Послание 29. Ко Льву, орфанотрофу (сиропитателю)

We wanted to come ourselves and join in the misfortune that befell you - the loss of your blessed son, my beloved lord, and not just to mourn the misfortune in a letter and take part in your grief. Truly, isn’t it a pity, isn’t it painful to experience the loss of one son after another, to be deprived of a seemingly animated treasure, the wealth of family succession, the much-desired fruit of a mother’s womb, the beautiful eyes of the house, the joy of a grandmother, the adornment of the entire family? The first fruit appeared and was prematurely snatched from its parents' hands; the second was born, and this one was struck down by a cruel death; a third branch grew, as a consolation for the first, blooming, beautiful, continuing to live until the third year, to which the souls of the parents were firmly attached, and - alas, misfortune! – suffering does not allow you to continue speaking! - she too left from your eyes and, what is even more regrettable, not in front of the absent parent. But why increase unhappiness? Your heart, that of your father, your mother, your lady patrician, has been struck, and the sword has passed through the midst of both, and this sorrow can be healed not by a word, not by consolation, not by a person, not by an Angel, but by God alone, who has so arranged the limits of our life. For He Himself took your most beloved son, my lord, just as He took those before him. Your situation is very deplorable, but not theirs taken. Because they, pure and not defiled by sins due to their recent birth, having departed from here to a blissful and passionless life, rejoice in the bowels of Abraham, live with the holy babies, sing with the youths surrounding Christ. So, the beautiful children did not perish, but were saved for you and remained unharmed, and you will see them a little later, when this temporary life ends, rejoicing and having fun, not in a short age, but in the perfection of “the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Therefore, we exhort and ask you to really console yourself with these thoughts and thus remove immoderate sorrow from your soul. The Lord has appointed a measure for us so that we both express natural compassion and do not transgress the proper limits in this. The former inclines God to mercy, and the latter disposes to resist the orders of Providence: the former pleases those who have departed, and the latter usually grieves them who have achieved peace. For everyone wants those who admit that they love him to rejoice and not grieve at his joy. We believe that Lady Khartularia will again conceive and give birth to a son, no longer for a short time, but who will live here for a long time for the continuity of the family, we will only moderate our grief and offer thanksgiving sacrifices in words and deeds for the baby to the Lord Christ. You might be interested in: