Gregory the Great

The government of souls is the art of arts.

A Patristic Treasury: Early Church Wisdom for Today, edited by James R. Payton, Jr

Knowing vs. Doing

There are some who investigate spiritual precepts with shrewd diligence, but in the life they live trample on what they have penetrated by their understanding. They hasten to teach what they have learned, not by practice, but by study, and belie in their conduct what they teach by words.

“Do as I say, not as I do” is not the Christian life.

Doctrine taught does not penetrate the minds of the needy, if a compassionate heart does not commend it to the hearts of hearers…

Hypocrites and their teaching are easily and quickly disregarded.

The words of a preacher should be quickly adapted to the life led by the hearer.

Unless the preacher falls into the above category, I guess. Then it is time to find a new preacher.

Sin

Pleasure not repressed in thought gains mastery in act.

There is no virtue in subduing the flesh, if the spirit is overcome by anger.

Jesus taught this, in the Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5: 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Once the thoughts gain space in our heart, the actions come more easily.

By our neglect to guard against idle words, we come to utter harmful ones.

This one hits close to home, when casual words come too quickly and without thought as to how these might be received.

If those who make peace are called the children of God, surely those who disturb it are the children of Satan.

Since nothing is more esteemed by God than the virtue of love, nothing is more desired by the devil than its extinction.

A life without love and without peace; surely it is the desire of Satan.

The quarrelsome are to be admonished to know for certain that however great the virtues which they have, they cannot become spiritual at all if they disregard union in concord with their neighbors.

Those who wrangle are to be admonished to bear in mind that they offer God no sacrifice of a good work so long as they are in disaccord with the love of neighbors.

It is in our love of neighbor that our virtues are demonstrated, proven, and purified.

We sin greatly if we do not regard with affection the good deeds of others.

A sincere “thank you” goes a long way.

Love

God accepts only that sacrifice which, in His eyes, is enkindled by the flame of love on the alter of good works.

Without love – true love – our good works are of no worth.

Those greatly misjudge their good deeds who think that human approval is a sufficient reward. Actually, when transitory praise is sought for a good deed, then what is worthy of an eternal reward is sold for a trifling price.

I think about all of the “charitable work” that comes with a name tag: the donors name on the hospital, or the library on campus, or even on the art at church. Why? Only for ego, only for pride.

We remember what Jesus taught:

Matthew 6: 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Metropolitan Hilarion wrote of this teaching: “The meaning of this expression is that a person, having done a good deed, must forget about it as soon as possible.”

It’s hard to forget about your good deed if your name is plastered on every one of your “good” deeds.

The peaceable are also to be admonished not to desire human peace too much and so fail entirely to reprove the evil conduct of people.

Peace with your neighbor at any cost? Not in the battle for his soul.

When we administer necessities to the needy, we give them what is their own, not what is ours; we pay a debt of justice, rather than a work of mercy… It is surely a matter of justice that they who receive what is bestowed by the Lord of all should use it for the common good.

We are stewards of God’s property. It isn’t ours. He has told us what to do with His property – and to do as He commanded is just.

The married are…also to be admonished to consider not so much what each has to endure from the other, as what the other is made to endure.

Today is Sermon on the Mount Day, it seems:

Matthew 7: 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

Of course, we are to discern. Just keep in mind, the standard which you use is the standard by which you will be judged. As Lloyd-Jones explained: “Our Lord is really declaring that God Himself, in this judgement which I have been describing, will judge us according to our own standards.”

3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Humility

Why, then, is it considered hard that one should endure stripes from God for his evil-doing, if God endured so great evil in requital for His own good deeds?

It is at the same time impossible to comprehend the humility of God enduring this for us, and impossible for us to approach even a fraction of His humility in doing so.

We are (I am) without excuse.

Other

The mind that is under the slavery of fear does not know the grace of liberty.

I think this means that we should not be afraid of the things we are told to fear all around us, because the grace of liberty afforded to us…. What am I trying to say?

I fear many things on this earth – name your own poisons here. The grace of liberty given to me from God allows me to overcome the one fear that really matters.

Biographies / Sources

Gregory (c. 540 – 604) served as bishop of Rome from 590 to 604. He was born into an illustrious family, yet sold all his possession, established a monastery, and became a monk. Preferring the contemplative life, he nevertheless attracted attention, much to his chagrin. When the pope died, the people clamored for Gregory.

From Payton: “Gregory was the last of the Latin Church Fathers, he has also been called the first of the medieval popes.”