Letter 7028: Gregory to Theodore, Physician at Constantinople. My most beloved son the deacon Sabinianus , on his return to me, brought me no letter from your Glory; but he conveyed hither what had been sent for the poor and captives; whence I understood the reason. It was that you would not speak by letters to a man, having by a good deed made your address ...

Gregory to Theodore, physician at Constantinople. My most beloved son the deacon Sabinianus, on his return to me, brought no letter from your Glory -- but he did bring what you had sent for the poor and for captives, and from that I understood the reason. You chose not to speak to a man through letters, having already made your address to Almighty God through a good deed. That deed of yours has its own voice, calling to the hidden ears of God, as it is written: "Give alms in secret, and it shall plead for you." I confess it weighs on me to spend what is not my own and to add to the Church's accounts the property of my dear son the lord Theodore. Yet I rejoice in your generosity, and that you carefully observe what the Truth says: "Give alms, and all things are clean to you"; and again: "As water quenches fire, so alms quench sin." The Apostle Paul also says: "Let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may supply your want." Tobias counsels his son: "If you have much, give abundantly; if you have little, share that little willingly." You observe all these precepts. But I beg you to pray for us, that we may not distribute the fruits of your generosity carelessly or wastefully -- lest from what diminishes your sins, we heap up sins of our own. May Almighty God keep you under His protection, and so grant you favor in an earthly court as to bring you, after a long life, to the eternal joys of the heavenly court. As a blessing from Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles, whom you greatly love, I send you a key from his most sacred shrine, containing iron from his chains -- so that what bound his neck for martyrdom may loose yours from all sins.

Book VII, Letter 28 To Theodore, Physician. Gregory to Theodore, Physician at Constantinople. My most beloved son the deacon Sabinianus , on his return to me, brought me no letter from your Glory; but he conveyed hither what had been sent for the poor and captives; whence I understood the reason. It was that you would not speak by letters to a man, having by a good deed made your address to Almighty God. For this same deed of yours has a voice of its own, which calls to the secret ears of God, as it is written, Hide your alms in the bosom of the poor, and it shall entreat for you Sirach 29:15. And indeed to me, I confess, it is sad to expend what is not my own, and to add to the accounts which I keep of the substance of the Church those also of the property of my most sweet son the lord Theodore. And yet I rejoice with your benignity that you carefully attend to and observe what the Truth says; Give alms, and behold, all things are clean unto you Luke 11:41; and this which is written, Even as water quenches fire, so alms quench sin Sirach 3:33. Paul the apostle also says, Let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may be a supply to your want 2 Corinthians 8:14. Tobias admonishes his son, saying, If you have much, give abundantly; but if you have little, of that little impart willingly Tobit 4:9. You therefore observe all these precepts: but we beg you to pray for us, lest we should dispense the fruits of your labours indiscreetly, and not as need requires; lest from that whereby you diminish sins we should heap up sins. Now may Almighty God keep you under His protection, and so grant you human favour in an earthly court as to bring you after a long life to the eternal joys of a heavenly court. We send you as the benediction of Saint Peter, Prince of the apostles, whom you greatly love, a key from his most sacred body, in which is enclosed iron from his chains, that what bound his neck for martyrdom, may loose yours from all sins. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360207028.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.