To Conon, Abbot of Lerins

Gregory to Conon, abbot of the monastery of Lerins. [a]

The watchfulness of those in authority is the safety of those under them, since one who keeps watch over what is entrusted to him escapes the snares of the enemy. How skillful you are in ruling the brothers, and how earnestly you watch over them, we have learned from the report of our most reverend brother and fellow bishop Mennas. And as hearing of the careless negligence of your predecessor often saddened us, so the care of your foresight gladdens us. For there is no doubt that the safety your earnestness provides brings you a reward, and gives others an example for doing good. [b]

But our adversary, the more he knows he is guarded against on every side, seeks all the more to break in by hidden ways, and strives with cunning art to overthrow the one who opposes him. So let the watchfulness of your love always kindle itself to more ardent care. With God’s help, fortify everything beforehand, so that the ravening wolf, running about this way and that, may find no place to get in among the Lord’s sheep. So let it be your earnest effort, with the grace of our Redeemer helping you, to forbid and in every way to guard those entrusted to you against gluttony, pride, greed, idle talk, and all impurity. Then a reward from the office entrusted to you will come to you all the greater, the more those under you, through your watchfulness, win the victory over the wickedness of the adversary.

So let the good find you gentle, and the bad find you a corrector. And even in correcting, know that this order should be kept: love the persons and punish the faults. Otherwise, if you should perhaps be inclined to act differently, correction may turn into cruelty, and you may destroy those you want to set right. For you ought to cut away a sore in such a way as not to risk making the sound flesh fester. If you press the blade in further than the case requires, you may injure the one you are in a hurry to help. Let your very gentleness be wary, not slack, and let your correction be loving, not harsh. But let each be so seasoned by the other that the good, while they love you, may have something to beware of, and the bad, while they fear you, may have something to love.

Pay careful attention to these things, most beloved son, and keep them earnestly. Then, when by such management you have given back safe to God those you received from him, you may be counted worthy, on the day of eternal recompense, to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Because you have been faithful in a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” We also wish that our son Columbus the presbyter, who is commended to your love by his own merits, may advance in your love through our commendation as well. [d]