Guilty Of Death

Aliter admonendi sunt qui cum praedicare digne valeant, prae nimia humilitate formidant; atque aliter admonendi sunt quos a praedicatione imperfectio vel aetas prohibet, et tamen praecipitatio impellit. Admonendi namque sunt qui cum praedicare utiliter possunt, immoderata tamen humilitate refugiunt; ut ex minori consideratione colligant quantum in majoribus rebus derelinquant. Si enim indigentibus proximis ipsi quas haberent pecunias absconderent, adjutores proculdubio calamitatis exstitissent. Quo ergo reatu constringantur aspiciant, qui dum peccantibus fratribus verbum praedicationis subtrahant, morientibus mentibus vitae remedia abscondunt. Unde et bene quidam sapiens dicit: Sapientia abscondita et thesaurus invisus, quae utilitas in utrisque? Si populos fames attereret, et occulta frumenta ipsi servarent, auctores procul dubio mortis existerent. Qua itaque plectendi sunt poena considerent, qui cum fame  verbi animae pereant, ipsi panem perceptae gratiae non ministrant. Unde et bene per Salomonem dicitur: Qui asbscondit frumenta, maledicetur in populis. Frumenta quippe abscondere, et praedicationis sanctae apud se verba retinere. In populis autem talis quisque maledicitur, quia in solius culpa silentii pro multorum quos corrigere potuit poena damnatur. Si medicinalis artis minime ignari secandum vulnus cernerent, et tamen secare recusarent, profecto peccatum fraternae mortis ex solo torpore committerent. Quanta ergo culpa involvantur aspiciant, qui dum cognoscunt vulnera mentium, curare ea negligunt sectione verborum. Unde et bene per prophetam dicitur: Maledictus qui prohibet gladium suum a sanguine. Gladium quippe a sanguine prohibere, est praedictionis verbum a carnalis vitae interfectione retinere. De quo rursum gladio dicitur: Et gladius meus manducabit carnes. Hi itaque cum apud se sermonem praedicationis occultant, divinas contra se sententias terribiliter audiant, quatenus ab eorum cordibus timorem timor expellat. Audiant quod talentum qui erogare noluit, cum sententia damnationis amisit. Audiant quod Paulus eo se a proximorum sanguine mundum credidit, quo feriendis eorum vitiis non pepercit, dicens, Contestor vos hodierna die, quia mundus sum a sanguine omnium: non enim subterfugi quominus annuntiarem omne consilium Dei vobis. Audiant quod voce angelica Joannes admonetur, cum dicitur: Qui audit, dicat: Veni. Ut nimirum cui se vox interna insinuat, illuc etiam clamando alios quo ipse rapitur trahat; ne clausas fores etiam vocatus inveniat, si vocanti vacuus appropinquat. Gregorius Papa I, Regulae Pastoralis Liber, Pars Tertia, Caput XXV Source: Migne PL 77.95a-d

To be admonished in a different manner are those who when they are able to preach worthily, fear to do so on account of excessive humility, and those whom inability or age prohibits and yet rashness impels. For they are to be admonished, who though able to preach usefully by an immoderate humility withdraw, by consideration of a lesser matter, from which they will grasp how they err in a greater one. For if they were to conceal from poor neighbours money which they possessed, they would undoubtedly stand forth as promoters of their ruin. Let them thus see in what guilt they are implicated who, withdrawing the word of preaching from the sinful, conceal the remedies of life from dying souls. Whence also a certain wise man says well, 'Wisdom hidden, and treasure unseen, what good in either?' 1 If the people were wasted by famine, and they had kept grain hidden from them, undoubtedly they would stand forth as the authors of death. Let them therefore consider what punishment will strike when souls are perishing from a famine of the word and they do not supply the bread of grace which they have themselves received. Whence also it is well said by Solomon, 'He that hides grain shall be cursed among the people.'2 For to hide grain is to keep within oneself the words of sacred preaching. And any such fellow is cursed among the people because by his fault of silence only he is condemned in the punishment of the many whom he might have corrected. If they who are by no means ignorant of the medicinal art were to see a wound that required cutting, and yet refused to do it, certainly by their neglect alone they would commit the crime of a brother's death. Let them see, then, in how great guilt they are embroiled who knowing the wounds of souls, neglect to cure them with the cutting of words. Whence also it is well said through the Prophet: 'Cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.' 3 Since to keep back the sword from blood is to hold back the word of preaching from the slaying of the carnal life. Of which sword it is said again, 'And my sword shall devour flesh.' 4 Let these, then, when they hide in themselves the word of preaching, let them hear with terror the Divine sentences against them, so that from their hearts fear may expel fear. Let them hear how he that would not use his talent lost it with a sentence of condemnation. 5 Let them hear how Paul believed himself to be pure from the blood of his neighbours in this, that their vices which needed to be struck he did not spare, saying, 'This day I call you to witness that I am pure from the blood of all, for I have not avoided declaring to you all the counsel of God.' 6 Let them hear how John is admonished by the angelic voice, when it is said, 'Let him that hears say, Come' 7; doubtless that he into whose heart the internal voice has come might cry out to draw others to that place to which he himself is carried, lest, even though called, he should find the doors shut, if empty he approaches Him who calls. Pope Saint Gregory the Great, Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 25 1 Sir 20.32 2 Prov 11.26 3 Jer 48.10 4 Deut 32.42 5 Mt 25.24 6 Acts 20.26-27 7 Apoc 22.17