Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

To Gregory, his uncle. 2217
Letter LIX. 2216
1. “I have long time holden my peace. Am I to hold my peace for ever? 2218 Shall I still
further endure to enforce against myself the hardest punishment of silence, by neither
writing myself, nor receiving any statement from another? By holding fast to this stern determination
up to the present time I am able to apply to myself the prophet’s words, “I endure
patiently like travailing woman.” 2219 Yet I am ever longing for communication either in
person or by letter, and ever, for my own sins’ sake, missing it. For I cannot imagine any
reason for what is happening, other than what I am convinced is the true one, that by being
cut off from your love I am expiating old sins; if indeed I am not wrong in using such a
phrase as “cut off” in your case, from any one, much less from me, to whom you have always
been as a father. Now my sin, like some dense cloud overshadowing me, has made me forget
all this. When I reflect that the only result to me of what is going on is sorrow, how can I
attribute it to anything but to my own wickedness? But if events are to be traced to sins, be
this the end of my troubles; if there was any intended discipline in it, then your object has
been very completely attained, for the punishment has been going on for a long time; so I
groan no longer, but am the first to break silence, and beseech you to remember both me
and yourself who, to a greater degree than our relationship might have demanded, have
shewn me strong affection all my life. Now, I implore you, show kindness to the city for
my sake. Do not on my account alienate yourself from it.
2. If, then, there is any consolation in Christ, any fellowship of the Spirit, any mercy
and pity, fulfil my prayer. Put a stop to my depression. Let there be a beginning of brighter
things for the future. Be yourself a leader to others in the road to all that is best, and follow
no one else in the way to what is wrong. Never was any feature so characteristic of any one’s
body as gentleness and peace are of your soul. It were well becoming such a one as you are
to draw all others to yourself, and to cause all who come near you to be permeated with the
goodness of your nature, as with the fragrance of myrrh. For though there be a certain
amount of opposition now, nevertheless ere long there will be a recognition of the blessings
of peace. So long, however, as room is found for the calumnies that are bred of dissension,
suspicion is sure to grow from worse to worse. It is most certainly unbecoming for the rest
to take no notice of me, but it is especially unbecoming in your excellency. If I am wrong
2216 Placed in 361, at about the same time as the preceding.
2217 Vide n. on preceding page.
2218 Isa. xlii. 14, LXX.
2219 Isa. xlii. 14, LXX.
To Gregory, his uncle.
476