THEOSISGregory the Great
If your spirit occupied the position of my spirit, I would offer you words of comfort, raise my head over you, provide strength through my speech, and express my sympathy as if I were truly grieving for you, Job. Job 16:4-5. At times, it is crucial that those with wicked hearts, who cannot be swayed by human discourse, receive the gentle touch of a benevolent God through His Spirit of compassion. This divine intervention is extended with abundant love, emphasizing that guilt is not rectified through punishment but rather through sincere prayer instead of curses. In the heartfelt expressions of blessed Job, we can see his wish that friends, who lacked the ability to empathize with suffering, might learn through experience and love how to offer solace to others in their troubles.
Read more (644 words)
By sharing in the distress of others, they may alleviate their own sorrows, as experiencing outward hardships can lead to deeper inner strength and understanding. It is significant that he does not say, “Oh, if my soul were in your place,” but rather “your soul were in the place of my soul.” He refrains from wishing to be like them, as it would signify his own condemnation, instead desiring better outcomes for them, yearning for them to embody his virtues. Thus, we offer comfort to those who are troubled by connecting their external afflictions with the establishment of inner health. We “bear our heads” when we incline our minds toward them in love, providing nourishment to their aching spirits by soothing their grief with kind words. Many individuals remain oblivious to inner realities and are thrown into despair by external troubles. Of these, the Psalmist declares, “They shall not be held back in tribulations” (Psalms 139:9); for the one who possesses an indomitable spirit against external trials knows how to rejoice eternally in the hope that springs from within.
Furthermore, it is notable that he does not state, "pitying you," but rather "as if pitying you." This distinction warrants attention, as the Holy Church upholds the strength of discipline alongside the meekness of compassion. Sometimes, even when appearing to show pity, she may not extend true compassion toward the wicked; conversely, she may appear unsympathetic but genuinely grieve for their plight. To illustrate this point, let us imagine two unruly individuals within the Holy Church—one arrogant and the other gentle and receptive. When the softer individual becomes tainted by impurity, the preacher boldly identifies the specific flaw, offering correction that liberates him from guilt and guides him back onto the righteous path. In this case, he expresses pity without pity, acting with the knowledge that a firm reproof would expedite the man’s liberation from sin. However, when confronted with an overbearing person, the preacher must carefully select the appropriate moment to initiate correction, waiting for the right circumstances when the individual can accept the reprimand without further inflaming their faults. Often, this type of person cannot endure even a hint of personal reproach, which compels the preacher to address wider transgressions applicable to all rather than pinpointing a single fault. When admonitions are made broadly, they can resonate with the arrogant man without his awareness that the critique is aimed at him. Thus, the preacher offers a general reproof while still caring for the specific individual, providing healing under the cover of collective admonition. As a result, the individual may come to regret the sin committed, perhaps more profoundly than he would if he clearly recognized the personal nature of his wrongdoing, feeling the blow of broader reproof.
It is essential to approach these matters with a skillful technique in preaching, where those hardened by overt correction might find healing through different forms of rebuke. This aligns with Paul’s assertion, “And those who seem to us less honorable in body, we take more care of them; and our ungraceful ones are covered more evidently, but our good-looking ones have no need of it” (1 Corinthians 12:23-24). Just as there are unattractive parts of the body, there are also individuals within the Church who exhibit arrogance and insensitivity, yet are shielded from direct critique. This pertains particularly to secretive sins among leaders; when such sins become known, they must be addressed, and acknowledgment must be made of the wrongdoing. If a preacher remains silent about evident transgressions, he risks appearing to condone them, allowing unchecked sin to proliferate as a poor example. Thus, while the Holy Church, through her proclamations, exposes the hidden sins of the wicked under the guise of general rebuke, she may “move her lips as if she were sorry,” all the while ensuring that her teachings uphold the denouncement of sin.