Letter 801

To Agathopous the Monk. One must always incline upward, and most of all when gloomy circumstances close in around us, and one must give thanks to God, who trains us. For the blessed David says: "I will bless you, the Lord, at every season." [Psalm 33:2 LXX / 34:1] And holy Isaiah cried out, speaking on our behalf: "I will bless you and sing your praise, Lord, although you were angry with me and turned your face away from me; and after this you had mercy on me, and you gave yourself to me, and you comforted me." [Isaiah 12:1]

Ἄνω χρὴ πάντοτε νεύειν, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν σκυθρωπὰ περιίσταται ἡμᾶς, εὐχαριστεῖν τε τῷ Θεῷ τῷ γυμνάζοντι ἡμᾶς. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ μακάριος λέγει Δαυΐδ· «Εὐλογήσω σε τὸν Κύριον ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ.» Καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Ἠσαΐας ἐβόα ἐξ ἡμετέρου προσώπου· «Εὐλογήσω σε καὶ ὑμνήσω σε, Κύριε, ὅτε ὠργίσθης μοι, καὶ ἀπέστρεψας τὸ πρόσωπόν σου» ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο, ἠλέησάς με, καὶ ἐδόθη- σάς μοι, καὶ παρεκάλεσάς με.