A letter from Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury (1102)

Translated letter:

Anselm the archbishop: to Rodbert, Seith and Edith,(1) his dearest children, greeting and the blessing of God, as far as he is able. If only you could learn with what joy my beloved son William filled my heart when he told me of your holy love for each other, your religious way of life, your heavenly ideal and your spiritual intention. Even though I am weighed down by my many worries and problems and feel my spiritual fervor growing lukewarm, yet great joy springs up in my heart when I hear that others are burning with love of God. Since it pertains to the office laid upon me and the duty entrusted to me and I feel you desire it, I admonish and beg you with as much affection as I can that you may strive to persevere, and better still, to progress in what not you, but God has begun in you. You will certainly be able to achieve this with God's help as long as you do not neglect even the smallest faults. Whoever observes diligence in the smallest details will not easily permit negligence in more important things. Our enemy does not openly suggest great sins to those he considers to be living in pursuance of a holy intention, but tries to ensnare them secretly by lesser sins as if they are to be regarded as unimportant. For he knows that "He who despises small thing falls little by little."(2) Therefore, dearest friends, if you ever feel that you are slipping occasionally or even once, from your good habits, however little it may be, consider with groans that you have incurred a serious fall. May your conversation always be pure and about God; take the example for your lives from the angels in heaven. Apart from those things which the weakness of human nature demands for its sustenance, consider and imitate in all things the life of the angels so that your way of life may always be in heaven.(3) May this contemplation be your mistress, this consideration your rule. Follow whatever is in harmony with the angelic life, detest anything which is in disharmony with it. Reflect that your angels are always with you and that they examine your actions and your thoughts,(4) as the Lord told us: "Their angels always behold the face of my Father"(5) and take care so to live always as if you visibly perceived them. May almighty God never allow you to fall from the state which you have now achieved but always enable you to progress towards better things. I pray you, pray for me.

Original letter:

Anselmus archiepiscopus: Rodberto, Seit, Edit, carissimis suis filiis, salutem et benedictionem dei, quantum potest. Utiam cognosceretis, quanto gaudio cor meum repleverit dilectus filius meus Willelmus de vestra quam mihi retulit invicem sancta dilectione de religiosa conversatione, de caelesti proposito et spirituali intentione! Quamvis enim multis curis et tribulationibus prementibus me sentiam a spirituali fervore tepere, tamen magna cordi meo generatur laetitia, cum audio alios in amore dei fervere. Et quoniam ad officium mihi iniuncturn et curam pertinet commissam, et vos, sicut sentio, desideratis: moneo, precor, quanto affectu possum, ut in hoc quod non vos, sed deus in vobis coepit, perseverare, immo et proficere studeatis. Quod utique deo adiuvante poteritis efficere, si minima quaeque nolueritis negligere. Qui enim in minimis servat diligentiam, non facile admittit in maioribus negligentiam. Nec hostis noster illis, quos in sancto proposito esse considerat, maiora peccata aperte ostendit, sed in modicis, quasi quae contemnenda sint, latenter eos fallere contendit. Scit enim quia "qui modica despicit, paulatim decidit." Ergo, carissimi, si quamlibet parum a vestra bona consuetudine aliquando vel semel sentitis declinare: gravem casum gemendo vos incurrisse iudicate. Colloquia vestra semper sint munda et de deo; exemplum vitae accipite ex angelis de caelo. Exceptis iis quae fragilitas humanae naturae ad suam exigit sustentationem: ut vestra conversatio semper in caelis sit, angelicam in omnibus considerate et imitamini conversationem. Haec contemplatio sit magistra vestra, haec consideratio sit regula vestra. Quae vitae angelicae concordant sectamini, quae ab illa discordant exsecramini. Angelos vestros — sicut dixit dominus : "angeli eorum semper vident faciem patris mei" — semper vobis praesentes et actus et cogitatus vestros considerantes cogitate, et ita, velut si eos visibiliter inspiceretis, semper vivere curate. Omnipotens deus numquam permittat vos ab hoc ad quod pervenistis deficere, sed semper faciat ad meliora proficere. Oro, orate pro me.

Historical context:

Anselm sends encouragement and spiritual advice to a religious community of Anglo-Saxon ladies.

Scholarly notes:

(1) They belonged to a small religious community of noble Anglo-Saxon ladies. See also Ep 414 and Southern, Anselm, 254. (2) See Sir 19:1. (3) See Ph 3:20. (4) See RB 7:13 and 28. (5) Mt 18:10. (6) Cistercian Publications Inc. Editorial Offices, Institute of Cistercian Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. All rights are reserved; downloading and copying for any purpose other than private research is prohibited.

Printed source:

Sancti Anselmi Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi, Opera Omnia, ed. F.S. Schmitt (Edinburgh: T. Nelson, 1946-63), ep.230, 4.134-35; translation and annotation from The Letters of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, trans. Walter Frohlich, Cistercian Studies 97, 3v (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1990-94), 2.199-200.(!6)

Date:

1102