Letter 191

191. To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.

On reading the letter of your reverence, we gave much thanks to God, because we found traces of the ancient love in the words of your letter. For you did not suffer what the many suffer, nor did you set yourself contentiously against being the first yourself to begin the loving converse; but, as one schooled in the greatness which comes to the saints out of humility, you so chose to be shown, by taking the second place, ahead of us. For this too is the law of victory among Christians, and he who consents to have the lesser part is crowned. That we may not, then, be left behind in this good rivalry, behold, we too answer your dignity, and show our purpose: that, since by the grace of God our agreement in the faith stands firm, there is nothing else that hinders us from being one body and one spirit, as we were called in one hope through our calling. It belongs, then, to your love to render also what follows upon this good beginning: to gather around yourself those of like soul, and to make known both the time and the place of our meeting, so that, when by the grace of God we have thus recovered one another, we may administer the churches in the ancient manner of love, receiving as our own members the brethren who travel from each side, sending them on as to our own people, and receiving them again as from our own people. For this was once the boast of the Church, that, furnished with small tokens, the brethren from each church travelling from the ends of the inhabited world to the ends found everywhere fathers and brothers. But now, along with the rest, the enemy of the churches of Christ has taken this too from us, and we have been confined within our cities, and each of us holds his neighbour in suspicion. And what else have we done but grow cold in that love by which alone our Lord said his own disciples are marked? And if you think it good, do you first make yourselves known to one another, that we may know with whom our agreement will be. And so, by common consent, choosing some place not burdensome to both, and a time suitable for the journeys, we will hasten to one another, and the Lord will prosper our way. May you be sound and cheerful, praying earnestly for me, and may you be granted to me by the lovingkindness of the Holy One.