The Cathedral Close

Today, we continue with St. Gregory the Great’s treatise entitled Pastoral Care or Pastoral Rule (Regula Pastoralis). I think it would be a good thing as Advent draws to a close for clergy, particularly those currently holding episcopal office or pending consecration, to measure themselves against the Pastoral Rule.

For those of us who endured the long collapse of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, we experienced an episcopate that turned 180 degrees from these rules, particularly when it came to seeking prosperity and property. Having spent many hours in many courts as either counsel or an expert witness, I know firsthand what havoc a breach of this next pastoral rule (Book I, Ch. 3) wreaks on the lives of the faithful, whether clergy or lay people. This chapter is particularly apt as we approach the Feast of the Incarnation.

Of the weight of government; and that all manner of adversity is to be despised, and prosperity feared.

So much, then, have we briefly said, to show how great is the weight of government, lest whosoever is unequal to sacred offices of government should dare to profane them, and through lust of pre-eminence undertake a leadership of perdition.

From this St. James affectionately deters us, saying, “Be not made many masters, my brethren.” (St. James 3:1). Indeed, the Mediator between God and man Himself-He who, transcending the knowledge and understanding even of supernal spirits, reigns in heaven from eternity-on earth fled from receiving a kingdom. For it is written, “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a king, He departed again into the mountain Himself alone.” (St. John 6:15) For who could so blamelessly have had principality over men as He who would in fact have reigned over those whom He had Himself created? But, because He had come in the flesh to this end, that He might not only redeem us by His passion, but also teach us by His conversation, offering Himself as an example to His followers.

He would not be made a king. He went of His own accord to the gibbet of the cross. He fled from the offered glory of pre-eminence, but desired the pain of an ignominious death. He did this so that His members might learn to fly from the favours of the world, to be afraid of no terrors, to love adversity for the truth’s sake, and to shrink in fear from prosperity.

Why? Because prosperity often defiles the heart through vain glory, while adversity purges it through sorrow. In prosperity the mind exalts itself; but in adversity, even though it had once exalted itself, it brings itself low. In prosperity man forgets himself; but in adversity, even perforce and against his will, he is recalled to memory of what he is. In this prosperity, even good things done aforetime often come to nothing, but in adversity and humility faults even of long standing are wiped away.

For commonly in the school of adversity the heart is subdued under discipline, while, on sudden attainment of supreme rule, it is immediately changed and becomes elated through familiarity with glory. So it was that Saul, who had before fled in consideration of his unworthiness, no sooner had assumed the government of the kingdom than he was puffed up. (I Kings 10:22; 15:17-30) Desirous of being honoured before the people while unwilling to be publicly blamed, he cut off from himself even him who had anointed him to the kingdom.

Likewise, David, who in the judgment of Him who chose him was well pleasing to Him in almost all his deeds, as soon as the weight of pressure was removed, broke out into a swelling sore. (II Kings 11:3, et seq.) Having been as a laxly running one in his appetite for the woman, David became as a cruelly hard one in the slaughter of the man who was her husband. David, who had before known pitifully how to spare the bad learned afterwards, without impediment of hesitation, to pant even for the death of the good. (II Kings 11:15). For, indeed, previously he had been unwilling to smite his captured persecutor. Yet, afterwards, with loss to his wearied army, he destroyed even his devoted soldier. And in truth his crime would have snatched him farther away from the number of the elect, had not scourges called him back to pardon.