Letter 206: Now, most of all, do I feel my bodily infirmity, when I see how it stands in the way of my soul's good. Had matters gone as I hoped, I should not now be speaking to you by letter or by messenger, but should in my own person have been paying the debt of affection and enjoying spiritual advantage face to face. Now, however, I am so situated that I...

Now more than ever I feel the burden of my bodily weakness, seeing how it obstructs the good of my soul. Had things gone as I hoped, I would not be speaking to you by letter or through a messenger, but would have come in person to pay the debt of affection and enjoy spiritual fellowship face to face. As it is, I count myself fortunate if I can even manage the necessary parish visits in my own district. But may the Lord give you both strength and willing spirit, and grant me -- on top of my eager desire -- the ability to enjoy your company when I am in the region of Comana. I am afraid that your domestic sorrow may hold you back, for I have learned of your grief at the loss of your little grandson. To a grandfather his death cannot help but be painful. On the other hand, to a man who has reached such heights of virtue and who knows, from both worldly experience and spiritual training, what human nature is, the loss of those near and dear should not be wholly unbearable. The Lord expects more of us than he does of everyone. The common run of humanity lives by habit, but the Christian's rule of life is the Lord's commandment and the example of holy people of old -- whose greatness of soul showed itself above all in adversity. So that you may leave to those who come after you a model of endurance and genuine trust in what we hope for, show that you are not conquered by grief but rising above it -- patient in affliction, rejoicing in hope. Please do not let this stand in the way of our planned meeting. Children are held blameless because of their tender age, but you and I bear the responsibility of serving the Lord and managing the affairs of his Church.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Elpidius the bishop. Consolatory. Now, most of all, do I feel my bodily infirmity, when I see how it stands in the way of my soul's good. Had matters gone as I hoped, I should not now be speaking to you by letter or by messenger, but should in my own person have been paying the debt of affection and enjoying spiritual advantage face to face. Now, however, I am so situated that I am only too glad if I am able even to move about in my own country in the necessary visitation of parishes in my district. But may the Lord grant to you both strength and a ready will, and to me, in addition to my eager desire, ability to enjoy your society when I am in the country of Comana. I am afraid lest your domestic trouble may be some hindrance to you. For I have learned of your affliction in the loss of your little boy. To a grandfather his death cannot but be grievous. On the other hand to a man who has attained to so high a degree of virtue, and alike from his experience of this world and his spiritual training knows what human nature is, it is natural that the removal of those who are near and dear should not be wholly intolerable. The Lord requires from us what He does not require from every one. The common mass of mankind lives by habit, but the Christian's rule of life is the commandment of the Lord, and the example of holy men of old, whose greatness of soul was, above all, exhibited in adversity. To the end, then, that you may yourself leave to them that come after you an example of fortitude and of genuine trust in what we hope for, show that you are not vanquished by your grief, but are rising above your sorrows, patient in affliction, and rejoicing in hope. Pray let none of these things be a hindrance to our hoped for meeting. Children, indeed, are held blameless on account of their tender age; but you and I are under the responsibility of serving the Lord, as He commands us, and in all things to be ready for the administration of the affairs of the Churches. For the due discharge of that duty the Lord has reserved great rewards for faithful and wise stewards.

[Πρός: Ἐλπιδίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ παραμυθητική.] Νῦν μάλιστα τῆς τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενείας αἰσθάνομαι, ὅτε ὁρῶ μοι τοσοῦτον ἐμποδίζουσαν τῇ τῆς ψυχῆς ὠφελείᾳ. εἰ γάρ μοι κατὰ νοῦν ἐχώρει τὰ πράγματα, οὐκ ἂν δι’ ἐπιστολῶν οὐδὲ διὰ μέσων ἀνθρώπων προσεφθεγγόμην ὑμᾶς, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἂν δι’ ἐμαυτοῦ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀπεπλήρουν χρέος καὶ ἐγγύθεν ἀπέλαυον τοῦ πνευματικοῦ κέρδους. νῦν δὲ οὕτω διάκειμαι, ὡς ἀγαπητῶς καὶ τὰς τῆς πατρίδος κινήσεις ὑφίστασθαι, ἃς ἀναγκαίως ποιούμεθα ἐπισκεπτόμενοι τὰς κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἡμῶν παροικίας. ἀλλὰ παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὑμῖν ἰσχὺν καὶ προθυμίαν, καὶ ἐμοὶ πρὸς τῇ σπουδῇ ἣν ἔχω νῦν, καὶ δύναμιν, ὥστε, καθὼς παρεκάλεσα ὑμᾶς, πραγματεύσασθαι ἡμῖν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν, γενομένοις ἐπὶ τῆς Κομανικῆς ἐνορίας. Φοβοῦμαι δὲ περὶ τῆς σῆς κοσμιότητος, μήπου σοι ἐμπόδιον γένηται ἡ περὶ τῶν οἰκείων λύπη. καὶ γὰρ ἔμαθον ὅτι σε ἔθλιψε παιδίου τελευτή· οὗ τὴν στέρησιν, ὡς μὲν πάππῳ, λυπηρὰν εἰκὸς εἶναι, ὡς δὲ ἀνδρὶ πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἤδη διαβεβηκότι τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ ἐπισταμένῳ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων τὴν φύσιν ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ἐμπειρίας καὶ ἐκ τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασκαλίας, ἀκόλουθον μὴ πάντη δύσφορον εἶναι τῶν οἰκειοτάτων τὸν χωρισμόν. καὶ γὰρ οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ ἀπαιτεῖ ἡμᾶς τε καὶ τοὺς τυχόντας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁ Κύριος. οἱ μὲν γὰρ συνηθείᾳ ζῶσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ κανόνι τῆς πολιτείας τῇ ἐντολῇ τοῦ Κυρίου κεχρήμεθα, καὶ τοῖς προλαβοῦσι τῶν μακαρίων ἀνδρῶν ὑποδείγμασιν, ὧν τὸ μεγαλοφυὲς τῆς διανοίας ἐπὶ τῶν περιστατικῶν καιρῶν μάλιστα διεδείκνυτο. ἵνα οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπόδειγμα ἀνδρείας καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐλπιζομένοις ἀληθινῆς διαθέσεως καταλίπῃς τῷ βίῳ, δεῖξον σαυτὸν μὴ καμπτόμενον τῷ πάθει, ἀλλʼ ὑψηλότερον ὄντα τῶν λυπηρῶν, τῇ μὲν θλίψει ὑπομένων, τῇ δὲ ἐλπίδι χαίρων. μηδὲν οὖν τούτων γένηται κώλυμα πρὸς τὴν ἐλπιζομένην ἡμῖν συντυχίαν. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ νηπίοις αὐτάρκης ἡ ἡλικία πρὸς τὸ ἀνέγκλητον, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὑπεύθυνοί ἐσμεν τὰ διατεταγμένα ἡμῖν ὑπηρετεῖν τῷ Δεσπότῃ καὶ εἰς πάντα εὔθετοι εἶναι τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ἧς μεγάλους τοὺς μισθοὺς τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ φρονίμοις οἰκονόμοις ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐταμιεύσατο.