Letter 513: Theodore Studite, Letter 513; Greek heading: Στεφάνῳ τέκνῳ.

Abba Anthimus has also arrived, O noble Stephen and beloved son, and, having seen you as I was bound to do, I inquired how you are faring; and since the duty of my charge requires this, I dealt in the same way also with your brother Anthimus. And that you do have love for one another I perceived, yet not such love as the truth requires in brothers who are genuine according to the Lord. And what is this, that you do not hold all things in common, but you keep your own gold privately and he keeps his own gold privately [idiochryseo, to possess gold of one's own]—which is a thing that divides love? For how could there be one soul and one heart where the words "mine" and "thine" are spoken? From this come the suspicions, from this the slanders; and, thirdly, from this it follows that Christ is not in your midst—he who said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them"—but rather the enemy of our souls, who cuts apart the members of Christ. For it is plain that, where there is private ownership and not community, Christ is absent from that place, since it is written concerning the apostles that they had all things in common, and no one said that anything of his possessions was his own. Are we not ashamed now—forgive me—being but two, not to hold our goods in common, when among the apostles, who were so great a multitude, community prevailed? For this reason Christ was there, but in you he is by no means present, even though the word be hard; for otherwise you would indeed be of one soul, of one mind and of one heart, bearing with one another, caring for one another, content with what you have, obedient, gentle, cheerful, satisfied with what is at hand, leading a sweet life even on bread and water alone, such a life as the saints had. But now it is the opposite, in accordance with what has been said. For this reason there is distraction for you also, that one piece of silver and one piece of gold may be added to the small coin already heaped up; which is the passion of avarice and a Judaic outcome. I ask, and answer me: do you have bread and wine and oil, in small quantity, together with the other necessaries and provisions for the body, enough for one month or two? If you nod assent, thanks be to the Lord; but if not, buy from the coin I have just now given you, and there will be no distraction and no disturbance; for I know it will suffice even for a four-month period of need. And whenever you are again in want, whether from here or from elsewhere, I would supply it—and also from the work of your own hands—and he who nourishes all things will nourish you too. This is the best manner of life, that you may thus have Christ in your midst, at one time working, at another praying, and at one time keeping stillness [hesychia], at another reading. And a sweet light will dawn upon you, and you will be beloved to those who see you; and God will be glorified in you and will glorify you in return both now and in the age to come, and you will be a boast to us ourselves, sinners that we are, and a glory to the whole brotherhood. I have said these things on the assumption that you do not have gold stored up—and may you not have it, so that you may not hear: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Now there is a hoarding for a monk if anyone, beyond the three pieces of money—according to what is written among the fathers—provides for himself, and this even when his mind is set upon the poor; since the exact monk, who is master of the world through possessionlessness [aktemosyne], possesses not even one piece of silver, and cries out with the holy Paul: "as poor, yet making many rich; and as having all things, and possessing nothing." For indeed God opens a door from every side for such a man—whether he keeps stillness, or is persecuted, or is imprisoned, or suffers anything else whatever. And such a man is Christ-bearing and a true Christian and an angel upon earth and a man who imitates God and an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ. Consider then henceforth, O brothers, the word; and if you both hold to the three pieces of money [trinomeo, to keep the rule of three coins], you are not cast out from among the monks, according to the paternal example; but if you keep ten pieces and more, as I hear, or even beyond, know that you are fallen away from the monastic state, and servants not of Christ but of the adversary, and children not of me the lowly one, but of him who loves gold. It might seem that you would say: "Yes, you may have it; since Christ also did so through the money-box which he carried about, and every superior and every one set over the churches does so." But this is for the sake of the stewardship [oikonomia, dispensation/administration] of the brotherhood; for the Lord says in the Gospel to Judas: "What you do, do quickly." But none of those reclining at table knew with what intent he said this to him. For some thought, since Judas had the money-box, that he was telling him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. So, in imitation of Christ, there is most certainly the money-box among all true superiors, and not for any other purpose—away with the thought, for it is most hateful to God. If, then, you also are superiors and certain persons give to you, as they gave even to Christ himself out of their possessions—just as it is written that the women who followed him did, and others, men and women alike, gave in the same manner to the saints—it would be well, and you might have it not from ten pieces of money only, but even from ten thousand; for nothing is yours, but Christ's, and you are stewards of the things of Christ, just as Paul too, possessing all things, had nothing, and just as every other man up to the present time who holds his charge in the fear of God. But if you are not patrons and stewards of souls, I beseech and implore you, distribute quickly what is beyond the appointed measure, lest, being caught by the passion of avarice through the devil, you fall away from the discipleship of Christ. These things I have said not to you alone, but also through you to all the brethren; and not out of hatred (away with it), but rather out of great love, and not because I choose to constrain you, but rather to give you great room. For in the narrowness is the breadth, and in the affliction that is for Christ's sake is the exultation of the spirit. And hear me, children—me the sinner who counsels you well and commands you lawfully—so that, being well-pleasing to Christ in all things and in every way, we may become heirs of the eternal good things.