To Anastasius the Presbyter, on Love That Casts Out Fear

Gregory to Anastasius, and so on. [a] “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things” (Matthew 12, verse 35; Luke 6, verse 45): this your love has shown, both in your usual life and lately also in your letter. In it I find two persons at odds over virtues: you yourself contending for love, and another for fear and humility. And though I am busy with many things, and though I do not know the Greek language, I have nevertheless sat as judge of your contest. But in very truth, in my judgment, you have defeated your opponent yourself with the apostle’s sentence, which I put before you during your contest: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love” (First John 4, verse 18). I know, then, how far your fraternity is made perfect in love. And since you love Almighty God much, you ought to have much confidence toward your neighbor. For it is not places or ranks that make us neighbors to our Creator; either our good deserts join us to him, or our bad deserts separate us from him. Since, then, it is still uncertain what anyone is inwardly, how was it that you were afraid to write, when you do not know which of us two is the higher? Indeed I know that you live well, but I am conscious of being burdened by many sins myself. And though you are a sinner yourself, you are still much better than I, since you bear only your own sins, but I bear also the sins of those committed to me. In this, then, I look on you as lofty, in this I look on you as great: that in a place great and lofty in human eyes you have not felt yourself raised up at all. For in that place, while men pay you honor outwardly, your mind is sunk into the depths, because it is weighed down by distracting cares. But to you Almighty God has done as it is written: “He has set ascents in the heart, in the valley of tears” (Psalm 84, verses 5 and 6). To me, however, you might have seemed far loftier, far more exalted, if you had never taken on the leadership of the monastery called Neas, since in that monastery, as I hear, there is indeed an appearance of monks kept up, but many worldly things are done under the garb of holiness. But even to this I will think heavenly grace has brought you, if what displeases Almighty God in that place is corrected under your guidance. [b]

But since there have often been quarrels between the father of this same monastery and the pastor of the church of Jerusalem, I believe Almighty God has willed that your love and my most holy brother and fellow priest Amos should be at Jerusalem at the same time for this purpose: that the quarrels I have spoken of may be brought to an end. Show now, then, how much you loved before. For I know that both of you are abstinent, both learned, both humble; and so the glory of our Savior must be praised, in the language of the psalm, “with timbrel and chorus” (Psalm 150, verse 4). For in a timbrel the sound from the skin is dry, but in a chorus there is a harmony of voices. What, then, is meant by a timbrel but abstinence, and what by a chorus but unity of mind? Since, then, by abstinence you praise the Lord with timbrel, I beg that by unity of mind you praise him with chorus. The Truth himself also says, “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another” (Mark 9, verse 50). What is meant by salt but wisdom, as Paul testifies when he says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4, verse 6)? Since, then, we know that you have salt through the teaching of the heavenly word, it remains for you to keep peace between yourselves with all your hearts through the grace of love. I say all this, dearest brother, because I love you both exceedingly, and I am much afraid that the sacrifices of your prayers may be stained by some dissension between you. [d]

The blessing you sent, first by Exhilaratus the secundicerius and afterward by Sabinianus the deacon, I received with thanksgiving, since it was fitting for you to send holy things from a holy place, and to show by your very gift whom you continually serve. May Almighty God protect you with his right hand and keep you unharmed from all evils. [e]