Letter 292: The one-half of my desire has God fulfilled in the interview He granted me with our fair sister, your wife. The other half He is able to accomplish; and so with the sight of your excellency I shall render my full thanks to God. And I am the more desirous of seeing you, now that I hear you have been adorned with that great ornament, the clothing ...

God has fulfilled one half of my desire in granting me an interview with your wife, our admirable sister. The other half He is able to accomplish -- and with the sight of Your Excellency I will render my full thanks to God. I am all the more eager to see you now that I hear you have been clothed with that great ornament -- the garment of immortality, which covers our mortality and puts the death of the flesh out of sight, by which the corruptible is swallowed up in incorruption [i.e., you have been baptized]. God in His goodness has now separated you from sin and united you to Himself. He has opened the gates of heaven and shown you the paths to eternal joy. I urge you, by the wisdom for which you are known above other men: receive this divine gift with care. Be a faithful guardian of this treasure. Watch over it with all diligence. Preserve the seal of righteousness without stain, so that you may stand before God shining with the brightness of the saints. Let no spot or wrinkle defile the pure robe of immortality. Keep holiness in every part of your life, as one who has put on Christ. For as Scripture says: "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Let all your conduct be worthy of that sacred investiture.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Palladius. The one-half of my desire has God fulfilled in the interview He granted me with our fair sister, your wife. The other half He is able to accomplish; and so with the sight of your excellency I shall render my full thanks to God. And I am the more desirous of seeing you, now that I hear you have been adorned with that great ornament, the clothing of immortality, which clokes our mortality, and puts out of sight the death of the flesh; by virtue of which the corruptible is swallowed up in incorruption. Thus God of His goodness has now alienated you from sin, united you to Himself, has opened the doors of Heaven, and pointed out the paths that lead to heavenly bliss. I entreat you therefore by that wisdom wherein you excel all other men, that you receive the divine favour circumspectly, proving a faithful guardian of this treasure, as the repository of this royal gift, keeping watch over it with all carefulness. Preserve this seal of righteousness unsullied, that so you may stand before God, shining in the brightness of the Saints. Let no spot or wrinkle defile the pure robe of immortality; but keep holiness in all your members, as having put on Christ. For, it is said, as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27 Wherefore let all your members be holy as becomes their investment in a raiment of holiness and light. About this page Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202292.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.