Here you will find a compilation of the texts of St. Gregory the Great cited or mentioned in the book Paths of Love.
Not to go forward, is to go backwards
- Those
who do not even begin good things are to be admonished in a different
way than those who begin, but do not at all complete what they have
begun. For those who do not even begin good things need first not to
build up what they may wholesomely love, but to demolish those things
in which they are wickedly occupied. For they will not follow the
things they hear of and have not experienced, unless they first come
perceive how pernicious the things that they have experienced are,
since neither does one desire to be lifted up who does not know that he
has fallen, nor does one who feels not the pain of a wound seek healing
remedies. First, then, they must be shown how vain the things they love
are, and then afterwards it must be carefully made known to them how
profitable are the things that they pass by. Let them first see that
what they love should be shunned, and afterwards they will perceive
without difficulty that what they shun should be loved. For they will
sooner accept the things which they have not experienced, if they
recognize as true whatever discourse they hear concerning the things
that they have experienced. So then they will learn to seek truly good
things with full desire, when they have learned with certainty of
judgment how vainly they have held to what was false. Let them hear,
therefore, both that present good things will soon pass away from
enjoyment, and yet the account to be given of them will endure, without
passing away, for vengeance, since both what pleases them is now
withdrawn from them against their will, and what pains them is reserved
them, also against their will, for punishment. Thus may they be
wholesomely filled with alarm by the very things in which they
harmfully take delight, so that when the stricken mind, seeing the deep
ruin of its fall, perceives that it has reached a precipice, it may
retrace its steps backward, and, fearing what it had loved, may learn
totruly love what it once despised.
- But, on the other hand,
those who in no way complete the good things they have begun are to be
admonished to consider with cautious circumspection that when they fail
to accomplish purposes, they tear up with them even the things that had
been begun. For if what is seen to be a thing to be done grows not
through assiduous purpose, even that which had been well done
decreases. For the human soul in this world is like a ship ascending
against the flow of a river: it is never permitted to stay in one
place, since it will float back to the lowest parts unless it strives
for the highest. If then the strong hand of the worker does not carry
to perfection the good things it has begun, the very laxness in working
fights against what has already been done. For hence it is said by
Solomon, "He who is feeble and slack in work is a brother to him that
wastes his works" (Proverbs 18:9). For in truth he who does not
carefully follow through with the good things he has begun imitates in
the slackness of his negligence the hand of the destroyer. Hence it is
said by the Angel to the Church of Sardis, "Be watchful, and strengthen
the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I find not your
works complete before my God" (Revelation 3:2). Thus, because the works
had not been found complete before his God, he foretold that those
which remained, even such as had been done, were about to die. For, if
that which is dead in us be not kindled into life, that which is
retained as though still alive is extinguished too. They are to be
admonished that it would have been more tolerable for them not to have
laid hold of the right way than, having laid hold of it, to turn their
backs upon it. For if they had not looked back, they would not grow
weak with any torpor with regard to their undertaken purpose. Let them
hear, therefore, what is written, "It would have been better for them
not to have known the way of righteousness than, after they have known
it, to have turned backward" (2 Peter 2:21). Let them hear what is
written: "I would that you were cold or hot: but, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to spew you out of my
mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16). For he is hot who both takes up and
completes good purposes; but he is cold who does not even begin any to
be completed. And as transition is made through lukewarmness from cold
to heat, so through lukewarmness there is a return from heat to cold.
Whosoever, then, has lost the cold of unbelief so as to live, but in no
wise passes beyond lukewarmness so as to go on to burn, he doubtless,
despairing of heat, while he lingers in pernicious lukewarmness, is in
the way to become cold. But, as before lukewarmness there is hope in
cold, so after cold there is despair in lukewarmness. For he who is yet
in his sins loses not his trust in conversion: but he who after
conversion has become lukewarm has withdrawn the hope that there might
have been of the sinner. It is required, then, that every one be either
hot or cold, lest, being lukewarm, he be spewed out: that is, that
either, being not yet converted, he still afford hope of his
conversion, or, being already converted, he be fervent in virtues; lest
he be spewed out as lukewarm, in that he goes back in torpor from
purposed heat to pernicious cold. (Pastoral Rule III, ch. 34)
- Those
who are not joined in marriage should be admonished to observe heavenly
precepts all the more closely, in that no yoke of carnal union bends
them down to worldly cares, that, as they are free from the lawful
burden of marriage, the unlawful weight of earthly anxiety by no means
press them down, that the last day find them all the more prepared, as
it finds them less encumbered; lest from being free and able, and yet
neglecting to do better things, they therefore be found deserving of
worse punishment. Let them hear how the Apostle, when he would instruct
teach persons the grace of celibacy, did not despise marriage, but
thrust away the worldly cares that are born of marriage, saying, "I say
this for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which
is fitting, and to secure your undivided attention to the Lord" (1
Corinthians 7:3-5). For from marriage proceeds earthly anxieties, and
therefore the teacher of the Gentiles encouraged his hearers to better
things, lest they should be bound by earthly anxiety. The man, then,
whom, being single, the hindrance of secular cares impedes, though he
has not subjected himself to marriage, has still not escaped the
burdens of marriage. The single are to be admonished not to think that
they can have intercourse with disengaged women without incurring the
judgment of condemnation. For, when Paul inserted the vice of
fornication among so many execrable crimes, he indicated the guilt of
it, saying, "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners, will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians
6:9-10). And again, "But fornicators and adulterers God will judge"
(Hebrews 13:4). They are therefore to be admonished that, if they
suffer from the storms of temptation with risk to their safety, they
should seek the port of marriage. For it is written, "It is better to
marry than to burn" (1 Corinthians 7:9). They come, in fact, to
marriage without blame, if only they have not vowed better things. For
whosoever has proposed to himself the attainment of a greater good has
made unlawful the less good which before was lawful. For it is written,
"No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit
for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). He therefore who has been intent
on a more resolute purpose is convicted of looking back, if, leaving
the larger good, he reverts to the least. (Pastoral Rule III, ch. 27)
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