Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 66

In that same place there is called the Valley of Interoc­rina, which by many is named in rustic speech Interocrina, in which there was a certain man of very admirable life, named Severus, priest of the church of blessed Mary, Mother of God, ever-Virgin (Martyrology, 15 February). Now when a certain householder had come to his last day, having sent messengers in haste, he begged that he would come to him as quickly as possible and by his prayers intercede for his sins, so that, penance having been done for his evils, he might go out of the body loosed from guilt. But it chanced that the priest was occupied in pruning a vine, and he said to those who came to him: 'Go on ahead; behold, I follow you.'

And when he saw that but a little remained to him in that same work, he delayed a little while, that he might finish the small task that remained; and, this finished, he began to proceed to the sick man. But as he went, those who had come first met him on the road, coming to meet him and saying: 'Father, why did you tarry? Do not trouble yourself, for he is already dead.' Hearing this, he trembled and began to cry out with loud voices that he was that man's slayer. Weeping, therefore, he came to the body of the dead man, and cast himself with tears to the ground before his bed. And while he wept vehemently and beat his head upon the ground and cried out that he was guilty of that man's death, suddenly he who had died received back his soul.

When many who stood around beheld this, uttering cries of wonder, they began to weep the more for joy. And when they asked him where he had been, or how he had returned, he said: 'Very foul were the men who were leading me, out of whose mouth and nostrils fire went forth, which I could not endure. And while they led me through dark places, suddenly a young man of fair appearance, with others coming with him, met us, who said to those dragging me: Bring him back, because Severus the priest is mourning; for to his tears the Lord has granted him.' That same Severus, of course, straightway rose from the ground and, to the man doing penance, afforded the help of his intercession.

And when for seven days the revived sick man had done penance for the sins he had committed, on the eighth day he departed from the body in joy. Consider, Peter, I pray, this Severus of whom we speak—how beloved a one the Lord regarded him, whom he did not suffer to be grieved even in the least. PETER: These things are greatly to be marveled at, which I find have lain hidden from me up to now. But what are we to say is the reason that such men can nowadays not be found? GREGORY: I reckon, Peter, that many such are even now not lacking in this world; for if they do not work such signs, they are not therefore not such men. For the true estimation of life is in the power of works, not in the display of signs. For there are very many who, even if they do not work signs, are nevertheless not unlike those who do work signs. PETER.

How, I ask, can it be shown to me that there are certain men who do not work miracles, and yet are not unlike those who do work them? GREGORY: Do you not know that the Apostle Paul, though last among the apostles, is nevertheless a brother in the apostolic primacy of those before him? PETER: I know it plainly, nor is there any doubt that, although he was the least of all the apostles, yet he laboured more than they all (1 Cor. 15). GREGORY: Since you rightly recall this: Peter walked upon the sea with his feet (Matt. 14), while Paul suffered shipwreck upon the sea (2 Cor. 11); and in one and the same element Paul could not go there with a ship, where Peter made his way on foot.

It is therefore plainly established that, although the power of each was unequal in the miracle, yet the merit of each is not unequal in heaven. PETER: I confess it pleases me entirely, what you say; for now I see plainly that it is a holy life, and not miracles, that must be sought. But since these very miracles that are wrought do bear witness to a good life, I beg you still, if there be any, to relate them, that you may feed me, who am hungering, with examples of the good. GREGORY: I would gladly tell you some things, to the praise of the Redeemer, concerning the miracles of the venerable man Benedict; but I see that this present day cannot suffice to set them all forth. We shall therefore speak of these things more freely, if we take another beginning.