Letter 7011: The charity of your acts of friendship in the past has moved us to visit your Fraternity with the present letter. For we have been refreshed with great joy by learning from reports given us of your health that all is well with you. But, while this is so, we implore Almighty God, that as in the present life, which is as it were a shadow of the fu...

Gregory to Rufinus, Bishop of Ephesus. The charitable acts of friendship you have shown in the past have moved us to visit your Fraternity with this letter. For we have been greatly refreshed with joy by learning from the reports brought to us that all is well with you. Even so, we implore Almighty God that just as in this present life — which is but a shadow of the life to come — he has granted you to rejoice in the passing welfare of your body, so in that heavenly homeland where true life is found, he may cause us all to give thanks and rejoice together with a common exultation for the perfected salvation of your soul. The bearer of this letter, wishing to be commended to you by a letter from us, was asked by us whether he had received the learning appropriate to a clerk, and replied that he had not. What further commendation I can give your Fraternity on his behalf I do not know — except that you should be concerned for his soul and watch over him with pastoral care; so that, since he cannot read, your tongue may serve as a book to him, and in the goodness of your preaching and example he may find what to follow. For the living voice usually draws the heart more closely than perfunctory reading. But while you supply him inwardly as his teacher with this spiritual nourishment, let not outward care for him be lacking either — so that through that care he may come to long for spiritual things, and lest, if such care is withheld, you no longer have anyone to preach to.

Book VII, Letter 11 To Rufinus, Bishop of Ephesus. Gregory to Rufinus, etc. The charity of your acts of friendship in the past has moved us to visit your Fraternity with the present letter. For we have been refreshed with great joy by learning from reports given us of your health that all is well with you. But, while this is so, we implore Almighty God, that as in the present life, which is as it were a shadow of the future one, He has granted you to rejoice in the transitory welfare of your body, so in that heavenly country wherein is true life He may cause us to give thanks and rejoice with a common exultation for the perfected salvation of your soul. Now the bearer of this, desiring to be commended to you by a letter from us, having been asked by us whether he had learned letters as becomes a clerk, replied that he was ignorant of them. What further commendation, then, with regard to him I should give to your Fraternity I know not; except that you should be solicitous about his soul, and watch over him with pastoral zeal, so that, as he cannot read, your tongue may be a book to him, and that in the goodness of your preaching and work he may see what to follow. For the living voice usually draws the heart more closely than perfunctory reading. But, while, as his master, you supply him inwardly with this spiritual teaching, let not outward care for him also be wanting, that by its aid he come to long for spiritual things, and lest, if such aid is slighted, you should no longer have one to preach to.