receive him afterwards in the city of Ravenna, because of the growing sickness of his body.
Wherefore you have without doubt indebted not just us, for the charity given by you, but God as well. For you have proved that you felt compassion over a brother's illness, and have not only visited him when sick with bodily pains, but also received him at your home.
In fact I myself refused totally to consecrate him there, because of his simple-mindedness. But the insistence of his supporters brought it about that I could in no way speak against him. But if it ca be done, you will greatly benefit me and yourself if you send him down to me even via Sicily, provided you judge that the journey is not painful for him."
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Practicalities
Letter 1,44 - to Sub-deacon Peter. June 591.
"The commandments of God exhort us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and when they order us to love them with charity, how much more ought we to help them with subsidies for their bodily necessities, so as to relieve their shortages in these, if not in all ways, at least with a few provisions!
Since, therefore, we have seen that this Filimuth, son of a most worthy gentleman, suffers need not only through the loss of sight but also from a shortage of provisions, we have thought it necessary, as far as possibility allows it, to provide him with a decision.
Therefore, with this present order we instruct your Experience to supply him with twenty four measures of wheat each year, and twelve measures of beans also and twenty casks of wine, for the maintenance of his life."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 170.
"The commandments of God exhort us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and when they order us to love them with charity, how much more ought we to help them with subsidies for their bodily necessities, so as to relieve their shortages in these, if not in all ways, at least with a few provisions!
Since, therefore, we have seen that this Filimuth, son of a most worthy gentleman, suffers need not only through the loss of sight but also from a shortage of provisions, we have thought it necessary, as far as possibility allows it, to provide him with a decision.
Therefore, with this present order we instruct your Experience to supply him with twenty four measures of wheat each year, and twelve measures of beans also and twenty casks of wine, for the maintenance of his life."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 170.
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