Catching Flies With Honey: St. Mellitus of Canterbury

Catching Flies

There’s an old saying about catching flies. That is, you’ll catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than you will with a vat of vinegar. We see a good illustration of that old saw in the life of a Saint whom we remember this weekend, St. Mellitus of Canterbury (died April 24th, A.D. 624).  His name, in fact, means “honeyed.” Pope Gregory the Great sent him to assist St. Augustine of Canterbury in converting the Saxon conquerers of Britain in the 7th century. In his mission we find an example of the Church explicitly choosing to put the “Honey Strategy” into practice.

A Consequential Saint

But first, we need a little background on Saint Mellitus.  Despite being little-known today, he was in fact a very consequential saint. Mellitus first arrived in Britain in the year A.D. 601. He brought with him books and other things considered necessary for Christian instruction and worship.  St. Augustine of Canterbury (the Apostle to the English, not to be confused with Doctor of the Church St. Augustine of Hippo) consecrated him Bishop of London. At that time London was the capital of the East Saxon kingdom.  

Somewhere around the years 616-618 his fortunes took an unwelcome turn. The Christian East Saxon king died, after which the new king drove Mellitus from his episcopal see in London.  Shortly thereafter the Christian king of Kent died as well, and Mellitus had to flee from Britain all together. He was able to return a few years later after Laurence, Augustine’s successor as Archbishop of Canterbury, had converted the new Kentish king.  Mellitus never returned to London, which would not see a Bishop again until 654, thirty years after the Saint’s death.  St. Mellitus instead became Archbishop of Canterbury at the Death of Laurence in 619. He occupied the see until his own passing five years later.  He is credited with miraculously saving his church from a fire shortly before his death.

Destroy Idols, Consecrate Temples

St. Mellitus played an important part in the conversion of the English. He carried instructions in the form of a letter from the Pope, the Epistola ad Mellitum. In this letter St. Gregory urges Mellitus and Augustine to rely on persuasion in converting the pagan English. They were to destroy idols, but consecrate the temples that housed the idols for use as churches. They Pope instructed them to adapt things already familiar to the English to Christian uses. This would help the English nation to “set aside error from her heart, and, acknowledging and adoring the True God, might assemble more familiarly at the places which she was accustomed (to use).”  

This letter is a particularly explicit statement of an approach that has been more or less the rule (albeit with some notable exceptions) for most of the history of the Church.  And it fits well with the way our Lord works. God breathed life into the mud of the earth to create Adam. Likewise, through baptism he makes former non-believers into his adopted sons and daughters. Why can’t his Church in the same way “baptize” what is good in pagan societies and consecrate it for use in His service?

     

Sweetness of Divine Love

The story of St. Mellitus and his “honeyed” approach has a lesson for us today as we go about our own mission of evangelization. We can become frustrated when it seems that nobody is listening. We may find ourselves brimming over with vinegar, as it were.  Perhaps we should stay calm, listen patiently, and try to focus on the love of Jesus. In other words, spread a little honey. Then we’re more likely to have a fruitful exchange. Notice that St. Mellitus wasn’t successful at first. Not just one but by two kings expelled him, from two kingdoms. But in the end love and persistence paid off.  St. Mellitus, pray for us, that we might avoid the bitterness of our own pride, and to speak with the sweetness of Divine Love. Amen.