Letter 3014: You maintain the pattern of your kindness — or rather, to speak more truly, you surpass it.

Bishop Avitus to Bishop Viventiolus. You keep up the custom of your sweetness; nay, to speak more truly, you increase it. You have refreshed our anxiety concerning you by announcing prosperous news; you have visited the festal joy concerning us which you longed for, by desiring to learn of it. Yet amid these manifold banquets of the spirit, you who had fed the church with spiritual things adorned both our table and us with bodily delights as well. Wherefore, unequal to the task of giving thanks, I turn to prayers, beseeching the divine mercy that the charity whose progress you affirm with such zeal may profit you unto reward, me unto joy, and all unto an example.

Avitus episcopus Viventiolo episcopo. Servatis dulcitudinis morem, immo, ut verius dicatur, augetis. Refecistis sollici- tudinem nostram de vobis prospera nuntiando: visitastis festivitatem de nobis, quae optabatis, agnoscere cupiendo. Inter has tamen multiplices epulas animorum etiam corporalibus quoque deliciis ornastis et mensam, qui spiritalibus paveratis ecclesiam. Quapropter impar ad gratias convertor ad preces divinam misericordiam rogans, ut caritas, cuius profectum tanto studio adseritis, vobis ad praemium, mihi ad gaudium, cunctis proficiat ad exemplum.