Letter 8032

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Dominicus [a bishop] Date: ~598 AD Context: Gregory praises Dominicus for his modesty, charity, and reverence toward the apostolic see. Gregory to Dominicus, bishop. I have received reports of your conduct and I am pleased by them. Your modesty — which I understand to mean not false self-deprecation but the genuine humility of a man who knows himself well enough not to be inflated by position — is admirable in a bishop. Your charity toward those in need is what a bishop's charity should look like: not the charity that makes a show of itself, but the kind that actually reaches those who need it. And your reverence toward the apostolic see is noted with gratitude — not because I require flattery, but because the relationship between a bishop and the see of Peter is one that benefits both when it is conducted with genuine respect on both sides. Continue as you are. It is a good way to be. Gregory

AD DOMINICUM. Modestiam illius, charitatem, atque aposloliee gedis revereniliam laudat. Gregorins Dominico episcopo Carthaginensi. Scripta $sanclitatis vestrz#, que latore presentium « De Eudoxio hzretico vide que diximus ad epist. 4 lib. vi, nunc lib. vu. Gus8anv. Eersr. XXXI. — * Castelliense monasterium a Cassiodoro exstructum et tanti viri secessu nobilita- tum prope Squillacium «rat. De quo consule Viuam Cas+iodori ejus voperibus premissam in novissima Editione, parte 1, {F 6 et $eq. Vide eltiam Cagsiodo- rum de institntione divinarum literarum, c. 29. Eersr. XXX [AL. 15, bb. 1x, ind. 4]. — * A ple- risque Mss. abest hzc epislola. Ex omnibus Valicavis Solus eam exhibet Codex A. Legitur quoque in San Victorino. J35 SANCTI GREGORIH MAGNI deferente 8uscepimus, ita 8acerdotalem modestiam A propositum, velle cujusquam monasterii privilegiaolim luquebantur, ut auctoris sui corporalem nobis quo- dammodo prxsentiam blandirentur. Nec enim s8ermo rarus aliquid officit, ubi manet in animis continuus dilectionis afſectus. 921 Magna autem charitalis rirtus est, dilecte frater, quz sincerilatis $Uuz vin- culo alterna mutuo afſectu corda constringit, et ea a graliz non $sinit compage dissolvi : disjuncta conjun- git, unita custodit, et ignotos $ibi imagine reddit co- ginitos per amorem. Quisquis igitar in hujus cardine mentem figit, eum de Supernz patriz habitaculo cu=- juslibet adversitatis impulsio non evellit, quoniam quocunque 8$e verterit, * a mandatorum limine non excedit. Unde et in ejusdem charitatis laude per egregium przedicatorem dicitur : » Qur es! vinculum perſectionis (Coloss. 11, 14). Quantz itaque sil laudis zspicimus, quz perſectionem non solum in menle ge- nerat, sed etiam ligat. Quia igitur hnjus virtutis igne SUCCEnSUM tuarum te prodit locutio litterarum, uberi in Domino exsultatione l:tificor, atque opto ut hxc in te magis magisque resplendeat, quia lux gregis est, pastoris flamma. © Decet enim, decet dominicum zacerdotem moribus 'et vila clarescere, quatenus in eo lanquam in vite $suz speculo plebs commissa et eligere quod sequatur, et videre possit quod cor- rigat. Scientes prxeterea unde in Africanis partibus sum- pserit ordinatio sacerdotalis exordium, laudabiliter agitis quos sedem apostolicam diligendo ad officii veslri originem prudenti recordatione recurritis, el probabili in ejus affectu constantia permanetis. Cer- tum quippe est quia vestro honori additis 4 quidquid ei reverentie ac devolionis sacerdolaliter exhibetis, quia per hoc ut vicaria erga vos dilectione astringi debeat, invitatis. Quod superest, charissime ſrater, omnipoteniem Dominum assidua oratione POSCamus , quatenus cor- dis nostri gressus in veritatis 8uz tramitem dirigat; et ut ad ccelestia regaa perducat, nominis officium protectionis suz gratia operibus nos exhibere con- cedat. * Mense Augusto, indictione prima.