教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 496 章

Gregory to Sabinianus, Bishop of Zara. Just as vengeance is by right due to a persevering fault, so pardon is to be granted to those who repent. For as the former is wont to stir up, by its desert, indignation against itself, so the latter is wont in its very love to propagate concord. And therefore, since the gravity of the priesthood, brought back to your mind, afterward suspended your Fraternity from the fellowship and communion of Maximus—into which your former negligence had impelled you—to such a degree that you would by no means suffer yourself to be content with his mere separation, unless, receiving yourself also into the cloisters of a monastery, you should bewail the things formerly committed: therefore, do not doubt that you are received into our grace and communion;

for as much as the fault of your charity had formerly offended us, so much has your penitence mitigated it. We exhort you therefore, most beloved brother, that you may earnestly bestow pastoral solicitude upon the Lord's flock, and diligently watch to make gain from the sheep committed to you; so that a recompense of copious reward may overflow to you in proportion as, at the coming of the eternal Judge, you shall have offered the manifold fruits of your labor. Be zealous therefore to rescue those fallen into fault, be zealous to show to the wandering the way of returning, be zealous to recall to the grace of communion, unto their salvation, those deprived of communion.

Let the return of your charity be to others an office of rescue, let it be an example of salvation, so that, while the care of your solicitude directs the wandering steps of the sheep to the fold of the highest Shepherd, they may not be left exposed to the teeth of wolves, and that a worthy compensation of reward—which is above all to be sought—may receive you into eternal life. But concerning the case of which you wrote to us, let not this matter disturb your minds, that we should be anxious lest anything be surreptitiously obtained against you in the royal city. For we have most zealously charged our responsal that he ought to show himself solicitous and cautious. And we trust, from the power of our God, that it will be brought about that no adversity may in any way be able either to disturb or to oppress you contrary to reason.

Moreover, the inhabitants of the city of Epidaurus have most zealously petitioned that Florentius, whom they say is their bishop, should be restored to them by us, asserting that he was thrust into exile in vain, merely at the sole will of Bishop Natalis. And therefore, if your Fraternity has learned anything concerning his case, let it make it known to us subtly by its letters. But if it has not yet learned it, let it inquire, and report to us, so that we may be able, with the Lord's help, to deliberate with certainty what ought to be determined concerning him. In the month of February, in the first indiction.