A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

§ 105. Foundation of Mediæval Culture and Schools 707he had acquired, not so much by study and reading, or secularscholarship, as by purity of heart alone; since he was able only [647]with difficulty to understand or speak even but a few words in theGreek language. This man, when he was seeking an explanationof some most difficult question, continued indefatigably sevendays and nights in prayer until, by a revelation of the Lord, heknew the answer to the question propounded.Ch. 34. This man, therefore, when some of the brethrenwere wondering at the splendid light of his knowledge, and wereasking him some meanings of Scripture, said: “A monk desiringto attain to a knowledge of the Scriptures ought in no wise tospend his labor on the books of the commentators, but rather tokeep all the efforts of his mind and the intentions of his heart seton purification from carnal vices. When these are driven out, atonce the eyes of the heart, when the veil of passions has beenremoved, will begin, as it were, naturally to gaze on the mysteriesof Scripture, since these were not declared unto us by the graceof the Holy Ghost to remain unknown and obscure; but they arerendered obscure by our vices, as the veil of our sins cover theeyes of the heart, and for these, when restored to their naturalhealth, the mere reading of Holy Scripture is amply sufficientfor the perception of the true knowledge; nor do they need theinstruction of commentators, just as these eyes of flesh need noman's assistance to see provided they are free from the dimnessor darkness of blindness.”(c) Gregory the Great, Ep. ad Desiderium, Reg. XI, ep. 54.(MSL, 77:1171.)Desiderius was bishop of Vienne. This letter was sent withseveral others written in connection with the sending ofMellitus to England; see Bede, Hist. Ec., I, 27, 29.Many good things have been reported to us regarding your pursuits,and such joy arose in our hearts that we could not bear