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may you be found in the spiritual springtime, having ridden past the bitter frost of this life, for the weaving of the crown of his glory. Grant us the most beautiful thing you have, your holy prayers. 340 {1To Thalelaios, my child}1 You did well to write to me, beloved child; for in this you showed your faith and your love. But why do you sing praises to me, which I lack in every way? Do you not know that I am a sinner and unskilled in speech? But love is a great thief, attributing non-existent things to the unhonored from those who love them. Therefore, leaving off praise, pray rather, child, that I may be strengthened in the Lord and saved in every way from the evil one. May your bodily weakness be met with thanksgiving to God, and do not be grieved at the way it came. The Lord knows to establish what is profitable for each, though I do not know whence it has come to you; Let blasphemy be despised and it will depart more quickly, but when feared it comes on more. From which may you be delivered by God's strengthening. Even if there is much weariness from the persecutors, still the prize is heavenly. If therefore we suffer with him, let us also be glorified with him; for this is not a time of ease, but of witness. The problem concerning the presbyter who seems to be orthodox, but dines with a bishop, as you have said, if he should cease from such dining together, with a penance of exclusion from the liturgy for a certain time so as not to fall again into the same error, he has a cure for ministering to God; but if he should be indifferent, may a man's own wealth not become a ransom for fleeing by a gift both from heretical communion and another sinful deed, nor indeed in exchange to give the good and receive the worse, such as to give light and receive darkness. Not even if someone should offer all the money in the world and have communion with heresy, does he become a friend of God, but an enemy. And why do I speak of communion? Even if in food and drink and friendship one associates with heretics, he is liable; this is the decree of Chrysostom, and indeed of every saint. How is it involuntary and not a deed for one who seems to think rightly, but nevertheless has communion with heresy? It is involuntary when someone, having violently forced open the mouth of an orthodox person, pours in the heretical communion, which is what the heretics of old did and what, as I have learned, the present Christ-fighters do; but to partake of one's own accord is voluntary. But if it is out of fear (for this is the question), not even so will he have an excuse; for we hear, *fear not them which kill the body, but God, who sends both together to the Gehenna of eternal fire*. Truly the whole world is not worth one soul, which keeps itself without share in both heretical communion and every evil; but those who share in both are equal to grass, wood, stubble. Which the testing fire of judgment will burn up, but it will preserve their doers, eternally inflamed and not consumed. 341 {1To Theodoulos, my child}1 I am glad, my child, to receive your letters, but I was grieved that you are in such pains along with your imprisonment; but because it is for Christ's sake, all must be endured. Will that senseless disciple and betrayer of the truth, Leontios, leave you the brother who is with you? For he has taken possession of the Boskoition, as Judas obtained the halter; he who has also distressed the brothers inside, and I think he is doing the same to you. But stand firm, my brother, unto blood according to your blessed brothers, so that with them you may be saved in the Lord. Pray for me fervently. Greet the brother. 342 {1To Symeon, my child}1 I have just managed to write to you, my beloved child; the brothers will report for what reason I was delayed. What you wrote before, I have read and accepted in all things, for all is of a good disposition; and you are praiseworthy, because you are settled well for the salvation of yourself and of those with you, and for the edification of those outside, not being unstable nor wandering about, but in quiet and thanksgiving and patience seeing the persecution through. For this reason you have also become welcome to those who host you and hear you. Continue therefore in your work, being made wise in divine things, being enlightened in your mind, fleeing the enemy, drawing near to God,

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εὑρεθείης ἐν τῷ νοητῷ ἔαρι παριππεύσει τοῦ τῇδε πικροῦ κρυμοῦ εἰς πλοκὴν στεφανώσεως τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. Χαρίζου ἡμῖν ὧν ἔχεις τὸ κάλλιστον, τὰς ἱερὰς προσευχάς. 340 {1Θαλελαίῳ τέκνῳ}1 Καλῶς ἐποίησας ἐπιστείλας μοι, τέκνον ἠγαπημένον· ἔδειξας γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ τὴν πίστιν καὶ ἀγάπην σου. ἀλλὰ τί μοι ἐπαίνους ᾄδεις, ὧν ἀμοιρῶ κατὰ πάντα; οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐγὼ καὶ ἰδιώτης τῷ λόγῳ; ἀλλ' ἡ ἀγάπη κλεπτίστατος, τὰ μὴ ὄντα τοῖς ἀγεράστοις παρὰ τῶν φιλούντων προσάπτουσα. ἀφέμενος οὖν τὸ ἐπαινεῖν προσεύχου μᾶλλον, τέκνον, στηρίζεσθαί με ἐν Κυρίῳ καὶ σῴζεσθαι ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. ἡ σωματική σου ἀσθένεια ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ εἴη πρὸς θεὸν καὶ μὴ λυποῦ τὸν τρόπον ἐξ οὗ ἦλθεν. οἶδεν Κύριος τὰ συμφέροντα ἑκάστῳ τιθέναι, πλὴν ἀγνοῶ ὅθεν σοι ἧκεν· ἡ βλασφημία καταφρονείσθω καὶ οἰχήσεται θᾶττον, φοβοῦσα δὲ μᾶλλον παραγίνεται. ἧς ῥυσθείης θεοῦ ἐπιρρώσει. εἰ καὶ καταπόνησις πολλὴ παρὰ τῶν διωκτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ βραβεῖον οὐράνιον. εἴπερ οὖν συμπάσχομεν, καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν· οὐ γὰρ εὐπαθείας ὁ καιρός, ἀλλὰ μαρτυρίου. Τὸ πρόβλημα περὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τοῦ ὀρθοδοξεῖν δοκοῦντος, συνεσθίοντος δὲ ἐπισκόπῳ, καθὰ εἴρηκας, εἰ μὲν παύσοιτο τῆς τοιαύτης συνεστιάσεως μετ' ἐπιτιμίου ἀπείρξεως τῆς ἱερουργίας ἕως τινὸς χρόνου μηκέτι εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν ὄλισθον ὑποπίπτειν, ἔχει ἴασιν τοῦ ἱερουργεῖν θεῷ· εἰ δὲ ἀδιαφοροίη, μὴ γένοιτο λύτρον ἀνδρὸς ὁ ἴδιος πλοῦτος τοῦ φυγεῖν τῇ δόσει καὶ αἱρετικῆς κοινωνίας καὶ ἁμαρτητικῆς ἄλλης πράξεως, οὐ μὴν τῇ ἀνταλλαγῇ δοῦναι τὸ καλὸν καὶ λαβεῖν τὸ χεῖρον, οἷον δοῦναι φῶς καὶ λαβεῖν σκότος. οὐδ' ἂν τὰ ὅλα χρήματα τοῦ κόσμου παρέξει τις καὶ κοινωνοίη τῇ αἱρέσει, φίλος θεοῦ καθίσταται, ἀλλ' ἐχθρός. καὶ τί λέγω κοινωνίας; κἂν ἐν βρώματι καὶ πόματι καὶ φιλίᾳ συγκάτεισι τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς, ὑπεύθυνος· τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου ἡ ἀπόφασις, ἐπεὶ καὶ παντὸς ἁγίου. πῶς δὲ ἀκούσιον καὶ οὐκ ἔργον τῷ δοκοῦντι ὀρθοφρονεῖν, κοινωνοῦντι δὲ ὅμως τῇ αἱρέσει; ἀκούσιόν ἐστιν, ὅταν τὸ στόμα τις ὀρθοδόξου βιαίως ἀναχάνας ἐγχέῃ τὴν αἱρετικὴν κοινωνίαν, ὅπερ ἐποίησαν οἱ πάλαι αἱρετικοὶ καὶ ποιοῦσιν, ὡς ἔμαθον, οἱ νυνὶ χριστομάχοι· τὸ δὲ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ μετασχεῖν ἑκούσιον. εἰ δὲ ὅτι δέει (τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον), οὐδὲ οὕτως ἕξει ἀπολογίαν· μὴ φοβεῖσθε γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτενόντων τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ θεόν, τὸν τὸ συναμφότερον γεέννῃ αἰωνίου πυρὸς παραπέμποντα, ἀκούομεν. ἀληθῶς ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἀντάξιος μιᾶς ψυχῆς οὐκ ἔστιν, τῆς φυλαττούσης ἑαυτὴν ἀμέτοχον καὶ αἱρετικῆς κοινωνίας καὶ παντὸς κακοῦ· οἱ δὲ ἀμφοτέρων μέτοχοι χόρτῳ ἰσότιμοι, ξύλοις, καλάμῃ. ἃ κατακαύσειεν τὸ δοκιμαστικὸν πῦρ τῆς κρίσεως, τοὺς δ' αὐτῶν πράκτορας συντηρήσει ἀιδίως φλογιζομένους καὶ μὴ χωνευομένους. 341 {1Θεοδούλῳ τέκνῳ}1 Ἡδέως ἔχω, τέκνον μου, δεχόμενός σου γράμματα, ἐλυπήθην δὲ ὅτι ἐν πόνοις εἶ τοιούτοις μετὰ καὶ τῆς φυλακῆς· ἀλλ' ὅτι διὰ Χριστόν, ὑπομονητέον πάντα. ἆρα δὲ ἐάσει σοι τὸν συνόντα ἀδελφὸν ὁ ἀγνώμων μαθητὴς καὶ προδότης τῆς ἀληθείας Λεόντιος; αὐτὸς γὰρ παρέλαβεν καὶ τὸ Βοσκοίτιον, ὡς Ἰούδας τὴν ἀγχόνην κληρωσάμενος· ὅς γε καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἔσω ἐστενοχώρησεν, καὶ σὲ τὸ αὐτὸ οἴομαι αὐτὸν ποιεῖν. Ἀλλὰ στῆθι, ἀδελφέ μου, μέχρις αἵματος κατὰ τοὺς μακαρίους ἀδελφούς σου, ἵνα σὺν αὐτοῖς σωθείης ἐν Κυρίῳ. εὔχου μοι θερμῶς. προσειπὲ τὸν ἀδελφόν. 342 {1Συμεὼν τέκνῳ}1 Ἄρτι ἔφθασα ἐπιστεῖλαί σοι, τέκνον μου ἠγαπημένον· δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἐβράδυνα οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἀπαγγελοῦσιν. ἃ μὲν οὖν προέγραψας, ἔγνων καὶ ἀπεδεξάμην ἐν πᾶσιν, ὅτι ἀγαθῆς διαθέσεως πάντα· καὶ ἐπαινετὸς εἶ, ὅτι καλῶς καθέζῃ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ μὲν σαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν ὄντων μετὰ σοῦ, ἐπ' οἰκοδομῇ δὲ τῶν ἔξω, μὴ ἀστατῶν μηδὲ γυροκοπῶν, ἀλλ' ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ εὐχαριστίᾳ καὶ ὑπομονῇ τὸν διωγμὸν παραπέμπων. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀσπαστὸς γέγονας τοῖς ξενίζουσί σε καὶ ἀκούουσιν. ἔτι οὖν ἔχου τῆς ἐργασίας σου, σοφιζόμενος τὰ θεῖα, φωτιζόμενος τοὺς νόας, φεύγων τὸν ἐχθρόν, ἐγγίζων τῷ θεῷ,