Letter 2

From: Paulinus of Nola, newly ordained bishop To: Amandus, bishop (perhaps of Bordeaux) Date: ~393 AD Context: Paulinus writes to a fellow bishop shortly after his own reluctant ordination, describing how the crowd physically forced him to accept the episcopal office, and asking for spiritual guidance. Paulinus to his dearest brother and lord Amandus. We received your letter after some time, but the longer we had waited for it, the more eagerly we took it in. For "cold water to a thirsty soul" is sweeter, and "good news from a distant land" more welcome [Proverbs 25:25] — and just so, the sweetness of your words "fattened our bones and satisfied our hungry soul with good things" [cf. Proverbs 15:30; Psalm 107:9]. What can we offer that is worthy of such eloquence? We are thin in talent, dull in heart, dry of mouth, and as Scripture says, "lazy bellies" [Titus 1:12]. Yet even if we are inferior in every other respect, love alone makes us your equals. For we match with equal devotion the affection you have for us — a love planted in our innermost being, fixed in our hearts, and mixed into our very souls by the spirit of the Lord, "who makes those of one mind to dwell in a house" [Psalm 68:6], who binds countless thousands of believers into one heart, because the One fills all things in all [Ephesians 1:23]. Now it has pleased this Lord to place his treasure in a vessel of clay [2 Corinthians 4:7] — he who called me through his grace, "raising the poor from the earth and lifting the needy from the dust to set him among the princes of his people" [Psalm 113:7-8] and clothe him among the priests with salvation. So that as I run after the fragrance of his perfumes [Song of Songs 1:3], I might become a drop of that ointment "which flows down upon the beard of Aaron" [Psalm 133:2]. When, conscious of my own inadequacy, I refused — or rather did not dare — to become a member of his household and bless the Lord "from the fountains of Israel" [Psalm 68:26], I, "a worm and not a man" [Psalm 22:6], was suddenly seized by force, bound against my will (I confess it), and compelled by the crushing crowd. And though I wanted this cup to pass from me, I found it necessary to say to the Lord: "Yet not my will, but yours be done" [Matthew 26:42] — especially since I had read that the Lord himself said of himself: "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" [Matthew 20:28]. So, overtaken by the Lord and seized by him whom we have not yet grasped [Philippians 3:12], we serve at God's altar and minister at the tables of salvation — already elders in name and office, but still infants in understanding and nursing in speech [cf. 1 Corinthians 14:20]. That I may minister this office well, gain a good standing [1 Timothy 3:13], and learn how I ought to conduct myself in God's house and handle the mystery of the faith — you, my venerable brother and lord in Christ, pray to the Lord who is "rich toward all" [Romans 10:12] that we may abound in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in every care, and above all in your love toward us [2 Corinthians 8:7]. And beyond that, instruct us frequently with your own letters — you who have been "nourished in the words of faith and good teaching" [1 Timothy 4:6] that you have followed from boyhood in the sacred writings. Shape us to the rule of right living. Feed us with spiritual food, that is, the word of God, who is the true bread.

II. DOMINO FRATRI DILECTISSIMO AMANDO PAVLINVS. Post tempus accepimus litteras dilectionis uestrae, sed quo diutius desideratae, hoc auidius a nobis susceptae sunt; nam et aqua frigida sitienti dulcior et nuntius bonus de terra longinqua iucundior est, ita et sermonis uestri suauitas inpinguauit ossa nostra et animam esurientem satiauit bonis. quid nos talibus dignum reddimus eloquiis ingenio tenues, corde crassi, ore ieiuni et, sicut scriptum est, uentres pigri? uerum etsi omnibus rebus inferiores, tamen caritas sola nos uobis praestat aequales. dilectioni enim quam in nos habetis pari mente certamus, quae quidem uisceribus nostris insita et adfixa praecordiis et animae ipsi permixta est spiritu domini, qui habitare facit unius moris in domo, qui innumera credentium milia uno corde conectit, quia unus omnia in omnibus adinpletur. Nunc huic domino placuit in uase fictili ponere thesaurum suum, qui me uocauit per gratiam suam, suscitans de terra inopem et de stercore erigens pauperem, ut conlocaret cum principibus populi sui et inter sacerdotes 7] Prou. 25,25. 8] (Prou. 15,30). 9] Ps. 106,9. 11] Tit. 1,12. 16] Ps. 67, 7. 17] Eph. 1, 23. 19] (II Cor. 4, 7). 20] Gal. 1,15. Ps. 112, 7. 8. 22] (Ps. 181, 16). 1 agimus FP\'U 2 neglegis] uale add. FP\'U — Explicit epistola quinta F, finit ad seuerum sexta 0, explicit L FLMOPU — Ad amandum eplh XXnII. L, ad amandum epm • XXX. N. M, incipit ad eundem . IIII . 0, ad eundem • TTTT • P} epistola sancti paulini episcopi ao (sic!) amandum presbiterum, ubi de mutua kritate habenda ad inuicem: et quomodo ad episcopalem cathedram inuitus ascenderit plura proloquitur U 4 nostro fratri P 5 accipimus 0 6 diutinus F hoc] eo L suscepto U 7 et (aflte aqua)] ut fori . seicienti P 8 iocumdior LMU uft ex nff M impugnauit L 10 reddemus v 11 crassiore FMU uentris FOPU 12 uobis nos FPU 14 uiceribus L 15 permixtae 0 indueret salutare, ut dum curro in odorem unguentorum eius, fierem gutta eius unguenti, quod descendit in barbam Aaron. in cuius domo domesticus fieri et benedicere dominum de fontibus Israel cum pro meritorum meorum conscientia recusarem uel potius non auderem recipere, ego uermis et non homo ui subita inuitus, quod fateor, adstrictus et multitudine strangulante conpulsus, quamuis cuperem calicem ipsum a me transire, tamen necesse habui dicere domino: uerum non mea uoluntas sed tua fiat, cum praesertim ipsum de se dominum dixisse legerem: filius hominis non uenit ministrari sed ministrare. praeuenti igitur a domino et adprehensi ab eo, quem necdum adprehendimus, deseruimus altario dei et mensis salutaribus ministramus iam nomine officioque seniores, sensu autem adhuc paruuli et sermone lactantes. Quod ministerium ut bene ministrem et gradum bonum mihi adquiram et sciam qualiter oporteat me in domo dei conuersari et tractare mysterium pietatis, tu domine uenerabilis et frater et domine in Christo nobis, ora dominum in omni bono diuitem, ut abundemus fide et sermone et scientia et omni sollicitudine et insuper uestra in nos caritate, ut et in hac gratia abundetis. praeterea ipse epistolis tuis nos saepe instrue necessariis supplementis; enutritus enim sermonibus fidei et bonae doctrinae, quam a puero in sacris litteris subsecutus es, informa nos ad regulam directionis, pasce nos spiritali cibo id est uerbo dei, qui est uerus 1] (Cant. 1,3). 2] Ps. 132,2. 3] (Eph. 2,19). Ps. 67,27. 5] Ps. 21, 7. 8] Matth. 26, 42; Marc. 14, 36; Luc. 22, 42. 10] Matth. 20,28. 12] (Phil. 3, 12). 13] (I Cor. 14,20; I Tim. 3,13). 19] (Rom. 10,12). 20] n Cor. 8, 7. 23] I Tim. 4, 6. 26] (Deut. 8, 3). 1 salutari LM ungentorum M ut solet 2 aron U 4 isdrael IJ 6 fateor] et add. M - adstrictus 0, astrictus cet . 7 cupienti F 9 ipsium U 10 domino FPU 13 altari FPU ministrauimus lJ U adnc P, om. M 15 lactentes LM, lactantentes U 17 domini M 18 domine delendum cens. Sacch . 19 et domine om. LM recte ut xtideiur 20 ott. et om. M 23 enutritus Ov, nutritus cet . 25 obsecutus F et uiuens panis et in quo magis quam in pane uiuitur, quoniam ipse est esca iustorum qui ex fide uiuunt. nec hinc neglegentior sis circa sollicitudinem institutionis meae, quod loco ecclesiae, non tamen corpore separamur; unus enim deus, unus et mediator dei et hominum, qui est ecclesiae caput in qua cum omnes unum simus, tamquam in una domo uiuimus. nec possumus dicere nos esse sine uobis, cum unius spiritus simus et in uno, qui est unus, habitemus. ideo seruantes unitatem spiritus in coniunctione pacis, ut unum corpus et unus spiritus ut sociali inuicem membro nobis conlaboremus, ut crescamus in illius corporis aedificationem, cuius caput Christus est. Igitur quia facti sumus de hostibus ciues, de longinquis proximi, de ouibus pastores et positi sumus in fundamento apostolorum et prophetarum, erudite et confirmate manus ad aedificandi scientiam, ut ad lapidem, qui factus est in caput anguli, discam parietem utrumque conectere et in templum sanctum atque in habitaculum dei corpora et corda fide mundata construere, per arma apostoli potentia deo omnem elationem extollentem se aduersus scientiam dei captiuam ducere, omnem intellectum ad oboediendum Christo perducere, euangelicam securim arborum radicibus admouere et gladio spiritus id est uerbo dei interficere peccatores terrae et scuto catholicae fidei omnia iacula candentia nequissimi extinguere et certamine decertato cursuque decurso fide seruata ministerio inpleto expectare illud, quod dominus in illa die iustus iudex reddet omnibus qui diligunt aduentum eius. ergo 1] (Matth. 4,4). (Luc. 4,4). 2] (Rom. 1, 17). 4] I Tim. 2, 5. 8] Ephes. 4, 8. 11] (Eph. 4, 12). 12] (Eph. 2, 17). 14] (Es. 35,3). 15] Ps. 117. 22; Matth. 21, 42. 17] (Eph. 2, 21). 20] (II Cor. 10, 5). 21] (Matth. 3, 10). (Eph. 6, 17). 22] (Ps. 100,8). 24] (II Tim. 4, 7). 25] ib. 8. 1 et in] in LM 2 neglientior F 4 corpore] gclig add. M s. l . 6 unum omnes M scimus F, sumus LU 7 nos] non F nobis 0, nobis cet . spiritu OP* sumus FPU unius FPU 10 socialiamembra LM cumlaboremus FPU 11 illis U 12 hospitibus coni. Lebrwn 13 fundamentis M 15 edificandam (am s. I. m . 2) F ad Ov, et cet . lapide LM 18 potentiam F omne F ut tuum ac tecum manentem spiritaliter uidens ac tenens instrue iuua hortare confirma. de uobis enim et per uos deo natus in Christo uestra potissimum cura esse debeo, quia uestrum obprobrium, si indignus, aut uestrum gaudium ero, si ex fructibus bonis uestrae arboris ramus esse cognoscar.