Gregory the Great: The Proof of Love is in the Works

“The proof of love is in the works: where love exists, it works great things; but when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.”

Gregory the Great (540-604) monk, abbot, pope, and one of the four doctors of the Eastern Church as recounted by John M. David in A Spiritual Retreat of Eight Days (Louisville: Webb and Levering, 1864), p. 273.

Gregory came from a wealthy family and to flee from worldliness chose a monastic way of living following the rule of Benedict. He dedicated his life to studying and teaching the Scriptures he became known as “the Great” for his skill in helping people apply the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost. He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.”

Basil the Great, (330-379) bishop of Caesarea and doctor of the Eastern Church.

Professor Basil was known for his piety and study and for ministering to the poor and the afflicted. Despite his high position he was known for the simplicity of his food and clothing. He renounced earthly pleasures so that others could receive basic necessities.

“You believe in Christ, believe also in His words: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.” Take neither scrip nor staff. He is rich enough who is poor—with Christ.”

St. Jerome (347-420) Letter 14.1.

This statement comes in the opening section of the letter, from St. Jerome, one of the four doctors of the Western Church, to a monk named Heliodorus. His instructions are clear.

Seek first the kingdom of God and remember that if you go forth with Christ and without resources, you are rich enough, for in Him you have everything you need! Let’s live like we believe this!

“Now, once for all, if you wish your property to abide with you in security and yet further to increase I will show you the plan, and the place where none of those who have designs upon it will be allowed to enter. What then is the place? It is Heaven.

Send away your possessions to that good husband of yours and neither thief, nor schemer, nor any other destructive thing will be able to pounce upon them. If you deposit these goods in the other world, you will find much profit arising from them. For all things which we plant in Heaven yield a large and abundant crop, such as might naturally be expected from things which have their roots in Heaven.

And if you do this, see what blessings you will enjoy, in the first place eternal life and the things promised to those who love God, “which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man,” and in the second place perpetual intercourse with your good husband; and you will relieve yourself from the cares and fears, and dangers, and designs, and enmity and hatred which beset you here.

For as long as you are surrounded with this property there will probably be some to make attempts upon it; but if you transfer it to Heaven, you will lead a life of security and safety, and much tranquility, enjoying independence combined with godliness.”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in Letter to a Young Widow 7.

“No one ought to be ashamed of becoming poor after being rich, if this happens because he gives freely to the poor; for Christ became poor when He was rich, that through His poverty He might enrich all. He has given us a rule to follow, so that we may give a good account of our reduced inheritance; whoever has stayed the hunger of the poor has lightened his distress.”

Ambrose of Milan (337-397) in On the Duties of Clergy 30.151.

“My Lord was pleased to die for my sins; why should I not be glad to give up my poor life out of love to Him.”

Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498) as recounted by Herbert Lockyer, Last Words of Saints and Sinners (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1969), p. 151.

“A life spent in the service of God, and in communion with Him, is the most comfortable life that any one can lead in this present world.”

Matthew Henry (1662-1714), proclaimed these words near the end of his life, as recounted by Herbert Lockyer, Last Words of Saints and Sinners (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1969), p. 56

“Jesus spoke of love rather than of justice because he included a generous justice in his idea of love. As justice does not mean legality, so love does not mean charity. The prophets never urged that contributions should be made to the victims of social injustice. While Jesus spoke much of giving to the poor, for that was the one means of social service available, he emphasized ever the personal relationship. The neighbor is not only to be fed; he is also to be loved. The parable of neighborliness shows personal service to the wounded traveler, not the mere giving of money. Jesus’s idea of forgiveness was not merely charitable; it was generous.”

Theodore Gerald Soares, The Social Institutions and Ideals of the Bible (New York: Abingdon, 1915), p. 374.

“God’s love for us is without limit. In the economy of divine love we will discover that the more we give, the more we have to give. I have noticed that no matter how much I try, I cannot exhaust God’s love. I have never seen it run out. But I can only give as much as I have received, and the measure of love I receive is in direct proportion to how much I desire to know it, feel it, and give it away.”

James Bryan Smith, Embracing the Love of God: The Path and Promise of Christian Life (New York: HarperCollins, 1995), p. 55.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today I honor my wife, Jenni, who desires to know, feel, and give away God’s love without limit having discerned that in God’s economy, the more we give away the more we have.

“Our service to humankind must be given freely. We must be subject to everyone and serve our brothers as if we were paying off a debt. Moreover, those who are in charge should work harder than the others and conduct themselves with greater submission than those that are under them. Their lives should be a visible example of what service means, and they should remember that those who are committed to their trust are given to them by God.

Those who are in a position of authority must look after their brothers and sisters as dutiful teachers look after children given to them by their parents. If brothers and sisters and elders have this loving relationship, then brothers and sisters will be happy to obey whatever is commanded while elders will be delighted to lead their brothers and sisters to perfection. If you try to outdo one another in showing respect, your life on earth will be like that of the angels.

Gregory of Nyssa (335-394), as recounted by James Stuart Bell, Awakening Faith: Daily Devotions from the Early Church, “Service and Stewardship” 263.