Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 431

Gregory to Venantius, patrician, formerly a monk. The letter which you sent has found us already saddened, because we have learned that between you and John, our brother and fellow bishop, of whose concord we desired to rejoice, a scandal has come forth. For whatever the cause may have been, the fury ought not to have burst forth so far that your armed men, as we have heard, should rush into the episcopal residence and commit divers evils in hostile manner, and that this affair should meanwhile divide you from paternal charity. Could not any contention whatsoever have been tranquilly settled, so that neither should the advantage of the parties suffer detriment, nor should grace feel injury?

But of what gravity, of what holiness, of what meekness our aforesaid brother is, we do not hold unknown. From which fact we gather that, unless the excessive force of grief had compelled him, his Fraternity would by no means have come to this matter over which you assert yourselves saddened. We nevertheless, that we might learn this from his own writing, have at once written to him, admonishing that he should both receive your offerings as before, and permit masses to be celebrated in your house—not only that, but, if you wish, even himself to perform them—and that he ought to prosecute his cause with charity preserved. And since we wish no persons either to become or to remain at discord, we have thought fit that the same exhortation should be repeated.

Wherefore it is necessary, most beloved son, that you also ought to show sacerdotal reverence to him, as befits sons, and not provoke his spirit to wrath. For with whom will you have grace that is to be trusted, if you should have discord—which God forbid—with a priest? Therefore, laying aside the swelling of your spirits, so strive to conduct the causes which you have between you, that both charity may remain undefiled among you, and the mutual advantage may be procured with meekness. (Cf. John the Deacon, Book 3, chapter 48.)