They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
Read Chapter 24
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
57. Whom do we understand by the fatherless in this place, but the Elect of God, who are set in tenderness of mind, are nourished with the efficacious grace of faith, and do not yet see the face of their Father, Who has already died in their behalf. And there are very many in the Church, who see certain persons aiming at the things of heaven, having all earthly things in contempt, and though they themselves are toiling with all their strength in this world’s labours, yet to those whom they see panting after heavenly things, from the goods which they possess in this world, they bring this life’s aid and support. And though they cannot themselves follow a spiritual life, yet to those reaching forth to the things above they gladly yield means of support. For an ass is used to bear the burthens of men. He then is as it were a kind of ass of the Elect, who whilst yielding himself to earthly courses, carries loads for the uses of men. And often when Heretics turn aside any such person from the bosom of Holy Church, they are as it were driving off the ass of the fatherless, in that when they force him into their own misbelief, they drive him away from tendance on the good.
58. But who is to be understood by the ‘widow’ saving Holy Church, who is bereft in the mean seas out of the sight of her slain Husband? Now ‘the ox’ of this ‘widow’ is every individual preacher. And it often chances that Heretics by their perverted tenets draw over even those very persons that appeared to be preachers. And so they ‘take the widow’s ox,’ when they carry off from Holy Church even a person preaching. And it is rightly added here for a pledge. For when a pledge is taken away, one thing indeed is held in our hands, but another yet further is sought for. And very often Heretics for this reason try to carry off those that preach, that they may draw to them their followers likewise. Thus ‘the widow’s ox is taken away for a pledge,’ when the same person that practised preaching is for this reason carried off, that others may follow after him. By whose downfall it is very often brought about, that they also go forth from the bosom of Holy Church, who, imbued with godly habits in her, seemed to be meek and humble.
