Letter 6

From: Avitus, bishop of Vienne To: Apollinaris, bishop (son of Sidonius) Date: ~505 AD Context: A letter responding to Apollinaris's account of a guilty dream — after failing to observe a feast day, Apollinaris dreamed that a blazing red dove was pecking at something in his hands. Avitus interprets the dream as a sign of grace, not punishment. Avitus, bishop, to Bishop Apollinaris. It is perfectly clear how great is the grace of God in your merit, or how great a sum of virtues may be inferred, when even your error is so holy. For while the just man, accusing himself, tries to prove himself guilty of what he could not have sinned in, the humility of the confessor grows toward merit rather than the confession's truth toward guilt. You exceeded the customary observance, I admit — but as an increase of devotion. The memory of the day you mention always brought you a sweet concern from our direction, but forgetfulness did not overtake it beyond measure. For clearly, with reverence preserved, the effect appears less than the intention. But you have shown how greatly it delights you to practice spiritual discipline, since forgetting it caused you such pain. The holy revelation that followed was truly worthy of the dignity of your "offense." The punishment found in your sleep matched the character of the sin committed while awake. I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie [Romans 9:1]: when I read your dream with eyes about to brim with tears, every memory of our shared obligations flooded my mind, and I understood that we had been reminded to pay the honor owed through your visitation.

Avitus episcopus Apollinari episcopo. Apparat liquido, quanta sit in vestri merito gratia dei aut quantus conici debeat virtutum cumulus, ubi error ipse tam sanctus est. Nam dum iustus accusator sui conatur in se convincere, quod peccare non potuit, confitentis humilitas crescit ad meritum, non confessionis veritas ad reatum. Excessistis fateor consuetudinem, sed pietatis augmento. Semper diei, cuius meminisse dignamini, dulcis vobis venit a nobis sollicitudo, sed non incomparabiliter praevenit oblivio. Minus enim procul dubio salva observatione apparet effectus. Sed ostendistis, quanta spiritalitate vos exercere delectet, quod praeterisse sic doluit. Vere secuta est dignitatem delicti vestri sancta revelatio: et tale repertum est in dormiente supplicium, quale fuerat in vigilante pec- catum. Ecce veritatem dico in Christo, non mentior. Cum parturientibus lacrimas oculis legissem somnium, quod vidistis, omnis mentem meam subiit necessitu- dinum recordatio praemissarum, quibus per visitationem vestram honorem dependere nos admonitos intellexi. Porro autem de ipsa revelatione quid senserim, in simplici- tate depromo. Sic ergo inquis: Nam in ipsa nocte sancta, in qua scilicet ger- manae communis depositio celebrabatur, nescio quid manibus meis haeserat, quod considens iuxta me fulgentissima, sed inusitato colore rubea columba vellebat. At vero cum iuxta te pietas tua nec longe avolans celeri recordatione consedit, debitum quod sanctissime tu, piissime propinquorum, tu inquam merito haec columba sentires, fulgentissima, cum simplicitate sic luceas, inusitato colore rubrata, cum innocens singulariter quasi propriis compuncta stimulis erubescas: ampliastis ergo quidem, ut supra dictum est, faenus adsuetum. Nec illud tamen con- suetudini defuit, quod putastis; nam nocti ipsi, quam vos excitante Christo non licuit oblivisci, adhuc de abundantia superioris anni vestra nihilo minus luxit oblatio. Sic ex quodam supernae benedictionis irriguo, quod impenditis annis singulis, sufficit multis. Deum quaeso, ut hoc etiam mihi pietas vestra quandoque dependat.