Letter 26

From: Paulinus and Therasia, Nola To: Sebastian, hermit Date: ~412 AD Context: Paulinus writes to a hermit living beside a stream with a deacon brother, celebrating their shared ascetic life and meditating on the relationship between body and spirit. To our holy and most dear brother Sebastian — Paulinus and Therasia, sinners, send greetings in Christ the Lord. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel [Psalm 41:13], who chose you and took you up as a vessel of his election [Acts 9:15], who set you apart from the womb of the ancient mother and gave you the wings of a dove [Psalm 55:6], so that flying far from the noise of this world you could say: "I fled far away and remained in the wilderness" [Psalm 55:7]. Though your solitude is not truly solitary — it is not deserted but secluded, withdrawn from the darkness of this world so that it may be filled with God's light, fled from by wailing demons and tended by rejoicing angels. The Lord our God has granted us, though separated by a great distance, to draw near to you in love through the sweet fragrance of the report we received about you from our dear brother in the Lord, Victor. He told us of your chosen way of life and the secret of your dwelling place: how, as a zealous imitator of the holy men of old, you have pitched your peaceful camp beside a stream — just as the sons of the prophets once did under Elisha's guidance beside the Jordan [2 Kings 6:2] — and how your blessed brother the deacon ministers to you with the devotion of the widow of Zarephath or the Shunammite woman [1 Kings 17:9; 2 Kings 4:8]. Blessed is he, to whom the Lord has given the role of one of the birds of heaven — feeding you with the bread of devotion as you sit in secret by your stream like Elijah [1 Kings 17:4-6], returning to your cell on his constant rounds of service like a dove carrying a fruitful branch of holy growth back to Noah's ark [Genesis 8:11]. Blessed are you both by the Lord [Psalm 115:15], who makes those of one mind to dwell together in a house [Psalm 68:6] and has doubled the bond of brotherhood in you. He made you brothers in the womb of the Church and then distinguished you with different offices under one faith, so that by different gifts you might each nourish the other. You support him with the spiritual weapons of fasting and prayer, and he sows heavenly goods for himself while supplying you with bodily food — not that you truly need perishable nourishment, since your hunger is for righteousness and the kingdom of God [Matthew 5:6]. But because the same Lord who made what is within also made what is without, and the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak [Matthew 26:41], the living soul — though it lives on the word of God, which is Christ — is repaid with this service: that someone attend to the earthly frailty of your body with modest meals, while he himself is nourished in abundance by your fasting. For the Lord said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" [Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3]. By saying "not by bread alone" he showed that bread is still necessary for the body, even if the soul's care does not seek it — the body's nature demands it. Blessed is the one whose bodily necessity becomes spiritual wealth — because you are still human and must be fed with visible bread, even though inwardly you are satisfied with that eternal bread. For spiritual strength would not shine forth if bodily weakness were not there beneath it. Nor would the faithful ministry of service have any power if the need of a brother did not provide the occasion. As the Apostle says, there will be a mutual exchange among the saints when he urges the church of God toward this blessed generosity: "Let your abundance supply their need, so that their abundance may in turn supply yours" [2 Corinthians 8:14]. I dare to say further: in the two of you, the pattern of both John and the Lord is divided — John crying out in the wilderness [Matthew 3:3] and the Lord teaching in the temple [John 7:28]. One of you is called to the servitude of ministry, the other to the freedom of the monastic life. But both of you are summoned into one kingdom and glory of God; both are free, because both are under grace; and both are servants, because both are under the law of faith. Both are free from sin and both are servants of righteousness. Both of you in your fasting savor the Lord's day, and both at the table of sincerity give thanks to the Lord, who gives food to all flesh [Psalm 136:25] and gives the living bread to those who hunger for true life. One of you has heard the call: "I will go to the altar of God, to God who makes my youth glad" [Psalm 43:4]; the other has learned from the same prophet to say: "I am alone, until I pass through" [Psalm 141:10]. Since you have been so chosen and loved by the Lord that each of you bears the other's burdens [Galatians 6:2], and in the perfect love by which you feed, sustain, instruct, and enrich one another you fulfill the law of Christ — pray for us. Join your mighty hands in prayer and overcome the multitude of our sins. For the merciful and compassionate Lord himself arranges for sinners to come to know his saints, and grants them the saints' friendship and love, so that even those who stand guilty beyond excuse may be acquitted by the overwhelming advocacy of holy merit. Remain in the kingdom of the Lord, which he has made to dwell within you [Luke 17:21] through the pledge of the Holy Spirit living in you, in whom you cry out: "Abba, Father" [Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6]. Blessed by the Lord, children of devotion and peace and light.

XXVI. SANCTO ET MERITO DILECTIBBIMO FRATRI SEBASTIANO PAVLINVS ET THERASIA IN CHRISTO DOMINO SALVTEM. Benedictus dominus deus Israel, qui elegit et adsumpsit te in uas electionis suae et segregauit ab utero matris antiquae et dedit tibi pennas columbae, ut ab huius saeculi strepitu procul auolans diceres: ecce elongaui fugiens, et mansi in solitudine. quamuis tua solitudo non sola sit, quae non deserta est sed secreta, ut ab huius mundi tenebris desolata a dei lumine frequentetur et a daemonis lugentibus fugiatur atque ab angelis gaudentibus excolatur. ipse dominus deus noster donauit nobis licet longo interuallo distantibus appropinquare tibi in dilectione per odorem bonum notitiae tuae, quam per fratrem in domino carissimum Victorem 7] (Matth. 7, 13). 15] Ps. 54, 8. 2 destiteris scripsi, desisteris m 3 ridebis m, gaudebis Gasp . eternum m 4 exaltaueris m si non despexeris uel contempseris add. Casp. recte, nisi praetuleris nisi 5 adhipisceris m 7 uia Ccup., uita m. finit opus feliciter amen m. LMbkuxy . — paulini et therasii ad sebastianum b, epJa hieronymi ad sebastianum x, CXVI epta ad sebastianum y, ad sebastianum • XXV. M, Incipit epistola eiusdem ad sebastianum • XVII. L, sebastiano solitario ad caritatem exhortatoria k 11 tyrasius b, therasius kxy domino om. y 12 benedictus est kxy te et assumpsit kuxy 15 aduolans x, aduolares et b, euolans Col . elongaui LMb, uolaui cet . 16 non otn . u 17 ut L b, et cet . 18 de b daemonibus Col . lugentibus] furentibus Col . 19 ab om. k extollatur b 20 deus om. x nobis om. u 21 ordinem b bonum om. u accepimus, qui nobis et opus propositi tui et secretum tabernaculi nuntiauit, quia ueterum sanctorum strenuus aemulator super torrentem tibi, sicut illi quondam filii prophetarum Elisaeo duce super Iordanem, pacificam mansionem et spiritalia castra posuisses et diaconus tibi frater benedictus Sareptanae illius ant Sunamitidis obsequio ministraret. beatus ille, cui mandauit dominus sicut uni uolatilium caeli, ut te sicut Eliam ad torrentem secreto sedentem panibus pietatis pasceret et ad cellulam tuam assiduis sub hac ministratione uestigiis uelut ad arcam Noe fructiferum pii germinis ramum afferens columba reuolaret. Benedicti uos a domino, qui facit unius moris habitare in domo et qui germanitatis uinculum duplicauit in uobis; quos et in ecclesiae utero fratres fecit et sub una fide uariis distinxit officiis, ut diuerso munere alter alterum pasceretis, tu illum spiritalibus armis ieiunans et orans iuuares et ille caelestia sibi bona sereret, dum carnalia tibi alimenta suppeditat non indigenti quidem pereuntis escae sumptu, quia fames tua iustitiam et regnum dei esurit. sed tamen quia idem dominus, qui fecit quod intus est, fecit et quod foris est, spiritus uero promptus, caro autem infirma, ideo uiuentem licet animam in uerbo dei, quod est Christus deus, 4] (lill Reg. 6, 2; IIII Reg. 4, 8). 8] (III Reg. 17, 4). 10] (Gen. 8,11). 12] Ps. 113, 15. Ps. 67, 7. 19] (Matth. 5, 6). 21] Jfatth. 24, 41; Marc. 14, 38. 2 aemulator] existis (existit x) item tibi add. kxy super torrentem tibi LMb, super (duarum limarum spatio uacuo) u, otn. kxy . super torrentem tibi gratissimum Col . 3 heliseo LMuy, helyseo b, helisaeo x 4 spiritualia k et sic infra 5 benedicte L, benedicte b illius sareptinę.м sareptenae kuy, sareptene bx, saraeptene L illius aut om . u 6 somanitidis xy 7 heliam Mx, helyam Lbuy 9 sub] super Col . 10 arcliam LMuy 12 nos x a om. kuxy 13 in domo habitare k inforuurei\' 14 nobis x1 15 distincxit b ut] et ky sub diuerso Col . 16 ieiunans y (TA,»RNITM m 2) iuuares] ieiunares u 17 ille LMb, ille in te cet . tibi dona b, bona sibi Col . 18 non u s. 1. m. 2 supt\' b, sumptus L 19 dei om. L tamen om. M 20 est om. LM quod et uy, quod Col . 21 uero LMb, quidem cet . 22 in om. LM dominus b qui est uiuus et uerus panis, tali remuneratur obsequio, ut corpori tuo id est terrenae in te fragilitati seruiat cibis modicis et ipse ieiuniorum tuorum abundantia saginetur. ideo enim dixit: non in solo pane uiuit homo, sed in omni uerbo dei, quia ut infirmioris substantiae nostrae rationem habuit, perinde et carni panem necessarium ipse creator ostendit. Sed ne corporis curam animae, quae uerbo dei pascitur, praeponeremus, non in solo pane uitam hominis constare monstrauit atque ideo, cum dixit: non in solo pane, etiam in pane uictum hominis constitutum docuit, quem etsi animae cura non quaerat, tamen corporis natura deposcit. ideo benedictus ille, cui ad opes animae proficit necessitas conditionis tuae, quia adhuc homo et isto uisibili pane pascendus es, etsi interius aeterno illo pane satureris. non enim proficeret spiritalis uirtus, nisi subesset carnalis infirmitas. nec esset potens fidelium ministratio, nisi materiam ministrandi plerumque inopia fraterna praeberet. unde et apostolus ait in sanctos compensationem futuram, cum ecclesiam dei ad consolationem istius benedictionis hortatur et dicit: abundantia uestra sit ad illorum inopiam, ut et illorum abundantia inopiae uestrae supplementum fiat. 1] (Ioh. 6, 41). 4] Matth. 4, 4; Luc. 4, 4; Deut. 8, 3. 20] II Cor. 8, 14. 1 est uiuus et uerus panis LMb, uerus et uiuus panis est cet . remu- nerat b 2 corpore b in te] uite b, uitae ku 4 in] enim in k pane solo xy omni om. u 5 uerbo] quod procedit de ore add. b ut] in k ut-perinde om. M nra roe Luxy, nostrae ratione k 6 habuit Lb, esurire habuit kuxy, ne esuriret habuit Col . proinde bkuxy carnis k creator ipse b, creator k 8 praeponeremus quae uerbo dei pascitur kuxy Col . 9 pane uictum hominis constitutum docuit (mediis are monstrauit-1. 11 con omissis) Col . constrare L 10 cum u s. I. m. 2, quin b, id k pane etiam in pane] pane uiuit homo non in docuit solo pane k 11 ostendit M etsi] licet M 13 cui] quoi b 14 tue b, suae (at tue s. I. x) kx et] in u 16 carnis b 17 materiam ministrando b, ministrandi locum k fraterna inopia Col . 18 agit kx sanetis M 19 cum] quin b 21 et ut k et s . 1. b inopiae uestrae LM, uestrae inopiae cet . 22 sit supplementum b Adhuc audeo dicere in utroque uestrum diuisa Iohannis et domini forma consistit, Iohannis in deserto clamantis et domini in templo docentis. et unus uestrum in seruitutem ministerii uocatus est, alter in monachi libertatem. sed uterque in unum dei regnum et gloriam conuocati et ambo liberi, quia ambo sub gratia, et ambo serui, quia ambo sub lege fidei. ambo liberi peccato et ambo serui iustitiae et ambo in ieiuniis domino diem sapitis et ambo in epulis sinceritatis domino gratias agitis, qui dat escam omni carni et dat escam uiuam esurientibus ueram uitam. unus uestrum audiuit, ut dicat: introibo ad altare dei, ad deum qui laetificat iuuentutem meam; et alter ab eodem propheta didicit dicere: singulariter sum ego, donec transeam. Ergo quia sic electi estis et dilecti domino, ut alter alterius onera portetis, et caritate perfecta, qua inuicem nos pascitis, sustinetis instruitis locupletatis adimplentes legem Christi, orate pro nobis; conserite ualidas orationum manus, ut superetis multitudinem peccatorum nostrorum. ob hoc enim ipse misericors et miserator dominus peccatoribus suis sanctorum notitiam caritatemque procurat et donat, ut etiam inexcusabiles reos praepotens aduocatio meritis damnationis absoluat. maneatis in regno domini, quod intra uos fecit esse per inhabitantem in uobis arrabonem spiritus sancti, in quo clamatis: abba, pater, benedicti domino filii pietatis et pacis et luminis. 2] (Matth. 3, 3; Ioh. 7, 28). 9] Ps. 135, 25. (Matth. 5, 6). 11] Ps. 42, 4. 13] Ps. 140, 10. 14] Gal. 6, 2. 23] Rom. 8,15; Gal. 4, 6. 1 diuersa x Col . ioannis et infra u 3 seruitute L 4 misterii b monacbalem v utrique 161 Col . 5 regnum dei b, regnum u gloriam dei u uocati My 7 a peccato b 10 uitam] iustitiam Col . 11 dnin ex deum u m. 2, dm L, drfifi y 13 ego sum Lu, sum e. k 14 a domino b 15 perfecta om. LM 16 parcitis xy inseruitis b locupletastis u adimplentis x, adimpletis b Col . 17 manus ualidas orationum b 18 multorum u uestrorum u 19 ipse LMb, ipsum cet., om. Col . 20 sanctorum om. LM 21 ameritis M 22 absoluat] ualete add. LMb, finit add. kxy dei xy nos k 23 inhabitatem x arrabonem k sancti spiritus u pater] explicit add. L benedicti-luminis om. LM .