Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari).
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Epistle IV.
To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari).
Gregory to Januarius, a Bishop of Sardinia.
We knew before the letter of your Fraternity reached us what our enemies had effected in Sardinia. And, having
for some time feared that this would be so, we now groan with you on
what we foresaw having come to pass. But, if attention had been
paid to what we wrote to our most excellent son Gennadius3
| 3 Gennadius was Exarch of
Africa. | , as well as to yourself, telling you that
this would be so, the enemy would either not have come into your
regions, or, when they came, they would have incurred the danger which
they have caused. Even now, then, let what has happened sharpen
your vigilance for the future. For we, too, by no means omit
whatever we are able to do for good, the Lord helping us.
Know, moreover, that the abbot4
| 4 Probably the Abbot
Probos. See IX. 43, 9. | whom,
now a considerable time ago, we sent to Agilulph, has by the mercy of
God arranged a peace with him, so far as was directed in writing by the
most excellent Exarch. And so, till such time as the agreements
for the confirmation of this peace shall be drawn up, lest perchance
our enemies during the present delay should be inclined to come again
into those parts, do you cause watches of the walls to be kept up, and
careful attention given in all places. And we trust in the power
of our Redeemer that the incursions or plots of our adversaries will
not injure you anew.
As to your saying in your letter that many persons lay complaints against you before us, this is true; but among various
things nothing has distressed us so much as what our most beloved son,
the abbot Cyriacus, has reported to us; namely, that on the
Lord’s day before mass you caused a crop of corn to be ploughed
up in the field which is in the possession of Donatus, and, as if that
were not enough, went, after the sacrifice was finished, in person to
the place, and dug up the boundaries5
. For this
reason I exhort thee to consider with anxious attention the office
which thou bearest, and to avoid entirely whatever may injure thy
reputation or thy soul, and let no one persuade thee to do the like
again. For know that thou hast not undertaken the care of earthly
things, but the leadership of souls. On this, therefore, thou
oughtest to fix thy heart, thy anxiety, thy entire devotion., and to
give thy diligent thought to the winning of souls, that when thou shalt
render to the Lord at His coming the talents that He has delivered to
thee multiplied, thou mayest be counted worthy to receive from Him the
fruit of retribution, and to be exalted among His faithful servants in
eternal glory. Know, however, that what I now say in the way of
reproach or blame comes not from asperity, but from brotherly love,
since I desire thee to be found a priest before Almighty God, not in
name only, which tends only to punishment, but also in desert, which
looks to recompense. For, we being one member in the body of our
Redeemer, as I am rent asunder in thy fault, so also am I rejoiced in
thy good conduct.
Furthermore, with regard to your desire that we should depute a person from our side
(a nostro latere), to whom you may communicate in detail the
cases that are to be referred to us, write whatever you will to our
most beloved son Peter and to Theodore the counsellor
(consiliario), that, when it has been communicated to us through
them, whatever reason may commend may be settled, the Lord revealing
the way. Moreover, concerning our brother and fellow-bishop
Marinianus6
| 6 A bishop in Sardinia, see
I. 61. What his case was does not appear. | , cognizance will be taken, when peace with the
aforesaid Agilulph shall have been fully confirmed, and whatever the
order of reason may dictate will be done.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
