Lost Sheep

Invidetur mihi. Quid faciam, Domine? Valde despicior. Ecce oves tuae circa me laniantur atque depraedantur, et supradictis latrunculis, iubente Corotico hostili mente. Longe est a caritate Dei traditor Christianorum in manus Scottorum atque Pictorum. Lupi rapaces deglutierunt gregem Domini, qui utique Hiberione cum summa diligentia optime crescebat, et filii Scottorum et filiae regulorum monachi et virgines Christi enumerare nequeo. Quam ob rem iniuria iustorum non te placeat; etiam usque ad inferos non placebit. Quis sanctorum non horreat iocundare vel conviuium fruere cum talibus? De spoliis defunctorum Christianorum repleuerunt domos suas, de rapinis vivunt. Nesciunt miseri venenum letale cibum porrigunt ad amicos et filios suos, sicut Eva non intellexit quod utique mortem tradidit viro suo. Sic sunt omnes qui male agunt: mortem perennem poenam operantur. Consuetudo Romanorum Gallorum Christianorum: mittunt viros sanctos idoneos ad Francos et ceteras gentes cum tot milia solidorum ad redimendos captivos baptizatos. Tu potius interficis et vendis illos genti exterae ignoranti Deum; quasi in lupanar tradis membra Christi. Qualem spem habes in Deum, vel qui te consentit aut qui te communicat verbis adulationis? Deus iudicabit. Scriptum est enim: Non solum facientes mala sed etiam consentientes damnandi sunt. Sanctus Patricius Hibernorum Apostolus, Epistola Ad Coroticum  Migne PL 53. 816-817

They watch me with malice. What am I to do, O Lord? I am greatly despised. Behold, your sheep around me are torn and preyed upon, and by the thieves that I have spoken of, at the command of the hostile minded Coroticus. Far he is from the love of God who gives Christians into the hands of Scots and Picts. Rapacious wolves have devoured the flock of the Lord, 1 which under the greatest care was growing greatly in Ireland; I cannot count the number of sons of Scots and daughters of kings who are now monks and virgins of Christ. Thus the injuries of the righteous will not please you, even in the very depths it will not please. 2 Who among the holy would not be horrified to take pleasure or to enjoy a feast with such folk? With the spoil of dead Christians they have filled their houses, they live on plunder. These wretches do not know that they offer deadly poison as food to their friends and children, like Eve who did not understand that it was death that she gave to her man. 3 So it is with those who do evil, they work death as eternal punishment. It is the custom of the Christians of Roman Gaul to send holy and capable men to the Franks and to other pagans with so many thousands of coins to redeem the baptised who have been taken captive. You, however, kill and sell them to foreign people who are ignorant of God; as if into a brothel you hand over the members of Christ. 4 What hope have you in God, or who approves of you, or who sends you words of praise? God will judge. For it is written: 'Not only those who do evil, but also those who consent to it, will be damned.' 5 Saint Patrick Apostle of the Irish, Letter to Coroticus 1 Acts 20.29 2 Sirach 9.17 3 Gen 3.6 41 Cor 6.15 5 Rom 1.32

Dangerous Words

Λόγοι κερκώπων μαλακοὶ, πίπτουσι δὲ εἰς τὰ ταμιεῖα κοιλίας. Κέρκωπας ὀνομάζει ὁ Σολομῶν τοὺς ἀλωπεκίζοντας καὶ δολιευομένους. Διό φησιν ὁ Δαυῒδ· Μή με συναπολέσεις, ὁ Θεὸς, μετὰ τῶν λαλούντων εἰρήνην πρὸς τὸν πλησίον, κακὰ δὲ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν. Ἡπαλύνθησαν γὰρ λόγοι ὑπὲρ ἔλαιον, καὶ αὐτοὶ βολίδες ὑπάρχουσι τιτρῶσαι. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΞΒ' Καλανδιωνι

Soft the words of the whisperer, but they fall into the chambers of the heart. 1 So Solomon names those who are possessed of vulpine cunning and inflict harm on others. On account of which David says, ' Do not destroy me, God, along with those who speak peace to their neighbours and have evil in their hearts.' 2 For 'Softer their words than anointing oil and they are little shafts that wound.' 3 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 62, To Kalandion 1 Prov 26.22   2 Ps 27.3 3 Ps 54.22

Fighting The Vices

Nobis autem per gratiam innovatis divina quid imperet bonitas, audiamus. 'Ego autem dico vobis.' Quibus? Utique Christianis, 'Non resistere malo.' Sic cum dicit, vult nos vitia non repensare vitiis, sed superare virtutibus, et in ipsos scintillis adhuc exstinguere iram, quae si pervenerit ad totum furoris incendium, sine sanguine non sedatur. Ira vincitur lenitate, mansuetudine exstinguitur furor, malitia bonitate palpatue, crudelitas pietate prosternitur, impatientia patientia punitur, contentio superatur blanditiis, superbiam humilitas sternit. Ergo fratres, qui vult vitia vincere, pietatis arma teneat, non furoris. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo XXXVIII  Source: Migne PL 52.307b-c

Let us hear what the Divine Goodness commands us who have been renewed through grace. 'But I say to you.' To whom? Obviously to the Christians. 'Not to resist the evil man.' 1 When he speaks so, He wants us not to repay vices with vices but to overcome with virtues, and by them to smother anger when it is but a spark, for if it comes to the full fire of fury, it is not restrained without blood being spilled. Anger is conquered with gentleness, by meekness fury is extinguished, malice is soothed by kindness, cruelty is prostrated by piety, impatience is disciplined by patience, contention is overcome by soft words, pride is laid low by humility. Therefore, brothers, he who wishes to gain victory over the vices should lay hold of the arms of piety, not rage. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 38 1 Mt 5.39

Criticising Critics

O invidia primum mordax tui! O Satanae calliditas semper sancta persequens! Nullae aliae Romanae urbi fabulam praebuerunt, nisi Paula et Melanium, quae contemptis facultatibus, pignoribusque desertis, crucem Domini quasi quoddam pietatis levavere vexillum. Si balneas peterent, unguenta eligerent, divitias et viduitatem haberent materiam luxuriae et libertatis, dominae vocarentur, et sanctae. Nunc in sacco et cinere formosae volunt videri, et in gehennam ignis cum jejuniis, et pedore descendere: videlicet non eis licet applaudente populo perire cum turbis. Si gentiles hanc etiam carperent, si Judaei haberent solatium non placendi eis, quibus displicet Christus. Nunc vero, pro nefas! homines Christiani, praetermissa domorum suorum cura, et proprii oculi trahe neglecta, in alieno oculo festucam quaerunt. Lacerant santum propositum, et remedium poenae suae arbitrantur, si nemo sit sanctus: si omnibus detrahatur: si turba sit pereuntium: si multitudo peccantium. Sanctus Hieronymus, Epistola XLV Ad Asellam Source: Migne PL 22 481-2

O envy, biter first of yourself! O cunning of Satan, that always persecutes the holy! No other Roman lady was exposed to gossip but only Paula and Melanium, who, despising possessions and deserting families, lifted the Lord's cross as a standard of piety. If they had attended the baths, chosen perfumes, and used their wealth and status as widows to luxuriate and be independent, they would have been acclaimed as ladies of high rank and saints. But now since in sackcloth and ashes they wish to appear beautiful, they with their fasting and their dirt will tumble into the Gehenna of fire, for certainly it could not be that they would perish with the crowd whom the people applaud. If it were Gentiles snapping at them, if it were Jews they had not cared to please, well, so these too Christ displeased. But, in truth and for shame, it is Christians who overlook care for their own households and neglecting the beams in their own eyes look for motes in the eyes of others. They tear apart the holy way and so judge that they have found a remedy for their own punishment if no one is holy, if they can detract from every one, if they can show that the many perish and sinners are the multitude. Saint Jerome, from Letter 45, To Asella