Moralia in Job 2 part 5/5

Concerning the affair of Salpingus the Jew a certain letter has been found, which we have had transmitted to you, that reading it over, and subtly learning his case, or that of a certain widow who is said to be entangled in the same business, concerning the fifty-one solidi which are known to be repayable, you may make a response as shall seem just to you, in such wise that the goods of others be in no way unjustly defrauded from the creditors. To Antoninus half of his legacy has been given, half shall be redeemed: which half we wish to be fulfilled to him from the common substance; and not only to him, but also to the defensores, and to the pilgrims, to whom he left anything under the title of legacy, and to the household we wish the legacy to be paid, which nevertheless pertains to us.

Having reckoned up the account, therefore, pay for our part, that is, for nine ounces (of the inheritance). Concerning the solidi of the Church of Canusium, we wish that you bestow something on the clergy of that same Church, so that both those who now suffer want may have some sustenance, and, if God shall have willed a bishop to be ordained there, he may have whence to subsist. Concerning lapsed priests or any others of the clergy, we wish you to observe that you mix yourself with no contamination in their goods, but seek out the poorest regular monasteries, which know how to live according to God;

and to those same monasteries hand over the lapsed for penance, and let the goods of the lapsed profit in that place in which they are handed over to do penance, so that they themselves may have support from their goods, who bear the care of their correction. But if they have kinsfolk, let their goods be given to their lawful kinsfolk, yet in such wise that the stipend of those who have been given over to penance ought to be sufficiently provided. But if any of the ecclesiastical household—priests, or levites (deacons), or monks, or clerics, or any others whatever—have lapsed, we wish them to be given over to penance, but their goods not to be withdrawn from ecclesiastical right, yet let them receive to their own use that whereby they may subsist for doing penance;

lest, if they be stripped bare, they be burdensome to the places in which they have been given over. If any have kinsfolk in the possession (of the Church), their goods are to be handed over to those same kinsfolk, so that by them they may be preserved for the right of the Church. Three years ago the subdeacons of all the Churches of Sicily had been forbidden to have any intercourse with their wives, after the manner of the Roman Church. This seems to me harsh and improper: that one who has not found the practice of that same continence, nor beforehand proposed chastity, should be compelled to be separated from his wife, and through this—which God forbid—fall the worse.

Whence it seems to me that from the present day it be said to all bishops that they presume to make no one a subdeacon, save him who shall have promised that he will live chastely, so that both the past things, which were not sought by a purpose of the mind, be not violently exacted, and future things be cautiously guarded against. But those who, after that same prohibition which was made three years ago, have lived continently with their spouses, are to be praised and rewarded, and to be exhorted that they may remain in their good. But those who, after the prohibition was made, were unwilling to contain themselves from their wives, we do not wish to come to the sacred order, because no one ought to approach to the ministry of the altar, save he whose chastity

shall have been approved before the ministry was undertaken. To Liberatus the trader, who has commended himself to the Church, and who dwells on the estate of Cinciana, we wish a yearly allowance to be made by you. Let him himself estimate the sum of that allowance, of what sort it ought to be, so that, being reported to us, it may be credited in your accounts. Concerning the present indiction, I have already received through our son the deacon Servusdei that a certain monk John, dying, left Fantinus the defensor his heir to six ounces (of his estate). To him indeed hand over what has been left, but adjure him that he presume not to do this further, but appoint for his labour what he may receive, so that his labour may not be for him in vain;

and let him remember this, that he who subsists on the stipends of the Church should not pant after his own gains. But if anything, without sin and without the appetite of covetousness, shall have come to the Church through those who conduct the Church's affairs, it is fitting that they themselves ought not to be empty of the fruit of their labour, but let it be reserved to our judgement how they ought to be rewarded. Concerning the silver of Rusticiana make subtle inquiry, and execute what seems just to you. Admonish Alexander, the magnificent man, that he ought to settle his affair with the holy Church. But if perchance he neglect to do this, execute that same affair with the fear of God, honesty being preserved, as you can.

In which matter we wish you also to bestow something, and, if it can be done, that what is to be given to others be remitted to him, provided only that the case which he has with us be concluded. The donation of the handmaid of God who has lapsed, and (whose goods were) given to the monastery, restore with all delay set aside, so that that same place, as I said above, may have the stipends of her goods, which bears the labours of her care. But also whatever is held by others from her substance, gather it up again, and hand it over to the aforesaid monastery. The pensions of the hospices on the New Way (via nova), as many as you indicated to me—because you have them in your keeping—direct to us. But to the agent (actionarius) whom you have appointed in that same patrimony, as seems good to you, bestow something.

Concerning the handmaid of God who was with Theodosius, named Extranea, it seems to me that you should either make her an allowance, if you perceive it useful, or else certainly return the donation which she made. The house of the monastery which Antonius, having given thirty solidi, had taken from the monastery, the solidi being received back, restore with all delay set aside. The onyx flasks, the truth being subtly inquired into, restore—which I have sent back through the bearer of these presents. Saturninus, if he is free and not occupied with you, direct to us. Felix, the lessee of the lady Campana, whom she had left free, or whom she had ordered to be unexamined (as to his accounts), said that seventy-two solidi were taken from him by Maximus the subdeacon;

for the giving of which he asserted that he either sold or pledged all his property which he had in Sicily. But the scholastici (advocates) said that he cannot be unexamined as to the frauds; yet while he was returning to us from Campania, a storm having arisen, he died. His wife and children we wish you to seek out, and whatever he had pledged or sold, release what was pledged, and from what was sold restore the price; and besides, furnish them some sustenance, because Maximus had sent him into Sicily, and there had taken from him what he asserted. Ascertain therefore what things were taken away, and to his wife and children restore them without any delay. Read over all these things carefully, and lay aside all that familiar negligence of yours.

My writings to the rustics which I have directed, cause to be read over throughout all the estates, that they may know what they ought to defend against their acts of violence by our authority, and let there be given to them either the authentic copies or the exemplars thereof. See that you keep all things without diminution, for concerning those things which I write to you for the preserving of justice, I am absolved, and you, if you are negligent, are bound. Consider the terrible Judge who is coming, and let your consideration now tremble at His advent, lest then it fear without cause too late, when before Him heaven and earth shall have trembled. You have heard what I wish; see what you do. (Book I, letter 44.) 59. Let it suffice that I have thus far recounted concerning the innocence of Gregory's liberality.

Moreover, I shall by no means pass over the fact that, in a time of famine, he was eager to procure grain, so that he might have the means to relieve the poor of Christ. For in another letter he writes to the same subdeacon Peter, among other things: 'Purchase new grain from abroad with fifty pounds of gold, and store it in Sicily in places where it will not spoil, so that in the month of February we may dispatch there as many ships as we can, and the same grain may be brought to us. But even if we fail to send them, do you yourself provide the ships, and, with the Lord's help, send us this same grain in the month of February, excepting only the grain which we now, in the month of September or October, according to custom, expect to be sent.'

So then let your diligence see to it that the grain of the ecclesiastical tenants be gathered without any harassment of anyone; for the harvest here has been so meagre that, unless by God's help grain be gathered from Sicily, a severe famine threatens. (Book I, letter 72.) 60. A certain hermit, a man of great virtue, who possessed nothing in the world save a single she-cat which, often caressing it, he cherished in his bosom as though a companion of his dwelling, came to know of the abundance of this generosity. He is said to have prayed to the Lord that He would deign to show him what mansion of future reward he ought to hope for, who, for love of Him forsaking the world, possessed nothing of its riches.

And when he was sleeping one night, he learned that it had been revealed to him that he ought to hope for a mansion prepared for himself together with Gregory, the Roman pontiff. But he, groaning mightily, thought that his voluntary poverty of possessions and the fasts of his great withdrawal had profited him little, if he were to receive a mansion together with one who overflowed with such worldly riches. But when day and night, sighing, he compared the Gregorian riches with his own poverty, resting on another night, he heard the Lord saying to him in his sleep:

'Since it is not the possession of riches that makes a man rich, but greed, why do you dare to compare your poverty with Gregory's riches? For you are shown to love, by daily stroking and sharing with no one, that she-cat which you have, more than he loves those great riches which, not by loving but by despising, and by bestowing them liberally upon all, he scatters abroad.' Thus rebuked, the solitary gave thanks to God; and he who had thought his own merit diminished if it were compared with Gregory's, began to pray more earnestly that he might one day be worthy to obtain a mansion together with him. But now let the end of this second book arrive, so that the third, with the Lord's help, may pursue what follows.