Letter 122

To Alexander the Monk. It seems to me an absurd thing to see, that in the midst of insults and anger you should compel certain people to bear fruit for you [that is, to make offerings]. But this could not be called fruit-bearing; rather it is force, and shamefulness, and the utmost ill-timing, and something harsher than public edicts and the most burdensome exactions. But cease, I beg you, from this unseemliness; or rather, devote yourself to prayers and to great stillness of soul, and God will rouse up those who are worthy of nobility of character to bring you, with entreaty, the things you need. For the monks who are worthy are the very ones who bear fruit; but those who are utterly unworthy are also far from the counsel of the Lord.

Ἄτοπον ὁρᾶν πρᾶγμα δοκεῖς μοι, ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ ὕβρεων καὶ θυμοῦ καταναγκάζειν καρποφορεῖν σοί τινας. Τοῦτο δ’ οὐκ ἂν λεχθείη καρποφορία, ἀλλὰ βία, καὶ αἰσχρότης, καὶ ἀκαιρία ἐσχάτη, καὶ τραχύτερον τί τῶν δημοσίων ἐπιταγμάτων, καὶ βαρυτάτων ἀπαιτημάτων. Ἀλλὰ παῦσαι, παρακαλῶ, τῆς ἀπρεπείας ταύτης, μᾶλλον δὲ σχόλασον ταῖς προσευχαῖς, καὶ τῇ πολλῇ κατὰ ψυχὴν ἡσυχίᾳ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς διεγείρει τοὺς ἀξίους ὄντας τῆς καλοκαγαθίας προσφέρειν σοι μεθ’ ἱκεσίας ἃς χρείαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄξιοι τυγχάνουσιν τοῦ καρποφορεῖν μοναχοί· οἱ δὲ παντελῶς ἀνάξιοι, καὶ μακρὰν τῆς βουλῆς τοῦ Κυρίου.