Letter 174: I have been most wishful to write constantly to your excellency, but I have from time to time denied myself, for fear of causing any temptation to beset you, because of those who are ill disposed toward me. As I am told, their hatred has even gone so far that they make a fuss if any one happens to receive a letter from me. But now that you have ...

I have very much wanted to write to your excellency regularly, but I have held back from time to time for fear of causing you trouble on account of those who are ill-disposed toward me. Their hostility has apparently reached the point where they make a scene if anyone so much as receives a letter from me. But now that you have begun writing to me yourself -- and very good of you it is -- sharing everything that is on your mind, I am moved to write back. Let me make up for what I have missed, and at the same time respond to what you have written. Truly blessed is the soul that, night and day, has no other anxiety than this: how, when the great day comes -- when all creation stands before the Judge and gives an account of its deeds -- she too may pass her reckoning with ease. For whoever keeps that day and that hour always before them, and constantly reflects on the defense they will need before a tribunal where no excuses will avail, will sin either not at all or not seriously. We begin to sin when the fear of God fails in us. When people have a clear picture of what awaits them, the awe within them will never let them fall into reckless action or thought. So keep God in your mind. Hold the fear of him in your heart. Enlist everyone you can to join you in prayer, for great is the help of those who are able to move God by their persistence. Never stop doing this. While we live in the flesh, prayer will be a mighty helper. And when we depart from this life, it will be provision enough for the journey to the world to come. Concern for your soul is a good thing. But despondency, dejection, and despair of salvation -- these are poison to the soul. Trust in the goodness of God. Look for his help. Know that if we turn to him rightly, he will not withhold his mercy.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To a Widow. I have been most wishful to write constantly to your excellency, but I have from time to time denied myself, for fear of causing any temptation to beset you, because of those who are ill disposed toward me. As I am told, their hatred has even gone so far that they make a fuss if any one happens to receive a letter from me. But now that you have begun to write yourself, and very good it is of you to do so, sending me needful information about all that is in your mind, I am stirred to write back to you. Let me then set right what has been omitted in the past, and at the same time reply to what your excellency has written. Truly blessed is the soul, which by night and by day has no other anxiety than how, when the great day comes wherein all creation shall stand before the Judge and shall give an account for its deeds, she too may be able easily to get quit of the reckoning of life. For he who keeps that day and that hour ever before him, and is ever meditating upon the defense to be made before the tribunal where no excuses will avail, will sin not at all, or not seriously, for we begin to sin when there is a lack of the fear of God in us. When men have a clear apprehension of what is threatened them, the awe inherent in them will never allow them to fall into inconsiderate action or thought. Be mindful therefore of God. Keep the fear of Him in your heart, and enlist all men to join with you in your prayers, for great is the aid of them that are able to move God by their importunity. Never cease to do this. Even while we are living this life in the flesh, prayer will be a mighty helper to us, and when we are departing hence it will be a sufficient provision for us on the journey to the world to come. Anxiety is a good thing; but, on the other hand, despondency, dejection, and despair of our salvation, are injurious to the soul. Trust therefore in the goodness of God, and look for His succour, knowing that if we turn to Him rightly and sincerely, not only will He not cast us off forever, but will say to us, even while we are in the act of uttering the words of our prayer, Lo! I am with you.

[Πρός: Πρὸς ἐλευθέραν] Ἐγώ, καὶ πάνυ βουλόμενος συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλειν τῇ εὐγενείᾳ ὑμῶν, ἐπέσχον ἐμαυτὸν ἀεί, μήπως δόξω τινὰς ὑμῖν πειρασμοὺς ἐπεγείρειν διὰ τοὺς φιλέχθρως πρὸς ἡμᾶς διακειμένους καί, ὡς ἀκούω, μέχρι καὶ τούτων τὴν ἔχθραν ἐλαύνοντας, ὥστε πολυπραγμονεῖν εἴ πού τις καὶ γράμμα ἡμέτερον δέχοιτο. ἐπειδὴ δὲ αὐτή, καλῶς ποιοῦσα, κατῆρξας τοῦ γράμματος καὶ ἐπέστειλας ἡμῖν ἃ ἐχρῆν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ψυχήν σου πραγμάτων ἀνακοινουμένη, προετράπην εἰς τὸ ἀντεπιστεῖλαι, ὁμοῦ μὲν τὰ ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ ἐλλειφθέντα ἐπανορθούμενος, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἐπεσταλμένα παρὰ τῆς σῆς εὐγενείας ἀποκρινόμενος. Ὅτι μακαρία ἐστὶ ψυχὴ ἡ νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας μηδεμίαν ἄλλην μέριμναν στρέφουσα ἢ πῶς ἐπὶ τῆς μεγάλης ἡμέρας, καθʼ ἣν πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις περιστήσεται τὸν κριτὴν τὰς εὐθύνας τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀποδιδοῦσα, καὶ αὐτὴ δυνηθῇ κούφως ἀποθέσθαι τὸν λόγον τῶν βεβιωμένων. ὁ γὰρ ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὴν ὥραν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τιθέμενος, καὶ ἀεὶ μελετῶν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀπαραλογίστου κριτηρίου ἀπολογίαν, ὁ τοιοῦτος ἢ οὐδὲν παντελῶς ἢ ἐλάχιστα ἁμαρτήσεται, διότι τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ἡμῖν κατὰ ἀπουσίαν τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ γίνεται. οἷς δʼ ἂν ἐναργὴς παρῇ τῶν ἀπειλουμένων ἡ προσδοκία, οὐδένα καιρὸν δώσει τοῖς τοιούτοις ὁ σύνοικος φόβος εἰς ἀβουλήτους πράξεις ἢ ἐνθυμήσεις ἐκπεσεῖν. Καὶ μέμνησο τοίνυν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἔχε τὸν αὐτοῦ φόβον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ πάντας εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν τῶν εὐχῶν παραλάμβανε. μεγάλη γὰρ καὶ ἡ τῶν δυναμένων δυσωπεῖν τὸν Θεὸν βοήθεια. καὶ μὴ διαλίπῃς ταῦτα ποιοῦσα. καὶ γὰρ καὶ ζῶσιν ἡμῖν τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ ταύτῃ ζωὴν ἀγαθὴ ἔσται βοηθὸς ἡ προσευχή, καὶ ἀπερχομένοις ἐντεῦθεν ἐφόδιον διαρκὲς πρὸς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν μέλλοντα. ὥσπερ δὲ ἡ φροντὶς πρᾶγμά ἐστιν ἀγαθόν, οὕτω πάλιν ἡ ἀθυμία καὶ ἡ ἀπόγνωσις καὶ τὸ δυσελπίστως ἔχειν πρὸς σωτηρίαν τῶν βλαπτόντων ἐστὶ τὴν ψυχήν. ἐπέλπιζε τοίνυν τῇ ἀγαθότητι τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐκδέχου αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀντίληψιν, γινώσκουσα ὅτι, ἐὰν καλῶς καὶ γνησίως πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιστραφῶμεν, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπορρίψει ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ παντελές, ἀλλʼ ἔτι λαλούντων ἡμῶν τὰ ῥήματα τῆς προσευχῆς ἐρεῖ· Ἰδοὺ πάρειμι.