94. К пресвитерам: Касту, Валерию, Диофанту и Кириаку 64

What happens to gold that has passed through fire many times, the same usually happens to golden souls under the influence of trials. The substance of gold, having spent as much time in the fire as required by art, becomes much purer and more brilliant from its action; and people with a soul like gold, having gone through the crucible of continuous trials, become incomparably more brilliant and more precious than any gold. That is why, despite such distance from you, we do not cease to constantly please you. You know, you positively know that all these intrigues can only bring you profit, that the well-being of present life is only an empty word that does not contain any reality, and future benefits are durable, enduring, constant, immortal. And not only does the wondrous property of virtue consist in the fact that it gives us this kind of reward, but in the fact that even before these rewards, its very exploits already serve as their own rewards, that not only after the end of the spectacle does it distribute distinctions to the winners, but even in the midst of the arena itself weaves brilliant crowns for the ascetics. Therefore, Paul not only rejoices and is glad at the thought of rewards for sorrows, but looks with triumph at the sorrows themselves when he says: “And not only in this, but we glory in our sorrows” (“not exactly, but we also glory in our sorrows”) (Rom. 5:3). Listing a number of rewards for sorrow, he says that sorrow gives birth to patience - this mother of all blessings, this storm-proof pier, this foundation of a peaceful life, stronger than a rock, harder than a diamond, more powerful than any weapon, more reliable than all fortress walls. In turn, patience with the proper degree of development makes its pets tried, courageous and decidedly invincible. It will never again allow them to be embarrassed or slip, no matter what the disaster; but like a rock, the more waves hit it, the purer it becomes, without moving at all, and easily breaks the pressure of the waves rushing at it, destroying them not by inflicting, but by receiving blows - so the husband, who has come out tested from the school of patience, becomes above all the intrigues. And, what is especially surprising, he becomes stronger and more victorious over evil also not by doing, but by enduring evil. I am writing this to you not because you need our instructions - I know your prudence, and you have proven it by your very deeds - what we now philosophized about only in words, you preached publicly with your own steadfastness in enduring suffering. So, not because you need our instructions, I am writing this to you, but only because, as you were silent for a long time, or better yet, since there was a long silence on both sides, I wanted to make my letter longer. And when you write to such valiant ascetics of patience like you, what else can you talk about if not about what you have become so famous and famous for? However, the fruits of asceticism are not limited to the above; they go further, growing more and more. “Testing,” says the apostle, “breeds hope” (Rom. 5:4), is a hope that is sure to be justified by the deed itself, and not like ordinary human hope, which often, having exhausted those who put their faith in it with labor, is then unable to allow its fans to taste the fruit of their labors and, together with the loss of their labors, brings them shame and disasters on all sides. This is not such a hope, because it is not human. Wanting to express all this in one word, Paul said: “hope does not put one to shame” (Rom. 5:5). Indeed, not only does it not bring loss to those who strive in this field, and not only does it not disgrace, but it rewards him with wealth and glory to a much higher degree compared to the real price of his labors and exploits. Such is the hand that bestows rewards for these labors! Perhaps we have overstepped the limits of writing, but not in the opinion of our friends, who are so ardently attached to us, as you are. I am sure that, thinking about this not according to the rules of epistolary writing, but according to the rules of friendship, you will find this letter too short. With all this, even if it seemed short to you, I certainly want to ask you for a reward for yourself for it - not that you love me, because there is no need to ask you for what you yourself, of your own volition, always pay me in great abundance, and lend again, and not that you answer our letter, since I know that there is no need to remind you of this from the outside - what kind of reward, finally? Prove to us that you rejoice, rejoice and have fun, that the disasters inflicted on you did not do anything to you, that, on the contrary, the machinations of your enemies give you a reason for the greatest pleasure. If we receive a letter from you with such joyful news, then this letter will serve as a consolation, medicine and healing for us among all the evils to which we are currently sacrificed, such as: desert loneliness, hunger, infection, Isaurian wars and all kinds of diseases. Having imagined in this way what kind of favor you will do us, please write to us, and write in such a way that, despite the long distance that separates you and me, it will fill us with the liveliest joy. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: