From the Book of Moral Reflections on Job by Pope St. Gregory the Great [540-604 AD]:
Some there are who are careless concerning their true life, greedy of the things which pass away, but as to the things which are eternal, either understand them not, or, understanding them, holding them to be but of little moment they feel no sorrow, nor know how to take wise advice and, in forgetfulness of the heavenly possessions which they have lost, they deem themselves — alas, poor wretches — happy in their goods. They lift not up their eyes to the light of truth for which they were created; no keen desire ever maketh them to cast a longing look toward the everlasting Fatherland. Leaving alone the chief end for which they were made, they fix their affections upon the exile which they are enduring, instead of upon their home, and make merry in the blindness which they are suffering, as though it were glorious day-light.
But, on the other hand, the understandings of the elect, while they apprehend the things which pass away, perceive them to be indeed nothings, and work towards grasping the true end to which they were created, and since nothing outside God satisfieth them, their thought, wearied by the intensity of speculation, findeth rest in the hope for, and the contemplation of, their Maker. They are fain to take their place among the citizens above, and each one of them, although still placed in the world as concerns his body, doth yet in heart and mind ascend above the world. They bemoan the hardships of the exile which they are enduring, and rouse themselves by the constant pricking of their love, to look to their Fatherland above. When therefore such an one seeth with grief that by sin he hath lost an eternal inheritance, he findeth this healthy counsel, to reckon but lightly the things of time through which he is passing, and as the riper groweth his wise course that he hath chosen, to let be these perishing things, the deeper groweth his sorrow that he hath not yet attained unto the things which endure.
We must also realise that they who are headlong in their courses, feel not sorrow of heart. They that live without thought, who leave themselves recklessly to the guidance of events, escape the weariness of thought. He that ordereth his life by prudent consideration, looketh carefully around him before each thing that he doth, and, like a man, that before advancing on an uncertain way, trieth the ground with his foot, so he taketh thought beforehand, lest some sudden and evil thing should happen to him he considereth whether that which he hath a mind to do is not forbidden to him by caution, whether he be not too hasty about things which were better put off to another season, lest evil should overcome him by open attack upon his lusts, or even good undo him by the in-bringing of vain glory.
