78. TO GUNDULF, BISHOP OF: Rochester.
The Letters of St. Anselm
78. TO GUNDULF, BISHOP OF
ROCHESTER.
Anselm rejoices at Gundulf's elevation to the see of Rochester and consoles his friend that ensuing tribulations will only advance him towards perfection. Anselm gives thanks to God for having raised Gundulf up as an example.
TO HIS ONCE DEARLY BELOVED BROTHER, NOW HIS DEAREST
FATHER, FORMERLY AND PRESENTLY HIS REVEREND LORD, THE
VENERABLE BISHOP GUNDULF: BROTHER ANSELM, ALWAYS HIS,
WISHING THAT HE MAY SO DISCHARGE HIS EPISCOPAL OFFICE
THAT HE MAY ATTAIN ETERNAL REWARD.
BEFORE I COULD SEND A LETTER of joy about your pro motion, your dearest holiness, I heard that your election to the bishopric1 had brought you not rest but labor, not enjoyment but tribulation. On the one hand, then, I want to rejoice with your paternity as with one whose past life divine grace has shown itself to be pleased with, to the ex tent that God has deigned to reckon you among the princes of his Church. On the other hand, however, I am forced to pity your fraternity as someone who, after having been so greatly exalted, is burdened with greater tribulation by this very fact. But when I consider that, as holy Scripture bears witness, of tribulation are born patience which has its perfect work2 and endurance which creates hope and in its turn is not confounded,3 I clearly realize that in tribulation your holiness is not so much to be pitied for the labor you take on yourself with it as to be congratulated for the per fection and hope to which you will advance through it.
Glory be to God on high,4 therefore, to whom your life has been so pleasing that he raised it up to be an example.
And glory be to God on high who has loved you so much that he has placed you in the fire of tribulation that he might distil your works continually to perfection and your hope to real steadfastness. For if all things work together for good to those who love God,5 why do those who love him not render thanks for the good, rejoicing in all things? Since man does
The Letters of St. Anselm
not know whether he is worthy of love or displeasure,6 they ought indeed to act in such a way that they serve the Lord in fear and rejoice in him with trembling?
Every servant of the Lord ought to observe this lest he imagine tribulation where there is no tribulation. Lest, along with what he ought not to feel he assign tribulation where he decides it should be and thinks he ought not to suffer what he does suffer and imagines he has overcome through the fortitude of patience what he has succumbed to in the weakness of his infirmity. Thus, considering himself some thing when he is nothing, he deludes himself.8 Therefore I ad monish your holiness not to consider a tribulation what harms neither body nor soul, lest, if the damage to those things which a servant of God should despise saddens you, you prove you love the things of this world more than is right and love eternal things less than is fitting. For every man plainly shows he loves such things if he cannot en dure their destruction without grief. Nobody considers suffering a nuisance except when he has to tolerate damage to the things he loves.
I commend our beloved brother Richard to your paterni ty with as much charitable care as possible, so that being cut off from our companionship may not harm but rather being joined to your household may be good for him. c. spring 1077.
NOTES 1. Gundulf was consecrated bishop by Archbishop Lanfranc at Christ Church, Canterbury, on 19 March 1077; see also Ep 4.
2. Cf. Jm 1:4.
3. Cf. Rom 5:3.
4. Cf. Lk 2:14.
5. Rom 8:28.
6. Si 9:1.
7. Ps 2:11.
8. Gal 6:3.