Letter 1027: In proportion as the judgments of God are unsearchable ought they to be an object of fear to human apprehension; so that mortal reason, being unable to comprehend them, may of necessity bow under them the neck of a humble heart, to the end that it may follow with the mind's obedient steps where the will of the Ruler may lead. I, then, considerin...
Pope Gregory the Great→Anastasius|c. 590 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
Travel & mobility; Personal friendship; Economic matters
Book I, Letter 27
To Anastasius, Archbishop of Corinth [a major city in Greece].
Gregory to Anastasius.
The more God's judgments exceed our understanding, the more they ought to inspire something like awe. When reason can't follow, the only honest response is to lower your head and go where the will of our Ruler leads.
I knew my own limitations were no match for the demands of the apostolic See [the papacy]. I would rather have refused this. I was afraid that in accepting pastoral authority I'd only fail in it. But there's no arguing with God's will, so I followed the path that opened in front of me.
You should have heard this news from me regardless, but since an occasion has presented itself — I'm sending Boniface the defensor [a church legal advocate] as my representative — I'm glad to not only pass along the fraternal greetings I owe you, but to formally inform you of my ordination, which I know you'd want to know.
Write back. Tell me how things stand with you and with the Church's unity — the physical distance between us doesn't need to mean silence. And since I'm dispatching Boniface on urgent business to the Emperor in Constantinople, and travel these days is full of complications, I'm asking you to give him whatever he needs — supplies for the road, help arranging sea passage — so he can get there and back as quickly as possible.
Book I, Letter 27
To Anastasius, Archbishop of Corinth.
Gregory to Anastasius, etc.
In proportion as the judgments of God are unsearchable ought they to be an object of fear to human apprehension; so that mortal reason, being unable to comprehend them, may of necessity bow under them the neck of a humble heart, to the end that it may follow with the mind's obedient steps where the will of the Ruler may lead. I, then, considering that my infirmity cannot reach to the height of the apostolic See, had rather have declined this burden, lest, having pastoral rule, I should succumb in action through inadequate administration. But, since it is not for us to go against the will of the Lord who disposes all, I obediently followed the way in which it pleased the merciful hand of the Ruler to deal with me. For it was necessary that your Fraternity should be informed, even though the present opportunity had not occurred, how the Lord had vouchsafed that I, however unworthy, should preside over the apostolic See. Since, then, reason required this to be done, and an opportunity having occurred through our sending to you the bearer of these presents, that is, Boniface the guardian (defensorem), we are careful not only to offer to your Fraternity by letter the good wishes of charity, but also to inform you of our ordination, as we believe you would wish us to do. Wherefore let your Charity, by a letter in reply, cause us to rejoice for the unity of the Church and the acceptable news of your own welfare; to the end that our bodily absence from each other, which distance of place causes us to endure, may become as presence through interchange of letters. We exhort you, also, since we have dispatched the above-mentioned bearer of these presents on certain necessary business to the feet of the most clement prince, and since the mutability of the time is wont to generate many hindrances on the way, that your priestly affection would bestow upon him whatever may be necessary either in provision for his journey by land or in procuring for him the means of navigation, that through God's mercy, he may be able the more quickly to accomplish his intended journey.
Gregorius Anastasio archiepiscopo ® Corinthi.
Judicia-Dei quanto sunt invesligabilia, tanto de-
et quem prius spiritaliter diligebatis', postea, ut B bent humanis sensibus esse metuenda ; ut quia ea
#stimo, temporaliter amantes, usque ad terram me
Superposito onere depressistis ; ita ut omnem mentis
rectitudinem funditus perdens, contemplationi>que
aciem amiltens, non per prophetiz spiritum, sed
per experimentum dicam : Incurvatus sum, et humi-
liatus 8um usquequaque (Pal. cxvin, 107). Tanta me
quippe occupationum onera deprimunt, ut ad su-
perna animus nullatenus erigatur. Multis causarum
fNuctibus quatior, et post illa quietis otia, tumuliuoszx
vite tempestatibus aſſligor, ita ut recte dicam : Veni
in altitudinem maris, ct tempestus demersit me (Psal.
LxVIl, 3). Periclitanli igitur mihi manum orationis
veslrz lendite, vos qui in virtutum littore Statis.
Quod vero me os Domini, quod lucernam dicitis,
quod loquendo multis prodesse, -mullisque posse
lucere perhibetis, #xsslimationem mihi meam, ſateor,
in dubietatem maxiwmam perduxistis. Cunsidero
namque qui sum, et nihil in me ex hujus boni signo
deprebendo. Considero autem qui estis, et vos men-
tiri posse non arbitror. Cum ergo credere volo quod
dicitis, contradicit mihi infirmitas mea. Cum dispu-
tare volo quod in Jaude mea dicitur, contradlicit
mihi sanctitas vestra. Sed quzeso, vir sancte, -nobis
aliquid de hoc certamine nostro conveniat, ut elsi
non quod dicitis ita est, sit ita quia dicitis. Prxterea
Sicuti Þ patriarchis SI aliis patribus vestris, 8yno-
◆
Book I, Letter 27
To Anastasius, Archbishop of Corinth [a major city in Greece].
Gregory to Anastasius.
The more God's judgments exceed our understanding, the more they ought to inspire something like awe. When reason can't follow, the only honest response is to lower your head and go where the will of our Ruler leads.
I knew my own limitations were no match for the demands of the apostolic See [the papacy]. I would rather have refused this. I was afraid that in accepting pastoral authority I'd only fail in it. But there's no arguing with God's will, so I followed the path that opened in front of me.
You should have heard this news from me regardless, but since an occasion has presented itself — I'm sending Boniface the defensor [a church legal advocate] as my representative — I'm glad to not only pass along the fraternal greetings I owe you, but to formally inform you of my ordination, which I know you'd want to know.
Write back. Tell me how things stand with you and with the Church's unity — the physical distance between us doesn't need to mean silence. And since I'm dispatching Boniface on urgent business to the Emperor in Constantinople, and travel these days is full of complications, I'm asking you to give him whatever he needs — supplies for the road, help arranging sea passage — so he can get there and back as quickly as possible.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
Gregorius Anastasio archiepiscopo ® Corinthi. Judicia-Dei quanto sunt invesligabilia, tanto de-
et quem prius spiritaliter diligebatis', postea, ut B bent humanis sensibus esse metuenda ; ut quia ea
#stimo, temporaliter amantes, usque ad terram me Superposito onere depressistis ; ita ut omnem mentis rectitudinem funditus perdens, contemplationi>que aciem amiltens, non per prophetiz spiritum, sed per experimentum dicam : Incurvatus sum, et humi- liatus 8um usquequaque (Pal. cxvin, 107). Tanta me quippe occupationum onera deprimunt, ut ad su- perna animus nullatenus erigatur. Multis causarum fNuctibus quatior, et post illa quietis otia, tumuliuoszx vite tempestatibus aſſligor, ita ut recte dicam : Veni in altitudinem maris, ct tempestus demersit me (Psal. LxVIl, 3). Periclitanli igitur mihi manum orationis veslrz lendite, vos qui in virtutum littore Statis. Quod vero me os Domini, quod lucernam dicitis, quod loquendo multis prodesse, -mullisque posse lucere perhibetis, #xsslimationem mihi meam, ſateor, in dubietatem maxiwmam perduxistis. Cunsidero namque qui sum, et nihil in me ex hujus boni signo deprebendo. Considero autem qui estis, et vos men- tiri posse non arbitror. Cum ergo credere volo quod dicitis, contradicit mihi infirmitas mea. Cum dispu- tare volo quod in Jaude mea dicitur, contradlicit mihi sanctitas vestra. Sed quzeso, vir sancte, -nobis aliquid de hoc certamine nostro conveniat, ut elsi non quod dicitis ita est, sit ita quia dicitis. Prxterea Sicuti Þ patriarchis SI aliis patribus vestris, 8yno-