Letter 483

To Firminus the Presbyter. If indeed we have persuaded our own heart, in a time of every kind of distress and affliction, not to run off toward human hopes, nor to draw our help from that quarter, but rather in tears and groanings and laborious prayer and strenuous vigils to propitiate the Higher Power, and from there to await assistance, then why are we thrown into confusion? Why are we worn down by faintheartedness, and why do we hesitate and give up, as though our God were not doing what we ask most swiftly? For by a wise design He seems to be reinforcing your perseverance and constant attendance upon Him, so that you may not, having quickly obtained your request, quickly depart and forget His good gift. But do not you grow weary in your asking, and you will assuredly succeed. For the Lord also told a certain parable in the Gospel, to the effect that one ought always to pray and not lose heart [Luke 18:1]. Yet know this too, that the delay will grant you greater grace, just as the holy Apostle has said: "Now to Him who is able to do beyond all things, exceedingly above what we ask or think, be glory, honor, and dominion forever" [cf. Ephesians 3:20].

Εἴπερ τὴν ἰδίαν πεπείκαμεν καρδίαν ἐν καιρῷ περιστάσεως παντοίας, καὶ θλίψεως, μὴ ἀποτρέχειν πρὸς ἀνθρωπίνας ἐλπίδας, μηδὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἕλκειν τὰς βοηθείας, ἀλλ’ ἐν δάκρυσι, καὶ στεναγμοῖς, καὶ φιλοπόνῳ προσευχῇ καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις εὐτόνοις ἐξιλάσκεσθαι τὸ κρεῖττον, κἀκεῖθεν περιμένειν ἀντίληψιν· διατί θορυβούμεθα; διατί τῇ ὀλιγοψυχίᾳ τρυχόμεθα, καὶ διστάζομεν, καὶ ἀπαγορεύομεν, ὡς μὴ τάχιστα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ποιοῦντος τὸ αἴτημα; Τὴν γὰρ σὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν παραμονὴν καὶ προσεδρίαν σοφιζόμενος δοκεῖ κρατύνειν, ἵνα μὴ ταχέως κομισάμενος, ταχέως ἀναχωρήσῃς, καὶ λησμονήσῃς αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀγαθῆς δόσεως. Ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ ἐκκακήσῃς δεόμενος, καὶ πάντως ἐπιτεύξῃ. Εἶπε γὰρ καὶ παραβολὴν τίνα ὁ Κύριος ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἐκκακεῖν. Πλὴν κἀκεῖνο γίνωσκε, ὅτι ἡ ἀναβολὴ πλείονα χάριν δώσει σοι, καθὼς ὁ ἅγιος Ἀπόστολος εἴρηκε· «Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι, ὑπὲρ ἐκ περισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα, ἢ νοοῦμεν, δόξα, τιμὴ καὶ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.»