Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 62

GREGORY: At that same time also the venerable man Anastasius, of whom I made mention above, was notary of the holy Roman Church, which by God's authorship I serve. Desiring to be free for God alone, he deserted the record-office, chose a monastery, and in that place which I mentioned before, which is called Suppentonia, for many years led his life in holy actions, and presided over that monastery with diligent care. In which place indeed a huge cliff towers above, and a deep precipice lies open below. But one night, when Almighty God had now decreed to reward the labors of this same venerable man Anastasius, from the high cliff a voice was made, which with prolonged sound cried out, saying: 'Anastasius, come.'

When he had been called, seven other brothers also were called by name. But for a brief moment the voice which had been sent forth fell silent, and then called an eighth brother. When the congregation had plainly heard these voices, there was no doubt that the death of those who had been called was drawing near. Within a few days therefore, first the venerable man Anastasius, but the rest in that order in which they had been called from the top of the cliff, were led forth from the flesh. But that brother, at whose calling the voice fell silent a little, and then named him, lived a few days after the others died, and then ended his life; so that it was openly shown that the interposed silence of the voice had signified a short span of living.

But a wonderful thing happened: for while the venerable man Anastasius was departing from the body, there was a certain brother in the monastery who did not wish to live after him; and prostrate at his feet he began with tears to entreat him, saying: 'By Him to whom you go, I adjure you, that I may not remain seven days after you in this world.' Before his seventh day, that man too died, who nevertheless on that night had not been called among the others, so that it might openly become clear that the intercession of the venerable Anastasius alone could have obtained his death. PETER: Since that same brother was both not called among the others, and yet by the intercessions of the holy man was withdrawn from this light, what else is given to be understood, except:

those who are of great merit before the Lord can sometimes obtain even those things which are not predestined? GREGORY: Those things can by no means be obtained which have not been predestined; but those things which holy men accomplish by prayer are so predestined that they are obtained by prayers. For the very predestination of the eternal kingdom is so disposed by Almighty God, that the elect should arrive at it through toil, in so far as by asking they may merit to receive what Almighty God before the ages disposed to give them. PETER: I should like it to be proved to me more plainly, if it can be, that predestination is helped by prayers. GREGORY: What I have brought forward, Peter, can be quickly proved.

For surely you know that the Lord said to Abraham: 'In Isaac shall your seed be called' (Genesis 21:12). To whom also He had said: 'I have appointed you father of many nations' (Genesis 17:4). To whom again He promised, saying: 'I will bless you, and I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is on the seashore' (Genesis 22:17). From which thing it clearly stands that Almighty God had predestined to multiply the seed of Abraham through Isaac, and yet it is written: 'Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; who heard him, and gave conception to Rebecca' (Genesis 25:21). If, then, the multiplication of Abraham's race through Isaac was predestined, why did Isaac take a barren wife?

But without doubt it stands that predestination is fulfilled by prayers, when he in whom God had predestined to multiply the seed of Abraham obtained by prayer that he might be able to have children. PETER: Since reason has opened the secret, no doubt has remained to me. GREGORY: Do you wish that I relate to you something from the region of Tuscany, so that you may know what sort of men there were in it, and how near to the knowledge of Almighty God? PETER: I wish it, and I demand this in every way.