Letter 10015: It has reached us by the report of a certain Abbot that your Glory has been told by certain evil-speakers that we have a pique against you. If this is so, whosoever have made up this story have been double towards you under a show of sincerity, so as to show themselves off as faithful, and wickedly cause you to doubt us. But I, glorious daughter...
Pope Gregory the Great→Clementina, Patrician|c. 600 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
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Gregory to Clementina, Patrician.
It has come to our attention, through the report of a certain abbot, that Your Glory has been told by certain malicious people that we harbor some resentment toward you. If this is true, whoever invented this story has been two-faced with you under a show of sincerity — making themselves look loyal while wickedly causing you to doubt us.
For my part, glorious daughter, knowing your good qualities from long ago — and especially the chastity that has been your companion since youth — I have always regarded you with great respect and affection. Lest Your Glory should even now suspect that my heart has changed, I declare plainly: there is not a trace of ill feeling or anger toward you in me. Be assured that I hold you in fatherly affection.
There is, however, one thing I have been told that I ought not to pass over in silence. To suppress what needs to be said for the sake of correction would be to allow charity itself to diminish.
It has been reported to me that when someone offends you, you hold onto resentment without relenting. If this is true, then — since the more I love you, the more it grieves me — I urge you to rid yourself nobly of this fault. Do not allow the enemy to sow seeds that will choke your harvest of good works. Call to mind the words of the Lord's Prayer, and do not let blame prevail over pardon. Let the goodness of Your Glory overcome the transgressions of others. By wisely forgiving, you will make the offender more devoted to you than persistent severity ever could. Leave the person something to be ashamed of, but do not keep up what only causes them grief.
For as a rule, prudent forgiveness is far more effective for correction than harshness in taking revenge. The one approach makes a person faithful and humble; the other makes them stubborn and spiteful. We do not say this to make you abandon your zeal for what is right.
Book X, Letter 15
To Clementina, Patrician .
Gregory to Clementina, etc.
It has reached us by the report of a certain Abbot that your Glory has been told by certain evil-speakers that we have a pique against you. If this is so, whosoever have made up this story have been double towards you under a show of sincerity, so as to show themselves off as faithful, and wickedly cause you to doubt us. But I, glorious daughter, knowing your good qualities of old, and especially the chastity which has been your companion from youth, have ever regarded you with great respect and affection. But, lest even now your Glory should suspect that my heart is changed, I declare that there is not in me a scruple of ill-feeling or anger towards you; but be assured that I evince paternal affection for you. One thing, however, that has been told me I ought not to pass over in silence, lest there should begin to be a diminution of charity, if what needs to be said for amendment were suppressed.
For indeed it has been reported to me that, when any one has offended you, you retain soreness unremittingly. Now, if this is true, since the more I love you the more grieved I am, I beg that you would nobly rid yourself of this fault, and not suffer the seed of the enemy to grow to the detriment of your crop of well-doing. Let the words of the Lord's Prayer be brought back to your memory, and let not blame prevail with you over pardon. Let the goodness of your Glory get the better of transgressions, and by salubriously pardoning make the offender devoted to you more than persistent asperity can make him undevoted. Let there be left to him what may make him ashamed, and not kept up what may grieve him. For usually discreet remission has more effect for correction than strictness in executing vengeance; so much so that sometimes the one makes a man more faithful and subdued, while the other makes him obstinate and spiteful. And indeed we do not say this to you in order that you should abate your zeal for righteousness, but lest you should be in the least things such as you ought to be in the greatest. For, if ever the quality of a transgression requires severity, it should be so dealt with that both vengeance may correct the fault and grace not be denied afterwards to those that have been corrected. Seeing, then, that we warn you under the dictates of paternal affection for your soul's good, receive our words with the charity wherewith they are spoken, and take them to yourself for the advantage of your Glory, so that your good qualities may become clearer before men and very pure before Almighty God. But count on us, dearest daughter, confidently in all things, as indeed you may; and, since we always desire to hear of your prosperity, refresh us often by your letters.
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Gregory to Clementina, Patrician.
It has come to our attention, through the report of a certain abbot, that Your Glory has been told by certain malicious people that we harbor some resentment toward you. If this is true, whoever invented this story has been two-faced with you under a show of sincerity — making themselves look loyal while wickedly causing you to doubt us.
For my part, glorious daughter, knowing your good qualities from long ago — and especially the chastity that has been your companion since youth — I have always regarded you with great respect and affection. Lest Your Glory should even now suspect that my heart has changed, I declare plainly: there is not a trace of ill feeling or anger toward you in me. Be assured that I hold you in fatherly affection.
There is, however, one thing I have been told that I ought not to pass over in silence. To suppress what needs to be said for the sake of correction would be to allow charity itself to diminish.
It has been reported to me that when someone offends you, you hold onto resentment without relenting. If this is true, then — since the more I love you, the more it grieves me — I urge you to rid yourself nobly of this fault. Do not allow the enemy to sow seeds that will choke your harvest of good works. Call to mind the words of the Lord's Prayer, and do not let blame prevail over pardon. Let the goodness of Your Glory overcome the transgressions of others. By wisely forgiving, you will make the offender more devoted to you than persistent severity ever could. Leave the person something to be ashamed of, but do not keep up what only causes them grief.
For as a rule, prudent forgiveness is far more effective for correction than harshness in taking revenge. The one approach makes a person faithful and humble; the other makes them stubborn and spiteful. We do not say this to make you abandon your zeal for what is right.
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