Fear and Preaching

Tu ergo, fili hominis, ne timeas eos, neque sermones eorum metuas, quoniam increduli, et subversores sunt tecum, et cum scorpionibus habitas.   Patet ad quam perversos in praedicationem mittitur, qui ne timeat admonetur. Et quia pravi quique bona sibi loquentibus alia iniqua faciunt, et adhuc alia minantur, propter illa quae faciunt dicitur: Ne timeas eos; et propter hoc quod minatur, adjungitur: Neque sermones eorum metuas. Vel certe quia reprobi et mala bonis ingerunt, et eorum semper actibus derogant, propheta missus admonetur, ne eorum vel crudelitatem metuat, vel verba pertimescat. In hoc itaque quod dicitur: Ne timeas, prophetae datur auctoritas praedicationis. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Primus, Homilia IX

'You therefore, son of man, do not fear them, nor be afraid of their words, that they are incredulous and that they dispute with you, and that you dwell with scorpions.' 1 It is obvious to what perverse folk he is sent to preach, he who is admonished lest he fear. And because the depraved speak well of themselves while acting wickedly, until they are admonished by others, on account of those things which they do, it is said, 'Do not fear them,' and then after this it is added: 'Nor be afraid of their words.'  Certainly because the reprobate cast evil at the good and ever their acts they denigrate, and so the Prophet who is sent is warned lest he be afraid of their savagery or take fright at their words. In this then which is said: 'Do not fear,' is given authority to the Prophet to preach. Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 1, from Homily 9 1 Ez 2.6