Letter 60

60. To his uncle Gregory.

Even before, I was glad to see my brother. For why should I not have been, since he is my own brother, and such a one? And now too I received him with the same disposition when he came, turning aside nothing of my own affection. For God forbid that I should ever suffer anything that would make me forget nature and be set at war with my own kin. But I counted the presence of the man a consolation both for the infirmities of the body and for the other pains of the soul; and I was overjoyed at the letters brought by him from your honour — letters which I had long desired to come, for no other reason than that we too might not add some gloomy tale to life, as though there were some separation among those most closely related to one another, providing pleasure to enemies, but misfortune to friends, and displeasing to God, who set perfect love as the mark of his own disciples. Therefore I too answer, necessarily exhorting you to pray for us, and in other respects to care for us as your own.

But since we ourselves, through want of understanding, are not able to comprehend the meaning of what is happening, we have judged it best to consider that account true which you yourself shall deign to set forth to us. And it is necessary that the remaining matters also be determined by your great wisdom: our meeting with one another, and the fitting time, and a suitable place. If, then, your dignity altogether deigns to come down to our lowliness, and to share some discourse with us — whether you wish the meeting to be with others or by yourself — we will obey, having once for all counselled ourselves to this: to serve you in love, and to do in every way the things enjoined upon us by your reverence for the glory of God. The most reverend brother we have in no way compelled to tell us anything by word of mouth, because his account was not previously borne witness to by his deeds.