92. К Халкидии 62

May God grant you a reward, both here and in the next century, for respect, respect and sincere love for us. Not only now, but for a long time, from the very beginning, I undoubtedly know with what zeal you are disposed towards us. Therefore, no matter how far I live from you, no matter how many obstacles the distance between us poses, and no matter how depressed I am by various kinds of sorrows, arising either as a result of the desolation of this place, or as a result of constant dangers and continuous attacks from robbers, or as a result of the rarity of doctors here, nothing can prevent me from constantly remembering your regularity; in spite of everything, I still keep in full force the love that, from the very beginning, I had for you and for your home, not allowing it to weaken either under the influence of time or from the distance. This is what it means to truly love! After this, I earnestly ask you, appealing to your prudence and reverence, to courageously endure everything that happens in life. You know that from your earliest years until now you have constantly struggled with various and almost all kinds of trials, and you can easily win victory in the arena of patience, as you have already won it many times, thus preparing for yourself brilliant crowns in the future. And if the present test is more difficult than the previous ones, then the crown is higher. Do not be disturbed by any attacks that befall you, but the higher the waves, the more terrible the storm, the more count on gain, the higher, the more, the more brilliantly expect rewards for your exploits: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth anything in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us” (“For the passions of this present time are not worthy of the glory that desires to be revealed in us”) (Rom. 8:18). Everything in this life - both joyful and sad, there is only a path; both pass equally; there is nothing solid and permanent in it, but, like everything in nature, its joys and sorrows appear and disappear. Just as wanderers or travelers, whether they go through a meadow clearing or through wild abysses, do not consolidate their joy there forever, nor do they endure sadness from here for the rest of their lives, because they are wanderers, and not local residents, they only pass through one and the other and strive for their homeland - so I ask you not to get carried away by the bright side of real life, nor to plunge headlong into its sorrows, but always look at it only, no matter how, with complete boldness to appear in the fatherland common to us all. This is a permanent, lasting and immortal good; and everything else is the color of grass, smoke, or something even more insignificant than that. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” Probably written in 406. You might be interested in: