Monitio et informatio ad episcopum de modo tenendo in victu et vestitu et oratione, et qualiter se habere debeat in omnibus ante mensam in mensa et post mensam et hoc idem de dormitione, et qualiter in omnibus exerceat officium episcopale.
The Bishop's Call to Holiness
The bishop is called to abandon worldly greed and embrace the narrow path of justice and divine love.
Jesus Christ, both God and man, who came to earth to take on our humanity and save souls by his blood, who brought light to the true life and opened the gate of heaven—he himself has sent me to you. Listen, you who are given to hear spiritual things: if this bishop intends to walk the narrow path that few travel, and to be one of those few, he must first set aside the weight that surrounds and burdens him—that is, the greed of the world—by holding the world only to what is necessary for his humble episcopal support.✦ That is how Matthew did it; when he was called by God, he left behind the heavy burden of the world and found a light one. Second, he must be girded for the journey, just as Scripture says that Tobias, when he was ready for his journey, found an angel standing there already girded. What does it mean that the angel was girded, if not that every bishop must be girded with the belt of justice and divine love, prepared to walk the path taken by the One who said, 'I am the good shepherd, who lays down my soul for my sheep'? He must be prepared to speak the truth with his words, and prepared to practice justice with his deeds, both in himself and in others. You shouldn't abandon justice because of threats or insults, nor because of false friendship or empty fear. Every bishop, therefore, who appears girded in this way will have Tobias come to him—that is, righteous men—and they will follow his life.
Spiritual Sustenance and Daily Discipline
The bishop must nourish his soul with the bread of charity and the water of meditation on Christ's passion.
Third, he must eat bread and drink water before he sets out on his journey, just as we read of Elijah, who, when awakened from sleep, found bread and water at his head. What is this bread given to the prophet, if not the physical and spiritual good that was provided for him? For physical bread was prepared for him in the wilderness as an example. Although God could have sustained the prophet without physical food, He still chose to have physical bread prepared for him, so that man might understand that it is pleasing to God for him to use the good gifts of God temperately for the comfort of the flesh. A spiritual infusion was also breathed into the prophet when he walked for forty days on the strength of that food. For if some internal anointing of grace had not been breathed into his mind, he would certainly have failed in the labor of those forty days, because man is weak of himself, but strong through God to complete such a journey. Since man lives by every word of God, we advise the bishop to take up a morsel of bread; this means to love God above all things. He'll find this morsel at his own head—that is, his reason will tell him that God must be loved above and before all things, both because He is his Creator and Redeemer, and because of His long-suffering patience and goodness. We also ask him to drink a little water, which means to reflect deeply on the bitterness of Christ's passion. For who could ever be worthy to fully grasp the anguish of Christ’s humanity—what he suffered when he asked for the cup of his passion to pass from him, and when drops of blood ran down to the ground?✦ Therefore, let the bishop drink this water with the bread of charity, and then he will be strengthened to move forward on the way of Jesus Christ.
The Sanctification of Daily Routine
The bishop is instructed to sanctify his daily tasks, from rising and dressing to the performance of his office, with prayer and humility.
Once the way of salvation has begun, if the bishop wishes to progress further, it's useful for him to give thanks to God with his whole heart from the first hour of the day. He should carefully reflect on his actions and ask for God's help to do His will. Then, as you get dressed, pray like this: 'Ash belongs with ash, and earth with earth.' However, because I am a bishop by the providence of God, I clothe you, my body, in garments from the earth—not for beauty or pride, but for covering, so that your nakedness doesn't show. I don't care whether your clothing is fine or cheap, but only that your episcopal habit is recognized for the reverence of God. And let episcopal authority be discerned through that habit, for the correction and instruction of others. Therefore I ask you, most loving God, to grant me stability in my soul, so that I may not take pride in the cost of ash and earth, nor vainly glory in a dusty color. But grant me the strength so that, just as the episcopal habit is distinct and honorable above others because of its divine authority, the state of my soul may be regarded in the same way before God—lest I be cast down more deeply for holding authority indiscreetly and unworthily, or be stripped more shamefully to my own damnation for wearing a praiseworthy habit in vanity.
Table Fellowship and Pastoral Care
The bishop's life at the table and among his household should be marked by moderation, edifying conversation, and spiritual fatherhood.
Then, let him read or sing the Hours. The higher a person climbs in rank, the greater the honor they are bound to render to God. Yet a pure heart is just as pleasing to God in silence as it is in song, provided a person is occupied with other righteous tasks. After Mass, he should carry out his episcopal duties, taking care not to focus more on material concerns than on spiritual ones. But when he comes to the table, he should keep this thought in mind: Lord Jesus Christ, you command that this body, which is subject to decay, be sustained by earthly food. Give me the help to provide what is necessary for my body so that my flesh doesn't insolently rise up against my soul through an excess of food, nor grow sluggish in your service through an indiscreet lack of it. Instead, inspire me with a fitting moderation, so that while this earth is sustained by earthly things, the Lord of the earth may not be provoked to anger by his own earth. When he is at the table, however, he is allowed moderate comfort and conversation, in which vulgarity and vanity must be avoided. No word should be spoken or heard that might give those listening an occasion to sin; instead, everything should be honest and wholesome. Just as a meal is tasteless without bread and wine, so at a bishop's table, everything served is tasteless to the soul if good teaching and exhortation are missing. And so, to avoid any occasion for vanity, something should be read or recited at the table that will edify those sitting there. Once the meal is finished and thanks have been given to God in prayer, the bishop should look into what needs to be done, or at the very least, spend time with books from which he can draw toward the perfection of his soul. After dinner, however, he may find comfort with his household. Yet, just as a mother weaning her infant smears her breasts with ash or some other bitterness until the child is weaned from milk and grows accustomed to solid food, so should a bishop draw his household toward God with words that make them fear and love Him, so that he may be their father through divine authority and their mother through spiritual instruction.✦1 If, however, he knows that one of his household is knowingly sinning to the death of his soul, and that person does not repent after hearing warnings, he should remove him from his presence. If he keeps him on for the sake of his own convenience or temporal comfort, he won't be free from the guilt of that person's sin.
Resting in the Grace of God
The bishop concludes his day with an examination of conscience and entrusts his sleep and waking to God's mercy.
When you go to bed, examine your actions and the desires of your heart from the day that has just passed, thinking this way: 'O God, Creator of my body and soul, look upon me with your mercy and grant me your grace, so that I don't grow lukewarm in your service because of too much sleep.' Don't let the restlessness of sleep cause me to fail in your service, but govern my sleep for your honor—since you have ordained it for the refreshment of the body—and give me the strength so that the enemy, the devil, may not disturb me or pull me away from your mercy. When you rise from bed, wash away through confession any negligence your flesh may have suffered, so that your sleep for the coming night doesn't arise alongside the sins of the past.
Read the original Latin
Ihesus Christus deus et homo, qui venit ad terram assumere humanitatem et saluare animas sanguine suo, qui vitam veram illuminavit aperuitque portam celi, ipse me misit ad vos.
"Audi tu, cui datum est audire spiritualia: Si episcopus iste proponit ire per viam artam, per quam pauci ambulant, et esse unus de paucis, deponat primo pondus circumstans et onerans eum; hoc est mundi cupiditatem habendo mundum ad sola necessaria sua secundum episcopalem humilem sustentationem.
Sic fecit ille bonus Matheus, qui vocatus a Deo reliquit onus grave mundi et inuenit onus leue. Secundo fit precinctus ad viam, sicut dicit scriptura, quod Tobias paratus ad viam inuenit angelum precinctum stantem.
Quid significat, quod angelus erat precinctus, nisi quod omnis episcopus precinctus debet esse cingulo iusticie et diuine caritatis, paratus ire per viam illam, per quam ille iuit, qui ait: 'Ego sum pastor bonus, qui pono animam meam pro ouibus meis'; paratus eciam cum verbis loqui veritatem, paratus cum operibus facere iusticiam tam in seipso quam in alijs
non dimittendo iusticiam propter minas seu obprobria, non propter falsam amiciciam seu vanum timorem. Omnis igitur episcopus, qui taliter apparet precinctus, ad eum veniet Thobias; idest homines iusti, et sequentur vitam eius.'
Tercio debet comedere panem et aquam antequam aggrediatur viam, sicut legitur de Helya, quod excitatus a somno inuenit ad caput suum panem et aquam. Quis est iste panis datus prophete nisi bonum corporale et spirituale, quod administrabatur ei?
Nam preparabatur ei in heremo panis corporalis propter exemplum. Licet enim Deus potuisset sustentasse prophetam sine cibo corporali, voluit tamen preparari panem ei corporalem, ut intellegeret homo Deo esse placitum, quod utatur bonis donis Dei temperate ad consolationem carnis.
Infusio quoque spiritualis inspirabatur prophete, quando xl diebus iuit in fortitudine cibi illius. Nisi enim interna quedam unctio gratie inspirata fuisset menti eius, defecisset utique in quadraginta dierum labore, quia homo infirmus ex se erat sed ex Deo ad tantum perficiendum iter fortis.
Ergo quia in omni verbo Dei viuit homo, monemus episcopum sumere buccellam panis; hoc est diligere Deum super omnia. Hanc bucellam inueniet ipse ad caput suum; idest, quia ratio sua dicet ei Deum suum super omnia et pre omnibus diligendum tum propter creatorem et redemptorem, tum propter longam patientiam et suam bonitatem.
Rogamus eum eciam bibere pauxillum aque; hoc est intime cogitare amaritudinem passionis Christi. Quis enim digne sufficiat cogitare angustias humanitatis Christi, quas tunc patiebatur, quando pecijt transferri ad se calicem passionis, quando gutte sanguis decurrebant in terram.
Bibat ergo episcopus aquam istam cum pane caritatis et tunc confortabitur ad progrediendum in via Ihesu Christi.
Incepta igitur via salutis, si episcopus ultra progredi voluerit, utile est ei a prima hora diei regratiari Deo toto corde. Recogitare sollicite actus suos et petere auxilium a Deo ad faciendum voluntatem eius.
Deinde cum induit se vestibus oret in hunc modum: 'Cinis tenetur esse cum cinere et terra cum terra. Verumtamen, quia ex prouidentia Dei episcopus sum, induo te corpus meum vestibus, que ex terra sunt, non propter pulcritudinem et superbiam sed propter operimentum, ne nuditas tua appareat.
Nec curo, utrum indumentum tuum melius sit an vilius sed tantum, ut ad reuerentiam Dei episcopalis agnoscatur habitus. Et ex habitu discernatur episcopalis autoritas ad correptionem et informationem aliorum. Ideo rogo te, pijssime Deus, ut tribuas michi in animo stabilitatem, ne superbiam de cineris et terre precio nec inaniter glorier de colore puluereo.
Sed presta fortitudinem ut, sicut habitus episcopalis discretus et honorabilis est pre alijs propter autoritatem diuinam, sic habitus anime mee respiciatur apud Deum, ne propter autoritatem indiscrete et indigne habitam deprimar profundius, seu propter habitum laudabilem inaniter portatum denuder ignominiosius ad meam damnationem.'
Deinde legat vel decantet horas. Quo enim homo ad altiorem gradum ascenderit, eo maiorem honorem tenetur Deo reddere. Attamen cor purum ita placet Deo in silentio, sicut in cantu, dum modo alijs iustis utilitatibus occupetur homo.
Post dictam missam excerceat episcopale officium suum cauendo sollicite, ne plus attendat ad corporalia quam ad spiritualia. Cum vero accedit ad mensam, cogitationem habeat talem:
'O, Domine Ihesu Christe, qui corpus, quod corrumpitur, cibo corporali sustentari precipis, da michi auxilium sic corpori meo dare necessaria, ut non improbe contra animam insolescat caro ex ciborum superfluitate, nec lentescat in seruitio tuo ex indiscreta parcitate. Sed inspira moderantiam congruam, ut cum terra de terrenis sustentatur dominus terre a terra sua ad iram non prouocetur'.
Cum vero in mensa fuerit, permittitur ei moderata consolatio et collocutio, in qua euitetur scurrilitas et vanitas. Nec tale verbum proferatur vel audiatur, quo audientes occasionem habeant ad peccandum, sed omnia sint honesta et salutaria.
Sicut enim in mensa corporali deficientibus pane et vino omnia sunt insipida, sic in mensa episcopali et spirituali deficiente bona doctrina et exhortatione omnia apposita insipida sunt anime.
Et ideo, ut euitetur vanitatum occasio, legatur vel recitetur aliquid in mensa tale, unde edificentur assidentes. Perfecta vero refectione et redditis in benedictione Deo gratijs inquirat agenda vel certe reuoluat libros, ex quibus trahi potest ad anime perfectionem.
Post cenam vero consolari poterit cum familiaribus suis. Attamen sicut mater ablactans infantem perungit ubera cinere seu aliqua alia amaritudine, donec infans disuescat a lacte et assuescit cibis solidioribus, sic episcopus attrahat Deo familiares suos talibus verbis, quibus timeant Deum et diligant, ut et ipsorum sit pater per diuinam autoritatem et eorum mater per spiritualem educationem.
Si vero scit scienter aliquem suorum familiarium peccare ad mortem anime, qui auditis amonitionibus non resipiscit, remoueat eum a se. Quem si retinuerit propter commodum et consolationem temporalem, non erit immunis a peccato eius.
Pergens vero ad lectum suum examinet diligenter facta et affectus ipsius diei iam preteriti cogitando taliter: 'O Deus, creator corporis mei et anime, vide me misericordia tua et presta gratiam tuam, ut ex somni abundantia non tepescam in seruitio tuo.
Nec somni inquietudine deficiam a seruitio tuo sed modera somnum meum ad honorem tuum, quem ad corporis alleuiationem haberi precepisti, et da michi fortitudinem, ut inimicus dyabolus non inquietet me nec abstrahat a tua pietate.'
Surgens autem a lecto diluat confessione, si quas negligentias caro passa est, ne sequentis noctis somnus cum preterite delictis oriatur."
Scripture echoes
- ↩Heb.12.1 — Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us.
- ↩Luke.22.42-Luke.22.44 — Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; but not my will, but yours be done. Luke.22.43 — And an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Luke.22.44 — And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
- ↩1Cor.3.2 — I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able. But indeed, even now you are not able,
Notes
- 1 ↩The metaphor of the mother and the weaning process is a classic patristic image for spiritual formation, emphasizing the transition from elementary to mature faith.
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