Letter 2015: The reason I had not sent the painter to you before was that I believed you were occupied with the arrival of the...

XV. To the venerable lady, and his daughter to be magnified in Christ the Lord, Ceraunia, from Bishop Ruricius. What made me not send the painter to you sooner was this: that I believed you to be occupied with the arrival of the new judge, and so daunted that you could not think about these matters. But because, by God's favor, I have learned both from your letters and from the report of your people that you are faring and prospering according to your wish, after sending my greeting first I have dispatched the painter together with his pupil, however much he was busy here, because I preferred to subtract from my own necessity that whereby I might satisfy your request. But because both your purpose and our duty demand it, I have presumed to admonish your reverence with these few words, so that from his work you may take an example for performing penance and for putting on the new garments of the new man, whereby the old Adam may more easily perish in you and the life-giver may rise up. Just as he paints the walls with the varied tints of colors by manifold art, so may you cultivate your soul, which is the temple of God, with the diverse kinds of virtues, that you may truly be able to say spiritually, with the prophet, of your spiritual house: Lord, I have loved the beauty of your house and the place of the dwelling of your glory; because, according to the judgment of our Lord himself, God does not dwell in things made by hand, nor is his good pleasure in the tents of man, but his good pleasure is upon those who fear him and in him who hopes in his mercy. And he himself again deigns to teach us through the prophet: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the footstool of my feet. What seat will you build for me, or what will be the place of my repose? Has not my hand made all these things? Or upon what other shall I look, except upon the humble and quiet man, and him who trembles at my words? And the Lord himself cries out in the gospel: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you, and the rest that follows. And therefore, dearest sister and daughter in Christ the Lord, having laid aside the ambition of your former manner of life, you ought to clothe yourself in humility of heart, to lend mercy to the needy, to procure chastity not only of the body but of the soul; and so that, with the Lord's help, you may be able both to acquire and to guard this, you must fast more often and pray always, because Adam was appointed both keeper and tiller of paradise, namely so that freedom of choice might have material for working, and that abstinence of frugality might guard what the diligence of prayers had obtained. But because he neglected to keep the fast for himself, through forbidden desire he lost both life and immortality. Under Zerubbabel those who had returned from captivity were repairing the walls of Jerusalem, and since they had a struggle against foreigners over the restoration of those same walls, they worked with the right hand and fought with the left, namely holding out the shield of faith with the left hand against their adversaries, and with the right hand constructing the ramparts of good works as of stones laid together. But even those men themselves who were building together with their prophets worked girded about their loins, which the Lord too commanded us to observe in the gospel, saying: Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. He is girded about the loins whose flesh wars for chastity and not for lust, and his mind shines forth like a burning lamp, which Christ kindles by his precepts. Since all these things, according to the apostle, were done as a figure of us, it is fitting for us to know that, as long as we were occupied with the deeds of the world, we served like captives led out from Judea into the regions of the enemy, as it were to the Babylonians and their king; whence, returning through penance to our homeland, that is, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the mother of all the faithful, we ought to repair our fallen things with every kind of virtue, to mend what is torn, to wipe away the past, to beware of the present, to prepare for the things to come, so that, drawn away by the kindness of the Lord from the former captivity of sins, we may serve not the king of the Babylonians, but Christ the king of the heavens in Jerusalem, the city which is built by the congregation of the saints. And for this reason we ought to bathe our face more with tears than with washings, so that we may be able to say with the prophet: For I ate ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. We ought to tame our body with unwearied vigils and continual fasts, so that, exercising true judgment between the soul and the flesh, the flesh may not lord it over the spirit, but the conquered flesh may serve the spirit. The Lord gave us an example of this matter when, through the angel, he speaks to Hagar the handmaid of Sarah, who had preferred to desert her mistress rather than to listen, saying to her: Return and be subject to your mistress; that, devoted to all these labors and good works, you may be able to be both perfect in conduct and devout in confession, and in the kingdom of that Father of yours, of whom the Lord says in the gospel: Do not call yourselves father upon the earth, for one is your Father; that according to your name you may truly shine, Ceraunia, in that throng of the blessed, and prove to be the author of your own appellation, concerning which splendor of works the Lord says: So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and magnify not you, but your Father, who is in heaven. His it is both to give, and every gift that is given, because according to the apostle every good gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, by whom both the will is granted and the effect is bestowed. Since penance is to be obtained not by name only, but to be carried out by deed, penance is not an idle name, which possesses its laborious appellation from the quality of the work. For he cannot be called penitent who commits things to be repented of, but rather he who wipes away his past sins or stains by humility of heart, by subjection of the body, by zeal of good works, by assiduity of prayers, by continuation of groanings, by bruising of the breast, by outpouring of tears; so that he may be able to say with the prophet: Remember not our old iniquities, certainly not our daily ones, and that other passage: I have labored in my groaning, I will wash my bed every night, I will water my couch with my tears, and again: I roared from the groaning of my heart, and again: Since I declare my iniquities and will be anxious for my sin. Let therefore our crimes be here before us, so that they may not be against us on the day of judgment; and that, placed here, we may deserve to say that other thing too with confidence: I acknowledge my offense, and I have not covered my injustices. I said: I will declare against myself my injustices to the Lord, and you have forgiven the impiety of my heart. It is certain that, insofar as you are displeased with yourself over your former manner of life, so far you will please the Lord; and insofar as you please yourself, you will without doubt displease him who says: For he scatters the bones of those who please themselves. And therefore, like the most severe censors, let us avenge our own faults upon ourselves more strictly; let us in a certain manner become our own torturers and judges through the various torments of the body, so that in that time of just examination the king's sentence may have nothing in us to condemn, since it has already corrected here those whom the discipline of a more chastened life has set right; because a just and merciful judge does not judge twice for the same thing, that is, he will show himself gentle to him whom he has found here to be cruel through satisfaction for sins, and kind to him whom he has recognized in this life to have been strict toward himself, according to that gospel saying: He who loses his soul for my sake shall find it, or that other: Blessed are you who now mourn, for you shall laugh. For everything that is done in this world is brief, whether good or evil, as you have already learned by experience, as the Lord either permitted or willed. And for this reason we ought to be steadfast in enduring afflictions for the love of God, because, if weeping lingers until the evening, gladness will follow in the morning. And so let us now sow in tears what we shall then reap in joys. Let these few things, said for the solace of exhortation to strengthen your faith, suffice; and though I myself do not do them, yet I exhort you to do them. For I know that a reward has been appointed for exhortation, because we read: Weep with those who weep, lest perhaps you should say in the judgment: I sought one who would be saddened together with me, and there was none, and for those who would console me, and I found none. But seek out the instruments of the more perfect and greater things in the divine scriptures, from which these were culled, if you wish either to complete what you have begun or to attain to what has been promised. To you who seek in such a manner the Lord will give knowledge together with virtue, so that you may both understand what you have read and guard what you have understood. For the father of orphans and the arbiter of widows, when he sees that you hope in him alone, will both grant protection to your wards with fatherly affection and lead you to the reward by the recompense of the judge.

XV. DOMINAE UENERABILI ET IN CHRISTO DOMINO MAQVIFICANDAE FILIAE CERAUNIAE RURICIUS EPISCOPUS. Ut pictorem uobis antea non transmitterem, haec res fecit, quia aduentu noui iudicis te occupatam esse credidi atque ita deterritam, ut de his rebus cogitare non posses. sed quia deo propitio uos et litteris et relatione uestrorum ex sententia agere ac ualere cognoui, salutatione praelata pictorem, quamlibet hic esset occupatus, cum discipulo destinaui, quia malui meae detrahere necessitati, unde uestrae satisfacerem petitioni. sed quia et propositum uestrum et nostrum poscit officium, his uenerationem uestram paucis monere praesumpsi, ut ex opere illius ad agendam paenitentiam et noua noui hominis uestimenta sumenda capias exemplum, quo facilius in te Adam uetustus intereat et uiuificator exsurgat. Quem ad modum ille parietes uariis colorum fucis multimoda arte depingit, ita uos animam uestram, quae est templum dei, diuersis uirtutum generibus excolatis, ut uere de spiritali domo uestra spiritaliter dicere cum propheta possitis: domine, dilexi decorem domus tuae et locum habitationis gloriae 27] Pstdm. 25, 8. 2 iuditio S, iudice v 3 inpotetis 8 4 comitiis v iuditiis S 7 insequilla S 10 domine S magnifican dę S 11 ceraunie S 12 res fecit v in notis, refecit S 13 credi S 14 possis S quae v 16 prelata S 17 cum v, eum S distinaui S mallui S 18 petitionis S 19 offitiu 20 presusi S ex om. r 22 sumenda S 23 interea S 25 que S 27 cum propheta dicere v 28 domns] habitationis r tuae, quia secundum ipsius domini nostri sententiam non in manu factis habitat deus nec in tabernaculis uiri beneplacitum ei, sed beneplacitum est ei super timentes se et in eo, qui sperat in misericordiam. et ipse iterum nos per prophetam docere dignatur: caelum mihi thronus est, terra autem scabellum pedum meorum. quam mihi sedem aedificabitis aut quis erit locus requietionis meae, nonne haec omnia fecit manus mea? aut super quem alium respiciam, nisi super humilem et quietum et trementem sermones meos? et ipse in euangelio dominus clamat: uenite ad me omnes, qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam uos et reliqua, quae secuntur. et ideo, in Christo domino carissima soror ac filia, pristinae conuersationis ambitione deposita humilitatem debes cordis induere, misericordiam indigentibus fenerare, castitatem non solum corporis, sed animae procurare, quod adiuuante domino ut adquirere ualeas pariter et custodire, ieiunandum est saepius et semper orandum, quia Adam paradisi et custos delegabatur et colonus, scilicet ut haberet operandi materiam libertas arbitrii et, quod orationum obtinuisset industria, parcitatis abstinentia custodiret. sed quoniam neglexit sibi seruare ieiunium, per concupiscentiam uetitam amisit et uitam et inmortalitatem. Sub Hierobabel muros Hierusalem reuersi ad captiuitatem reparabant, cum eis esset contra alienigenas pro eorundem murorum restauratione certamen, operabantur dextra et sinistra pugnabant, scilicet scutum fidei laeua contra aduersarios praetendentes et dextra bonorum operum tamquam lapidum conpositorum moenia construentes. sed et ipsi uiri, qui aedificabant cum prophetis suis, super lumbos cincti operabantur, quod et 1] Act. 17, 24; Psalm. 146, 10. 5] Esai. 66, 1. 11] Matth. 11, 28. 18] Gen. 2,15. 24] 2 Esdr. 4,17. 2 manufactis] templis ex Uulg. add. Kr . 4 sperat v, sperant S miffa S, misericordia v ipse suprascr. 81 5 tronus S 6 scabillu S 11 om S 15 fanerare S 18 paradysi S custus 81 diligatur 81, delegatur S* 19 operando ex operandi 81 24 Zorobabel v in notis a captiuitate Kr., fort. recte 26 restauratione S 27 leua S aduersario pretendentis S dominus in euangelio obseruare nos praecepit dicens: sint lumbi uestri praecincti et lucernae uestrae ardentes. praecinctus est lumbis, cuius caro castitati militat et non libidini, et mens illius tamquam ardens lucerna praefulget, quam praeceptis suis Christus accendit. quia haec omnia secundum apostolum in figura nostri facta sunt, scire nos conuenit, quod, quamdiu saeculi actibus fuimus occupati, tamquam Babyloniis et regi eorum captiui a Iudaea producti in hostium regiones seruiuimus, unde per paenitentiam ad patriam, hoc est ad caelestem Hierusalem, matrem omnium fidelium, reuertentes debemus omni uirtutum genere reparare conlapsa, sarcire discissa, delere praeterita, cauere praesentia, parare uentura, ut per benignitatem domini a pristina peccatorum captiuitate distracti non Babyloniorum regi, sed regi caelorum Christo in Hierusalem, quaeque congregatione sanctorum aedificatur ciuitas, seruiamus. et idcirco faciem nostram debemus magis lacrimis rigare, quam lauacris, ut dicere cum propheta possimus: quia cinerem sicut panem manducabam et potum meum cum fletu miscebam. Debemus corpus nostrum indefessis uigiliis et continuis edomare ieiuniis, ut uerum exercentes inter animam carnemque iudicium non caro dominetur spiritui, sed spiritui caro uicta deseruiat. cuius rei exemplum nobis dominus, dum per angelum ad Agar Sarrae ancillam loquitur, dedit, quae dominam suam deserere maluerat, quam audire dicens ei: reuertere et esto subdita dominae tuae, ut his laboribus omnibus et bonis operibus dedita possis esse et conuersatione perfecta et confessione deuota et in regno patris tui illius, de quo dominus in euangelio dicit: nolite uobis uocare patrem super 1] Luo. 12, 35. 6] 1 Cor. 10, 6. 18] Psalm. 101,10. 25] Gen. 16,9. 29] Matth. 23, 9. 1 praecipit v 2 precincti S lucerne S 3 precinctus S 4 lucerna praefulgit S 6 apostolorum S facti S 7 babilloniis S 8 iudea S perducti Mommsenus 9 regionis S, regione v 12 discessa S preterita S psentias S 14 babyllonioru S 15 hyerusalem S queq S, quaequae Mommsenus congregation S, congregationi v 18 cynere S 19 mesceba S 24 sarrg S 25 malluerat S reuertere v, reuere S 26 domine S ut v, et S terram, unus enim est pater uester, secundum nomen tuum in illa beatorum turba uera splendere Ceraunia et uocabuli tui auctor existere, (de) quo splendore operum dominus dicit: sic luceat lux uestra coram hominibus, ut uideant opera uestra bona et magnificent non uos, sed patrem uestrum, qui in caelis est. cuius est et ut detur, et omne, quod datur, quia iuxta apostolum omne datum bonum a sursum de patre luminum descendit, a quo et uoluntas tribuitur et praestatur effectus. Quia paenitentia non nomine tantum obtinenda, sed actu est exsequenda, paenitentia non est nomen otiosum, quae ex qualitate operis possidet laboriosa uocabulum. non enim potest paenitens dici, qui paenitenda committit, sed ille, qui praeterita peccata uel maculas humilitate cordis, subiectione corporis, bonorum operum sedulitate, adsiduitate orationum, continuatione gemituum, pectoris contusione, lacrimarum profusione detergit, ut possit dicere cum propheta: ne memineris iniquitates nostras antiquas, utique non cotidianas, et illud: laboraui in gemitu meo, lauabo per singulas noctes lectum meum, lacrimis meis stratum meum rigabo, et iterum: rugiebam a gemitu cordis mei, et iterum: quoniam iniquitates meas ego pronuntio et cogitabo pro peccato meo. sint ideo hic crimina nostra ante nos, ut contra nos in die iudicii esse non possint et illud etiam hic positi cum fiducia dicere mereamur: delictum meum ego cognosco et iniustitias meas non operui. dixi: pronuntiabo aduersus me et iniustitias meas domino et tu remisisti impietatem cordis mei. certum est, quod, in quantum tibi de priori conuersatione displicueris, in tantum domino placebis 4] Matth. 5,16. 7] Iac. 1,17. 17] Psalm. 78,8. 18] Psalm. 6,7. 21] Psalm. 37, 9. Psalm. 37,19. 25] Psalm. 31, 5. 2 turba v, tuba S 8 de add. v, om. S 5 non v, nos ex uos S 6 et ante ut supraser. S 8 discendit S 11 ociosum S 13 paenitentia Sl, paenitenda 82 preterita S 16 detergit v, detegit S 20 et ante lacrimis add . v 23 ut Kr., et S 24 nos] ut add. e iuditii S 25 fiducia S cognusco S 29 conuersationis S et, in quantum tibi placueris, illi sine dubio displicebis, qui dicit: quoniam dissipat ossa hominum sibi placentium. Et ideo tamquam seuerissimi censores culpas nostras in nos ipsi districtius uindicemus, ipsi nobis per diuersos corporis cruciatus quodam modo tortores existamus et iudices, ut in illo iustae examinationis tempore non habeat in nos regis sententia, quod damnet, quos iam hic castigatioris uitae disciplina correxerit, quia iustus et misericors iudex bis non iudicat in id ipsum, hoc est ei se exhibebit mitem, quem inuenerit hic esse prae peccatorum satisfactione crudelem, illi benignum, quem in hac uita sibi recognouerit fuisse districtum, secundum illud euangelicum: qui perdiderit animam propter me, inueniet eam, uel illud: beati, qui nunc lugetis, quia ridebitis. breue est enim omne, quod in hoc mundo agitur, sine bonum siue malum, sicut experimentis, ut dominus aut permisit aut uoluit, iam probasti. et idcirco ad sustinendas pro dei amore pressuras constantes esse debemus, quia, si ad uesperum demorabitur fletus, et ad matutinum laetitia subsequetur. itaque nunc seramus in lacrimis, quod tunc metamus in gaudiis. Haec pauca ad confortandam fidem uestram pro exhortationis solatio dicta sufficiant, quae licet ipse non faciam, tamen, ut et uos agatis, exhortor. scio enim exhortationi positam esse mercedem, quia legimus: flete cum flentibus, et ne forte tu in iudicio diceres: quaesiui, qui simul mecum contristaretur, et non fuit et consolantes me et non inueni. perfectiora uero atque maiora in scripturis diuinis, unde ista 2] PsaJm. 52, 6. 12] Matth. 10,39. 18] Luc. 6, 21. 17] Psalm. 29, 6. 19] Psalm. 125, 5. 24] Rom. 12, 15. 25] Psalm. 68, 21. 1 illi ex ille 81 4 et ante ipsi add. v 5 cruciatos S quodamodo S tortores quodammodo v ut Ludjohann, et S 6 regi 8 7 cwtigationis v correxit v 9 exhibet v 10 pre S 11 cognouerit sibi r 12 euangelium S 15 eiiperimentis S1 ut om. v 16 pmisit S, promisit v probari v 17 praesuras S 18 subsequetur Kr., subsequitur S 19 metamus] S, cf. p. 401,26 21 exortationis S 22 sufficiunt r 28 agatis t7, cogatis S eihortor v, exhortator S 24 qui S flere v 25 iaditio 8 diceris 8 decerpta sunt, instrumenta perquire, si uis aut coepta perficere aut ad pollicita peruenire. dabit tibi taliter quaerenti dominus scientiam pariter et uirtutem, ut et lecta intellegas et intellecta custodias. nam pater orphanorum et arbiter uiduarum, cum te de se tantum sperare conspexerit, et pupillis tuis tribuet paterna pietate praesidium et te remuneratione iudicis perducet ad praemium.