Letter 782

To Damianus the Monk. Do not let the enemies blunt your eagerness, buffeting your soul with their varied and unspeakable temptations. For indeed out of your many and untold afflictions the crown is woven, and "in weaknesses," as the Apostle says, the power of Christ is brought to perfection [2 Corinthians 12:9], and in the more grievous conditions the grace of the Spirit is wont to blossom forth. "And in the darkness," he says, "a light has risen for the upright" [Psalm 111:4 LXX (112:4)] -- provided that you hold fast, firm unto the end, the boldness and the boasting of hope [Hebrews 3:6].

Μή σου τὴν προθυμίαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἀμβλυνέτωσαν, τοῖς ποικίλοις καὶ ἀφάτοις πειρασμοῖς τὴν ψυχὴν κολαφίζοντες. Ἐκ γὰρ δὴ τῶν θλίψεών σου τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἀμυθήτων ὁ στέφανος πλέκεται, καὶ «ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις,» ὡς λέγει ὁ Ἀπόστολος, τελεῖται ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ, «καὶ ἐν ταῖς σκυθρωποτέραις καταστάσεσιν ἐπανθεῖν εἴωθεν ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάρις. Ἐν δὲ τῷ σκότει, φησίν, ἐξανέτειλε φῶς τοῖς εὐθέσιν,» ἐάν γε τὴν παρρρησίαν καὶ τὸ καύχημα τῆς ἐλπίδος μέχρι τέλους βεβαίαν κατασχῇς.