Letter 510

To Zosimus the Calligrapher. By humility alone the tax-collector was saved [the publican of Luke 18:10-14]; and the Lord says that "Everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted." For this very reason holy David too was accustomed to say this in place of an advocate's defense: "Attend to my supplication, for I have been brought very low" [Psalm 141:7 LXX]. And again he says: "Behold my humiliation and my toil, and forgive all my sins" [Psalm 24:18 LXX]. Do not, then, grieve out of season, saying, "I have no money to provide unceasingly for the poor." For when you have nothing, God will require nothing; but what you do have, do not shrink from offering to the Savior, that is, a contrite heart and abundant supplication, and you will by no means be despised by Him who loves the humbled and does not disdain to comfort them.

Ἐκ ταπεινώσεως μόνης σέσωσται ὁ τελώνης· καὶ φησὶν ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι «Πᾶς ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτόν, ὑψωθήσεται.» Διόπερ καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Δαυΐδ ἀντὶ συνηγορίας εἴθισαι τοῦτο λέγειν· «Πρόσχες πρὸς τὴν δέη- σίν μου, ὅτι ἐταπεινώθην σφόδρα. Καὶ πάλιν φησίν· Ἴδε τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου, καὶ τὸν κόπον μου, καὶ ἄφες πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀκαίρως λυποῦ, λέγων· ὅτι Οὐκ ἔχω χρήματα εἰς τὸ χορηγεῖν ἀπαύστως τοῖς πένησι. Μηδὲν γὰρ ἔχοντά σε, οὐδὲν ζητήσει Θεός· ὃ δὲ ἔχεις, μὴ ὄκνει προσφέρειν τῷ Σωτῆρι, τουτέστι, συντετριμμένην καρδίαν, καὶ δέησιν δαψιλῆ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξουθενωθῇς παρὰ τοῦ ἀγαπῶντος τοὺς τεταπεινωμένους, καὶ παρακαλεῖν τούτους μὴ ὑπερηφανοῦντος.