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Whoever practices good out of some interest is not firm in virtue, for the goal will change, and he will abandon the good deed, just as someone who sails for profit does not continue sailing if he does not see profit. But whoever honors and loves good for its own sake, because he loves something constant and has a constant disposition towards good, so that, feeling in himself something characteristic of God, he can say about himself what God himself said: I am the same and do not change (Mal. 3:6). Therefore, it will not transform, take on different forms in accordance with circumstances and deeds, become one thing or another, change colors, just as a polyp takes on the color of the stone to which it adheres, but always remains the same - unshakable among fluctuations, incorruptible among vicissitudes, and, as I imagine, it is a rock that, when struck by winds and waves, stands unshakably and crushes everything that hits it (1). There are eunuchs, says Christ, who were born from their mother’s womb like this; and there are eunuchs who are castrated from people; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever can contain it, let him contain it (Matthew 19:12). It seems to me that the word, evading the corporeal, through the corporeal depicts the highest, for it was small, perhaps even extremely weak and unworthy of the word, to stop the concept at the corporeal only eunuchs, but we must imagine something worthy of the spirit. So, some seem to be naturally disposed towards good. When I say: by nature, I do not demean desires, but I presuppose both, an inclination towards goodness, and a will that puts the natural inclination into action. And others are such that teaching purifies them, removing passions from them, and I understand them as eunuchs who are emasculated from people; when an instructive word, separating good from bad, and eliminating one and prescribing the other (as, for example, in the commandment: turn away from evil and do good (Ps. 33:15)) creates spiritual chastity in them. I also praise this family of eunuchs, I even highly praise both the mentors and the disciples: the former because they know how to cut off, and the latter because they endure cutting off even better. And there are eunuchs who made themselves for the Kingdom of Heaven. Others did not have mentors, but became praiseworthy mentors for themselves. Your mother did not teach you what she should, neither did your father, nor the priest, nor the bishop, nor any other of those who are entrusted to teach, but you yourself, having activated your mind, ignited the spark of good with your free will, distorted yourself, cut off the root, destroyed the instruments of sin, acquired such a skill in virtue that it became almost impossible for you to strive for evil. Therefore, I praise this clan of eunuchs, even more than other clans. Whoever can contain it, let him contain it. Choose whatever you want: either follow the teacher, or be a teacher for yourself. Only one thing is shameful if the passions are not cut off, and no matter who cuts them off, do not consider the difference. For the mentor is a creature of God, and you are from God. And if the mentor anticipates honor in you, and if good is your own work, in both cases it is equally good: let us only cut off passions from ourselves, so that no root of bitterness arises and causes harm (Heb. 12:15), we will only follow the image, we will only honor the Archetype (1). I would be ashamed if good were conveniently shaken, while evil remained unshakable. It should move easily from worse to better, and be motionless from better to worse (1). Never do anything shameful, although many people like it, and do not abandon a good deed, although it is hated by a vicious one. Try to act in such a way as to earn fame. And if she moves away from you, do not be upset by false rumors, but prudently go your own way. Let others bark in vain, they will do no harm to Divine love, and envy will cry its eyes out (2). If you want to be a god, show your activity not in doing evil, but in doing good. The latter is characteristic of a person who knows what is close to him. And both trine 56 and scorpio (2) can kill without difficulty. You get bored with moving from one place to another, and it seems to you that your life is as impermanent as trees carried on water. No, wonderful husband, don’t think that. Trees do not rush by their own will, but your journeys from place to place are made for God; and doing good to many is the most constant thing, although you yourself do not stand still. Would anyone blame the sun for walking around, pouring out its rays and reviving everything that it illuminates on its way; or, praising the fixed stars, will he disparage the planets, whose deviations from the correct flow are so harmonious 57 (2)? From a letter to Gregory of Nyssa. – Approx. ed. You might be interested in: