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so that the "woe to us" may not be eternal and endless, but in preparation for pleasing God, so that we may be deemed worthy to reign with the Lord for endless ages. May it be so. 465 {1To Euphrosyne the abbess}1 Now I approve your honor all the more, for having mourned your blessed mother, when the steward came out and announced that she had been consoled in the Lord. At which news my lowliness was also relieved, caring for your affairs as for a sister in Christ. For it is necessary, my lady, for those showing love for their dearest ones to mourn in a natural way, and, relying on the doctrine of hope, to be consoled in a manner befitting God, so as not to corrupt what is good in either way; for excessive grief is equal to insensibility. We are led by measures and divine rules, and especially those who have undertaken the profession of perfection. The people also wept for Moses the God-seer, but for forty days; and the patriarch Jacob with his children wept for the wonderful Rachel, but for a few days; and for Joseph himself, the much-lamented, and others for others in both the Old and New Testament, but for a limited time and not forever; thus you too, having done and doing so, are praiseworthy before both God and men. May you always see the desired one in your mind, and I strongly advise it, from which you will be full of compunction, hating the world, loving God, prepared for the same departure; what could be more salutary than this? May you shepherd the flock of God entrusted to you in a holy manner, as a spiritual mother, but not ruling in a human way, as one who sets an example through herself in matters of the commandment, but not demanding things beyond their power, as one who is divided equally among all in love, but not attaching yourself to one more than another in the manner of blood-relations. Do you see how we have been given laws by the truth? But what does the great Peter say? And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. How great it will be for you to cry out before the Lord, "Behold, I and the children whom you have given me." And I would add this also: "I have not grown weary of following you, and I have not desired the day of man, O Lord." For so it is; you have given all things to God, you have considered all things as rubbish, so that you may gain Christ. Therefore, even if you bear afflictions, with which those who live a divine life live, bear them, my lady; for "many are the afflictions of the righteous," as the holy David cries, being kindled by the enemy both intellectually and perceptibly; do not be ignorant of his designs; turn aside his schemes with prayers. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood," as the apostle says, "but against the principalities and powers of this world," to escape whose snares is truly a struggle. May you have a soul in which you may ponder the things that happen; for from this comes a bridle for sin and divine help. For example, the sisters, who have your leadership; for they must entrust to you their own impulses, and you must understand to what each is more inclined, and exhort one, encourage another, make another secure, and simply offer what is suitable to all. And do not grow weary in this; God is a fellow-fighter, the Lord is a supporter. We have only to begin, and he himself teaches knowledge. "I am jealous for you," says the apostle, "with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." Thus consider our situation, as a final echo of imitation, even though we are otherwise sinners; and may the God of peace, who also received to himself your mother, who was called by the synonymous name Irene, in peace and holiness, also deem you worthy to live in her footsteps, shepherding the shepherdess and guiding the guide, in Christ himself, our God, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 466 {1To Jacob the monk}1 We too have been slow in responding to the letters, most honored brother, as the time has been so difficult, but nevertheless we answer you with equal measures of love, displeased on the one hand with the praises you found for us, as having no reason for praise, and rejoicing on the other at the fiery zeal of your meticulous way of life, guarding itself

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ἵνα μὴ τὸ οὐαὶ ἡμῖν εἴη αἰώνιον καὶ ἀπέραντον, ἀλλὰ ἐν ἑτοιμασίᾳ εὐαρεστήσεως, ὅπως συμβασιλεύειν Κυρίῳ καταξιωθῶμεν εἰς ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας. γένοιτο. 465 {1Εὐφροσύνῃ ἡγουμένῃ}1 Ἄρτι μᾶλλον ἀποδέχομαι τὴν τιμιότητά σου, ἀποκλαυσαμένην τὴν μακαρίαν μητέρα, ὅτε ἐξεληλυθὼς ὁ οἰκονόμος ἀπήγγειλε παρακεκλῆσθαι αὐτὴν ἐν Κυρίῳ. ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ ἡ ταπείνωσίς μου ἀνείθη, φροντίζοντος τὰ κατὰ σὲ ὡς ἀδελφῆς ἐν Χριστῷ. δεῖ γάρ, ὦ κυρία, ἐν τοῖς φιλτάτοις καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐνδεικνυμένους πενθῆσαι φυσικῶς καὶ τῷ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐπερειδομένους δόγματι παρακληθῆναι θεοπρεπῶς, μηδ' ὁποτέρως λυμήνασθαι τὸ καλόν· ἴσον γάρ ἐστιν ἀναλγησίας ἡ ὑπέρμετρος περιωδυνία. μέτροις ἀγόμεθα καὶ κανόσι θείοις, καὶ μάλιστα οἱ τὸ τῆς τελειότητος ἐπάγγελμα ἐπανῃρημένοι. ἔκλαυσε καὶ Μωσέα τὸν θεόπτην ὁ λαός, ἀλλὰ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, καὶ Ῥαχὴλ τὴν θαυμασίαν Ἰακὼβ ὁ πατριάρχης σὺν τέκνοις, ἀλλὰ βραχείαις ἡμέραις, καὶ αὐτὸν Ἰωσὴφ ὁ πολυθρύλλητος καὶ ἄλλους ἄλλοι ἔν τε παλαιᾷ καὶ νέᾳ διαθήκῃ, ἀλλ' ὡρισμένως καὶ οὐκ ἀεί· οὕτω δὴ καὶ αὐτὴ ποιήσασα καὶ ποιοῦσα ἐπαινετὴ παρά τε θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις. βλέποις ἀεὶ κατὰ νοῦν τὴν ποθουμένην, καὶ μάλα συμβουλεύω, ἐξ οὗ εὐκατάνυκτος ἔσῃ, μισόκοσμος, φιλόθεος, ἐμπαράσκευος πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν ἔξοδον· οὗ τί ἂν γένοιτο σωτηριωδέστερον; τὸ πιστευθέν σοι ποίμνιον τοῦ θεοῦ ποιμαίνοις ὁσίως ὡς μήτηρ πνευματική, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἄρχουσα ἀνθρωπίνως, ὡς τυποῦσα δι' ἑαυτῆς ἐν τοῖς κατ' ἐντολήν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀπαιτοῦσα τὰ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν, ὡς ἐπ' ἴσης ἐν πάσαις τῇ ἀγάπῃ καταμεριζομένη, ἀλλ' οὐ προστιθεμένη ἄλλῃ ἄλλως δι' αἵματος τρόπον. Ὁρᾷς ὅπως νενομοθετήμεθα πρὸς τῆς ἀληθείας; ἀλλὰ τί φησιν ὁ μέγας Πέτρος; καὶ φανερωθέντος τοῦ ἀρχιποίμενος κομίσοισθε τὸν ἀμαράντινον τῆς δόξης στέφανον. ἡλίκον σοι βοῆσαι ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι δέδωκας· προσθείην δ' ἂν κἀκεῖνο· ἐγὼ οὐκ ἐκοπίασα κατακολουθῶν σοι καὶ ἡμέραν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἐπεθύμησα, Κύριε. καὶ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει· πάντα θεῷ δέδωκας, πάντα ἡγήσω σκύβαλα, ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσῃς. ὥστε, εἰ καὶ θλίψεις, αἷς συζῶσιν οἱ θείως διαβιοῦντες, φέροις, κυρία· πολλαὶ γὰρ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, ὡς βοᾷ ὁ ἅγιος ∆αυίδ, νοητῶς τε καὶ αἰσθητῶς ἀναπτόμεναι παρὰ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ· οὗ τὰ νοήματα μὴ ἀγνόει, οὗ τὰς μεθοδείας ταῖς προσευχαῖς τροποῦ. οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ὥς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας τοῦ τῇδε κόσμου, ὧν διαφυγεῖν τὰς πάγας ἀγωνιστικὸν τῷ ὄντι. ἔχοις ψυχήν, ἐν ᾗ ἀναθήσῃ τὰ συμβαίνοντα· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ χαλινὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ βοήθεια θεία. οἷον αἱ ἀδελφαί, τὴν σὴν ἔχουσαι προστασίαν· δεῖ γὰρ αὐτὰς ἀνατίθεσθαί σοι τὰς ἑαυτῶν ὁρμὰς καὶ πρὸς τί ἑκάστη ἐπιρρεπέστερον ἔχει καὶ αὐτὴν ὑποδέχεσθαι, καὶ τὴν μὲν παρακαλεῖν, τὴν δὲ προθυμεῖσθαι, τὴν δὲ ἀσφαλίζεσθαι καὶ ἁπλῶς τὸ πρόσφορον ἁπάσαις προσφέρειν. καὶ μήτοι ἀκηδιάσῃς ἐν τῷδε· θεὸς συνασπιστής, Κύριος ὑπερείδων. ἡμεῖς μόνον ἀρξώμεθα, καὶ αὐτὸς διδάσκει γνῶσιν. ζηλῶ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ζήλῳ θεοῦ· ἡρμοσάμην ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀνδρί, παρθένον ἁγνὴν παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Οὕτως ὑπολάμβανε τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς, ὅσον κατὰ ἔσχατον ἀπήχημα ἀφομοιώσεως, κἂν ἄλλως ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἡμεῖς· καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης, ὁ καὶ τὴν συνώνυμον Εἰρήνην κληθεῖσάν σου μητέρα ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ ὁσιότητι πρὸς ἑαυτὸν προσλαβόμενος, καὶ σὲ κατ' ἴχνος ἐκείνης πολιτεύεσθαι ἀξιώσειε, ποιμαίνων ποιμαίνουσαν καὶ ὁδηγῶν ὁδηγοῦσαν ἐν αὐτῷ Χριστῷ τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν. 466 {1Ἰακώβῳ μονάζοντι}1 Βραδεῖς καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὴν τῶν γραμμάτων ἀντίδοσιν ἀπηντήκαμεν, ἀδελφὲ τιμιώτατε, οὕτω τοῦ χρόνου δυσκολήσαντος, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀμειβόμεθά σε τοῖς ἴσοις τῆς ἀγάπης μέτροις, δυσχεραίνοντες μὲν ἐφ' οἷς ἐξεῦρες καθ' ἡμῶν ἐγκωμίοις, ὡς οὐκ ἐχόντων ἐπαίνου λόγον, εὐφραινόμενοι δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ διαπύρῳ ζηλοτυπίᾳ τῆς ἠκριβωμένης σου πολιτείας, φυλαττούσης ἑαυτὴν