This man is for today, celebrated on January 4, as well, and from within the first five centuries. I note how simple and cost-free was his being consecrated a bishop "for his virtues." Must be after the first five centuries that matters became contrived, monetary, false, and not really blessed as what Christ taught and desired by His own life and ways of doing and being, a simple call to the apostles to go to all thew world and spread the good news, and a simple breaking of bread and drinking of wine prayerfully, in remembrance of Him.
Christ taught love of God and love of others and gave many examples of this in his teachings and parable, in his examples. He and His teaching and example to us is His Church, not all this other. And those who adhere to His teaching and example are in Him. Not the temporal church and what it has become.
How refreshing to think of a widower with great virtues being asked to be a bishop by the people who knew him best, and due to his life example. Not a priest first, not climbing his way up the church corporation ladder, no politicized or despotic aspects, no weak or sick or perverted young or old man. Simply made a bishop due to his life of virtues, proven by years and chosen, asked, by those people around him where he lived who had known him.
SAINT GREGORY
Bishop
(† c. 541)
St. Gregory was one of the principal senators of Autun and a widower after the death of his wife. At the age of fifty-seven, he was consecrated bishop of Langres for his virtues. He governed the See with admirable prudence and zeal for thirty-three years, sanctifying his pastoral labors with humility, prayer and mortification of the senses.
An incredible number of idolaters and pagans were converted by him; and worldly or materialistic Christians rejected Satan by correcting their personal disorders.
St. Gregory passed away after the feast of the Epiphany in 541. Out of devotion to St. Benignus, he was buried near that Saint's tomb at Dijon.
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