Letter 7079: A dispute has arisen between the father of a monastery — its abbot or founder — and the bishop with jurisdiction...

To Anastasius the presbyter. Concerning the removal of the dispute that had arisen between the father of the monastery which is called Neas [the New] and the bishop of Jerusalem. Gregory to Anastasius the presbyter. That a good man brings forth good things out of the good treasure of his heart (Matthew 12:35; Luke 6:45), this your Charity has shown me both by always living so, and now by speaking to me in your letter; in which I found two men, as it were, contending about the virtues, namely you contending on behalf of charity, and another on behalf of fear and humility. And although occupied with many things, and although ignorant of the Greek tongue, I nevertheless sat as judge in your contention; but, the truth having been sought out, in my judgment you yourself overcame your opponent by the apostolic sentence which I set forth for you who were contending: That fear is not in charity, but perfect charity casts out fear. For fear has punishment; and he who fears is not perfect in charity (cf. 1 John 4:18). And so I know how perfect your Fraternity is in charity. And because he loves Almighty God much, it is fitting that he presume much concerning his neighbor. For places or ranks do not make us neighbors to our Creator, but either good merits join us to Him, or evil ones disjoin us. Since therefore it is still uncertain who is of what sort within, why did you not dare to write, while you are ignorant which of us, between me and you, is the superior? And indeed I know that you live well, but I know myself to be burdened with many sins. But even if you are yourself a sinner, you are nevertheless much better than I, because you carry only your own sins, whereas I carry both my own and the sins of those who have been committed to me. In this therefore I behold you as lofty, in this I behold you as great, because before human eyes you have by no means advanced into a great and lofty place; in which often, while honor is bestowed outwardly by men, one is burdened. But to you Almighty God [grants], according to that which is written: He disposed ascents in his heart, in the vale of tears (Psalm 83[84]:6-7). But you could have appeared much loftier than I, much more sublime, if you had not undertaken the leadership of the monastery which is called Neas, because in that same monastery, as I hear, the appearance of monks is indeed maintained, but many worldly things are done under the habit of sanctity. But I shall reckon that you have attained even to this by heavenly grace, if those things which in that place displease Almighty God are corrected under your guidance. But because between the father of that same monastery and the pastor of the Church of Jerusalem there have always been accustomed to be quarrels, I believe that Almighty God therefore willed your Love and my most holy brother and fellow priest Amos to be at Jerusalem at one time, so that the quarrels which I have mentioned might be done away with. Now therefore show how much you loved one another before. I know that both of you are abstinent, both learned, both humble; whence it is necessary that the glory of our Savior, according to the voice of the Psalm, be praised on the timbrel and in the choir (Psalm 150:4). For in the timbrel the sound comes from dry skin, but in the choir from the concord of voices. What therefore is designated by the timbrel but abstinence, what by the choir but unanimity? Since therefore through abstinence you praise the Lord on the timbrel, I beg that through unanimity you may praise Him in the choir. Through itself also Truth says: Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among yourselves (Mark 9:49[50]). What is designated by salt but Wisdom, as Paul attests who says: Let your speech be always in grace, seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). Since therefore we know that you have salt through the doctrine of the heavenly word, it remains that through the grace of charity you also hold peace among yourselves with your whole heart. These things, dearest brother, I say because I love you both much, and I altogether greatly fear lest the sacrifices of your prayers be stained by some dissension among you. But the blessing which you transmitted, both formerly through Exhilaratus the secundicerius [a notary rank], and afterward through Sabinianus the deacon, I received with thanksgiving, because it was fitting that you should transmit holy things from a holy place, and demonstrate from your own gift to Him to whom you continually minister. May Almighty God protect you with His right hand, and keep you unharmed from all evils. (Cf. John the Deacon, Book 4, ch. 61.)

AD ANASTASIUM PRESBYTERUM. De contentione tollenda que inter patrem monas!erii, quod Neas dicitur, et Jerosolymorum episcopum exorta- eral, Gregorius ®* Anastasio presbybero. Quia bonus homo de bono tnesauro cordis $ui bo- na proferat (Malth. x11, 35; Luc. vi, 45), boe tua charitas et Þ semper vivendo, et modo mihi in epis- tola 81a loquendo monstravit; in qua inveni duos quosdam de virtutibus litigantes, te videlicet pro eharitate, atque alium pro timore et humilitate contendere. Et quamvis in multis occupatus , quamvis Graeczx lingue nescius, in contentione tamen vestra -judex resedi; sed, requisita veri- tale, in meo judicio contradictorem tuum ipse vicis!i per apostolicam gententiam, quam vobis eonlendentibus protuli : Quia timor 'non est in charilale, sed perſecta charitas ſoras miltit timorem. Quoniam timor penam habet; qui aulem timet, non est perfectus in charitate, Tua itaque fraternilas quantum in charitate perſecta $1t scio. Et quia om- nipolentem Deum mulium diligit, oporlet ut de pro - xzimo multum presumat. Non enim loca vel ordines Creatori nosiro nos - proximos faciunt, sed ei nos aut merita hona jungunt, aut mala disjungunt. Quia ergo adhuc incertum est quis interius qualis sit, cur non audebas scribere, dum inter me et te quis sit Superior ignores? Et quidem bene te vivere scio, me autem multis oneratum peccatis novi. Sed etsi ipse peccater es, me tamen multo melior, quia tu tua lantummodo, ego vero et eorum qui mihi commissi $Unt peccata porto. In hoc ergo te altum, in hoc te magnum aspicio, FFQ quia ante humanos oculos in magno atque in alto loco minime profecisti ; in quo sxpe dum exterius ab hominibus honor tribui- Eeisr, XXXIT[Al. 29]. — *In Edit. Guss., Atha- aasio, reluclantibus Mss. et aliis super. Excusis. F-(ellit Gus+anvilleyum quod in Vulgatis legitur, presbytero Isaurie, Nempe non dubitavit quin is es<et Alhanasius, Isavriz presbyler, ad quem exstat epi>t. 67, I:b. vi. At ille in Mss. constanter appella- tur Athanasius, Eralque laurie presbyter; iste vero de quo nunc agimus miro Mss. consensu appellatur A4nas/asius; et quidem Ecclesiz Jerosolymitanz po- lus presbyter quam lsaurie censendus videltur. fa tibus gravatur. Tibi autem omnipotens Deus juxta hoc quod scriptum est : Ascengus in corde disposnit, in convalle lacrymarum (Pzal. Lxxxm, 6). Multo au- tem me altior, multo sublimior videri poteras, si neque ducatum monasterii, quod Neas dici-ur, $us- cepisses, quia in eodem monasterio, sicut audio, monachorum quidem species Llenetur, multa vero 8Ub sanclitatis habitu s2cularia aguntur. Sed etiam ad hoc te existimabo celesli gratia pervenisge, $i ea quz in locoillo omnipotenti Deo displicent te ſyeriut duce correcta. Sed quia inter pairem ejusdem monasterij, et pastorem Jerosolymorum Erclesiz semper es$6 jurgia consueverunt, credo quod omnipotens Deus C idcirco dilectionem tuam et sanctissimum frairem d] et consacerdolem meum Amos esse uno tempore Jerosolymis voluit, ut ea que predixi jurgia tole- rentur. Nunc ergo ostendite quantum vos prius amastis. Scio quia utrique abstinentes, ntrique docti, utrique humiles estis; unde necesse est ut Salvato- ris nosiri gloria juxta vocem Psalmi in tympano et choro laudetur (Pal. cr, 4). © In tympano etenim g0nus ex pelle sicca est, in choro vero Vocum Ccon- cordia. Quid igitur per tympanum nisi abslinentia, quid per chorum nisi unanimitas designatur? Quia ergo per abstinentiam Dominum laudatis in tympano, peto per unanimitatem landetis in choro, Per semet- 1psam quoque Veritas dicit : Habete sal in vobis, &t - pacem habete inter vos (Marc. 1x, 49). Quid per al nisi Sapientia designatur, Paulo attestante qui ait : Sermo vesler in gratia semper 8ale 8it conditus (Coloss. Iv, 6). Quia ergo per doctrinam verbi celestis sal habe- re vos novimus, reslat ut per charitatis gratiam ' eliam inter vos pacem toto corde tenealis. lec, charissime ſrater, dico, quia utrosque vos multum diligo, atque omnino pertimesco ne orationum ves- trarum Sacriſficia ex aliqua inter vos dis8ensione maculentur. Benedictionem vero quam et prius per Exhilara- tum 4 Secundicerium, et postmodum per Sabinianum diaconum transmisistis, cum gratiarum actione $us- cepi, quia de sancto loco decuit vos sancla transmit- tere, et cui asSidue ministratis, ex vestro ips06 mu - nere demonstrare. Omnipotens Deus Sua vos dextera protegat, atque a malis omnibus servet illesos. (Cf. Joan. Diac. 1. 1v, n. 61.) Anastasius, et epistlolam qua nuper Gregorium alio- cutus fuerat. Tympana-fiunt ex corio siccato el extento. Et in P>alm. CXLIX : In tympano coriumextenditur, in psallerio chur- de extenduntur, in utroque organo Caro cruciſiguur, Et infra : Extendatur in liqno, #t ziccelur Concupts- centia carnis ; nervi quanto plus ſuerint eatenti, tanto acutius sonant, elec. GUSSANV. EPISTOLA dy. AD WMAURICIUE AUGUSTUM. Contendit oe temere indiscretum nominatum fuisse, riacum epi m Congslaniinopoluanam, qui universalem 8e- nominat, reprehenderit. Gregorius Mauricio Augusto. Dominorum pietas provida, ne quid ſortlasse scandali in unitale sanctz Ecclesiz ex sacerdotum dissensione generari potuisset, semel ac bis &&F1 me admonere dignata est ut responsales ſratris et consacerdotis mei Cyriaci benigue susciperem eosque ad remean- dum citius relaxarem. Et licet, piissime domine, aple et provide cuncta przcipiatis, ego tamen invenio quia eorum judicio indiseretus esse ex hac tali admonitione reprehendor. Nunquidnam $i ex superbo ac profano vocabulo meus non in modico est animus vulneratus, tantz indiscretionis esse potui ut nesci- rem *® quid unitati fidei, quid concordiz ecclesiastice deberem, et fratris mei responsales et synodicam epistolam suscipere cujuslibet cause amaritudine interveniente recusarem ? Absit hoc. Nimis mihi ſue- rat desipuisse vic sapere. Aliud namque est quod conservande unitati fidei, atque aliud quod debemus compescendz elationi. Distinguenda ergo erant tem- pora, ne preadieti fratris mei ex quolibet articulo Deum dixerit, frivolum valde erit, sed tamen nimis perniciosum ? Si quantitatem sermonis altendimus, quz smnt syliabz; si vero pondus iniquilatis, universa pernicies. Ego autem fidenter dico quia quisquis $e -universalem $acerdotein vocal, vel vocari desiderat, in elatione sua Anlichristum precurrit, quia super- biendo 8e c#teris preponit. Nec dispari superbia ad errorem ducitur, quia, sicut perversus ille, Deus _ Eersr. XX XIM TAL. 19]. — * In Valic. B. quid universitati fidei. Hizc epistola et 8equens omittuntur in Vatic. C, exstant in omnibus nostris. Þ Ita vet. Editi et Mss. pene omnes. Novitas autem hic dicitur propter recens factam Cyriaci provectio- nem ad episcopatum. |n recent. Ed,, pro novilas, legitur charitas. | IE * Vatic. A, et omnes Valic., per elationem frivols nomints, SANCTI GREGORII MAGNI A videri vult super omnes homines ita quisquis isle est, qui s0lus sacerdos appellari appetit, super reli- quos 8acerdoles $e extoll. Sed quoniam Veritas dicit : Omnis qui 6 exaltat humiliabitur (Luc. xv, 11; xviu, 14), scio quia quzlibet elatio 4ante citius rumpitur, quanto amplius inflatur. Illis ergo pietas vesLra precipiat ne quod *© per appellationem frivoli nominis scandalum gignant, qui in superbiz 4 1y- pum ceciderunt. Nam peccator ego, qui auctore Deo bumilitatem teneo, admonendus ad humilitatem non Sum. Omnipotens autem Deus $erenissimi nostri vitam et ad pacem $anctz Ecclesiz et ad utilitatem reipublice Romane per &&F$Y-tempora longa custo- . diat. Certi etenim sumus quia si vos vivilis, qui coli _ Dominum timetis, nulla contra verilatem Superba B przvalere permittetis. bu