Letter 9049: I received the letters of your Fraternity, rightly holding fast the profession of the faith; and I returned great thanks to Almighty God, who, when the shepherds of His flock are changed, still, even after such change, guards the faith which He once delivered to the holy Fathers. Now the excellent preacher says, Other foundation can no man lay t...

Gregory to Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch. I received the letter of your Fraternity, firmly professing the faith, and I gave great thanks to Almighty God. Even when the shepherds of his flock change, he still guards the faith he once delivered to the holy Fathers. The excellent preacher Paul says, "No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). Whoever holds firmly to faith in Christ, with love of God and neighbor, has laid Christ himself -- the Son of God and Son of Man -- as his foundation. And where Christ is the foundation, the building of good works will surely follow. The Lord also says, "The one who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber; but the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep" (John 10:1). And shortly after: "I am the gate." To enter through the gate is to enter through Christ -- to think and preach what is true about the Creator and Redeemer of the human race, and to live by what one preaches. It means taking on the highest responsibility of leadership as a burden to be carried, not as a path to fleeting glory. It means watching wisely over the flock, so that neither twisted men tear God's sheep apart with crooked words, nor malignant spirits ravage them by tempting them toward vice. I remember how the blessed Jacob, who had served long for his wives, said: "I have been with you twenty years. Your ewes and she-goats have not miscarried. I have not eaten the rams of your flock. I made good every loss; whatever was stolen, you required it of me" (Genesis 31:38-39). If Jacob worked so hard for earthly flocks, how much more should we labor for the spiritual flock entrusted to us? I urge you: hold fast to the faith, guard the flock, and let nothing pull you from the straight path.

Book IX, Letter 49 To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch . Gregory to Anastasius, etc. I received the letters of your Fraternity, rightly holding fast the profession of the faith; and I returned great thanks to Almighty God, who, when the shepherds of His flock are changed, still, even after such change, guards the faith which He once delivered to the holy Fathers. Now the excellent preacher says, Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus 1 Corinthians 3:2. Whosoever, then, with love of God and his neighbour, holds firmly the faith that is in Christ, he has laid for himself the same Jesus Christ, the Son of God and man, as a foundation. It is to be hoped therefore that, where Christ is the foundation, the edifice also of good works may follow. The Truth also in person says, He that enters not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber; but he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep John 10:1. And a little after He adds, I am the door. He, then, enters into the sheep-fold through the door who enters through Christ. And he enters through Christ who thinks and preaches what is true concerning the same Creator and Redeemer of the human race, and holds fast what he preaches; who takes upon him the topmost place of rule for the office of carrying a burden, not for the desire of the glory of transitory dignity. He also watches wisely over the sheep-fold of which he has taken charge, lest either perverse men tear the sheep of God by speaking froward things, or malignant spirits ravage them by persuading to vicious delights. Of a truth we remember how the blessed Jacob, who had served long for his wives, said, This twenty years have I been with you; your ewes and your she goats have not been barren. The rams of your flock have I not eaten, nor shown unto you that which had been seized by a beast. I made good every loss; whatever had been lost by theft, from me did you require it. By day and night I was consumed by drought and frost; sleep fled from my eyes Genesis 31:38. If, then, he who feeds the sheep of Laban labours and watches thus, on what labour, on what watches, should he be intent who feeds the sheep of God? But in all this let Him instruct us who for our sake became a man, who vouchsafed to become what he had made. May He pour both into my weakness and into your charity the spirit of His own love, and in all carefulness and watchfulness of circumspection open the eye of our heart. But for men of a right faith being advanced to sacred orders thanks are to be paid without cease to the same Almighty God, and prayer ever made for the life of our most pious and most Christian lord the Emperor, and for his most tranquil spouse, and their most gentle offspring, in whose times the mouths of heretics are silent; since, though their hearts seethe with the madness of perverse thought, yet in the time of the Catholic Emperor they presume not to speak out the bad things which they think. Furthermore, in speaking of your maintenance of the holy councils, your Fraternity declares that you maintain the first holy Ephesine synod. But, seeing that from the account given in an heretical document which has been sent me from the royal city, I have found that, according to it, certain Catholic positions had been censured along with heretical ones, because some suppose that to have been the first Ephesine synod which was got together at some time or other by the heretics in the same city, it is altogether necessary that your Charity should apply to the Churches of Alexandria and Antioch for the acts of this synod, and find how the matter really stands. Or, if you please, we will send you hence what we have here, preserved from of old in our archives. For that synod which was held under pretence of being the first Ephesine asserts that certain positions submitted to it were approved, which are the declared tenets of Cœlestius and Pelagius. And, Cœlestius and Pelagius having been condemned in that synod, how could those positions be approved, the authors of which were condemned ? Further, since it has come to our ears that in the Churches of the East no one attains to a sacred order except by giving of bribes, if your Fraternity finds it to be so, offer your first oblation to Almighty God by restraining in the Churches subject to you the error of simoniacal heresy. For, to pass over other considerations, what manner of men can they be in sacred orders who are raised to them not by merit, but by bribes? May Almighty God guard your Love with heavenly grace, and grant to you to carry with you to eternal joys multiplied fruit and overflowing measure from those who are committed to your charge. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 13. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1898.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360209049.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. 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