Quote from Letter 4,38 to Marcellus, a scholastic. July 594.
Our love of your Glory is always so alive in our heart that the absence of your body does not keep you away at al. For although you are far from our earthly eyes you are never out of our mind's sight. For our wish frequently drives us eagerly to writing letters, but our occupation does not allow it. And so, while your Nobility's experience may not be ignorant of the weighty occupations in which out office is involved, you should consider it due to necessity, not to our wishes, that we sometimes have a break from the duty of writing letters.
But because your Glory in your letter wants to hear from us later, we do not see with what excuse we can defend ourselves. Therefore, in this matter I should have defended myself with silence alone, but the ardor of my love did not let my tongue keep quiet.
Therefore, we greet you with all our affection and sweetness, and admit that we are greatly saddened. For you have wished to seek from us those things over which, while we are unable to satisfy your wish since reason disapproves, we may seem to sadden you, which we do not wish.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 318
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Monday, 12 September 2011
Friendship
Letter 3,65 - to Theotimis, physician. August 593
"There were some ancient philosophers who said that there was one soul in two bodies, not joining the two with love, but dividing the single substance of the soul into two. But we say by contrast that we have one soul, not by dividing the substance, but by joining hearts. For it was written about those first Christians: "there was in them one heart and one soul." I read this in the Acts of the Apostles in such a way that I recognize it in the case of Lord Theotimus and me.
For he is such a kindred spirit, that when present in body he never lets me down, and when absent in body, he is always made present through the spirit.
And I offer thanks to almighty Lord, who fills the innermost parts of our mind with the grace of his love."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 286.
"There were some ancient philosophers who said that there was one soul in two bodies, not joining the two with love, but dividing the single substance of the soul into two. But we say by contrast that we have one soul, not by dividing the substance, but by joining hearts. For it was written about those first Christians: "there was in them one heart and one soul." I read this in the Acts of the Apostles in such a way that I recognize it in the case of Lord Theotimus and me.
For he is such a kindred spirit, that when present in body he never lets me down, and when absent in body, he is always made present through the spirit.
And I offer thanks to almighty Lord, who fills the innermost parts of our mind with the grace of his love."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 286.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
In Respons To Your Letter....
Letter 3,52 - to John, bishop of Constantinopel. July 593
"Would it not have been better that meat went in that mouth for consumption, than that a false story should come out of it to mock a very close friend? Especially when Truth says: 'It is not what enters one mouth that defiles that person, but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one'.
But let this not be true, so that I not believe something of that sort about your most holy heart. Those letters were marked by your name at the top, but I do not think that they were yours.
I had written to that most blessed man, Lord John, but I believe that a quite young servant of yours wrote back to me, who has learnt nothing about God so far, who does not know the inner parts of love, who is accused by all for his sinful actions, and who contrives each day the deaths of various people through secret testaments. And yet neither fears God nor shows shame before men. Believe me, most holy brother, if you have a perfect zeal for truth, first correct yourself, so that besides those who are close to you, those also who are not close to you may be changed for the better by your example. Do not accept that man's utterance. He ought to be directer to the counsel of your Holiness, and your Holiness ought not to be altered to his words. For if you listen to him, I know that you will not be able to have peace with your brethren."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 270.
"Would it not have been better that meat went in that mouth for consumption, than that a false story should come out of it to mock a very close friend? Especially when Truth says: 'It is not what enters one mouth that defiles that person, but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one'.
But let this not be true, so that I not believe something of that sort about your most holy heart. Those letters were marked by your name at the top, but I do not think that they were yours.
I had written to that most blessed man, Lord John, but I believe that a quite young servant of yours wrote back to me, who has learnt nothing about God so far, who does not know the inner parts of love, who is accused by all for his sinful actions, and who contrives each day the deaths of various people through secret testaments. And yet neither fears God nor shows shame before men. Believe me, most holy brother, if you have a perfect zeal for truth, first correct yourself, so that besides those who are close to you, those also who are not close to you may be changed for the better by your example. Do not accept that man's utterance. He ought to be directer to the counsel of your Holiness, and your Holiness ought not to be altered to his words. For if you listen to him, I know that you will not be able to have peace with your brethren."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 270.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Support And Care
Letter 3,31 - to Romanus, patrician and exarch of Italy. April 593.
"Therefore we pay with paternal affection the debt of a greeting which we owe, and we request that, whether the aforesaid Constantius shall have been consecrated bishop or not, your Excellency may agree to provide him with your support where it is necessary, with the favor of justice.
Thus this service may both exalt you here among your enemies, and for your future life may commend you before God, in anticipation. For he is very special to me and we have long shared a great friendship. And those whom you recognize as friends, you ought to considers as yours particularly."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 256.
"Therefore we pay with paternal affection the debt of a greeting which we owe, and we request that, whether the aforesaid Constantius shall have been consecrated bishop or not, your Excellency may agree to provide him with your support where it is necessary, with the favor of justice.
Thus this service may both exalt you here among your enemies, and for your future life may commend you before God, in anticipation. For he is very special to me and we have long shared a great friendship. And those whom you recognize as friends, you ought to considers as yours particularly."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 256.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
An (Allmost) Unconditional Friendship
Letter 1,22 - to George, praetorian prefect of Italy. February 591.
"The goodness of your Excellency I have always knows, and now I have renewed my knowledge of it with an added experience. Wherefore I pray to our almighty Lord to guard you with his protection, and to bestow his grace on you both in Heaven and in the palace of our most serene emperor. If no depravities of men who are among us force us apart, know with full certainty that I am your friend."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 134.
"The goodness of your Excellency I have always knows, and now I have renewed my knowledge of it with an added experience. Wherefore I pray to our almighty Lord to guard you with his protection, and to bestow his grace on you both in Heaven and in the palace of our most serene emperor. If no depravities of men who are among us force us apart, know with full certainty that I am your friend."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 134.
A Promise
Letter 1,21 - to Nonnosus. February 591.
"May almighty God make known to your heart with what great devotion I am united with you. Although I cannot fulfill it through a letter, yet if ever I find an opportunity, I shall take care to show it to you with my deeds."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 133.
"May almighty God make known to your heart with what great devotion I am united with you. Although I cannot fulfill it through a letter, yet if ever I find an opportunity, I shall take care to show it to you with my deeds."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 133.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Comfort and Pain
Letter 1,7 - to Bishop Anastasius. October 590.
"I have received your Grace's letters as a tired man receives rest, a sick man health, a thirsty man a spring, and a hot one shade. For those words did not seem to have been expressed through a carnal tongue, but each word so revealed the spiritual love which you bore, it was just as if your mind were speaking all on its own. But what followed was very harsh, as your love ordered me to bear earthly burdens. Whom you loved spiritually before, loving afterwards with a temporal love, in my opinion, you forced me right down to the ground, with the burden placed on top of me, so that totally losing rectitude of mind, and giving away the clarity of contemplation, I can say, not through the spirit of the prophet but through my own experience: 'I have been in every way cast down and humiliated' (Ps 118:107)."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 126.
"I have received your Grace's letters as a tired man receives rest, a sick man health, a thirsty man a spring, and a hot one shade. For those words did not seem to have been expressed through a carnal tongue, but each word so revealed the spiritual love which you bore, it was just as if your mind were speaking all on its own. But what followed was very harsh, as your love ordered me to bear earthly burdens. Whom you loved spiritually before, loving afterwards with a temporal love, in my opinion, you forced me right down to the ground, with the burden placed on top of me, so that totally losing rectitude of mind, and giving away the clarity of contemplation, I can say, not through the spirit of the prophet but through my own experience: 'I have been in every way cast down and humiliated' (Ps 118:107)."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 126.
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