Letter 27

From: Paulinus, bishop of Nola To: Sulpicius Severus, monk and writer Date: ~412 AD Context: Paulinus overflows with joy at the arrival of several mutual friends, especially Postumianus and Theridius, and recounts their glowing reports of Severus's monastic life. To my venerable and ever-dear brother Severus, I will bless the Lord at all times [Psalm 34:1] and not forget his gifts, because he has not dealt with us according to our sins [Psalm 103:10] but has satisfied our longing with constant and abundant consolation through your fellowship. In just a few days, the return of our dear brothers Postumianus and Theridius was followed by the arrival of more brothers — Virinus and Sorianus. And so a rich harvest of joys came to us nearly all at once, since every one of these men made their presence all the sweeter by carrying letters from you. My spirit leapt for joy in the Lord [1 Samuel 2:1; Luke 1:47], and my mouth was opened wide against my enemy [Psalm 13:4], who was given no chance to say "I have prevailed," since our hopes and desires prevailed instead — bringing us the news, the judgments, and the words from you that our souls most craved. So, that we may owe one another nothing except mutual love, as we are commanded [Romans 13:8], I will reply to all of your letters. First, to the one I received first, in which you reproach me on account of the very men who carried it — asking why I either abandoned you or stole them from you. But you will see that I deserve neither charge. I have never set any limit to my longing for you, and I never had any quarrel with you over claiming them. Had they been yours first, I would have freely yielded my rights. They would hardly have been strangers to me if they had stayed with you — since you are entirely mine in Christ the Lord, through whom I am in turn entirely yours. And I would not have gained as much from receiving them as I would have lost by robbing you of such worthy companions on the road of salvation. The truth is, when these men arrived unexpectedly as a gift from the Lord and I discovered what kind of people they were — as you too quickly learned for yourself — I almost envied myself for having been luckier than you in this one respect: meeting men more worthy of your company before you did. So as soon as I could, eager to share the blessing, I urged them in person to make visiting you and getting to know you their highest priority — above all their business and concerns at home — so they could make up for lost time, however late. And, thanks be to God, they came back to us rejoicing [Psalm 126:6], carrying home from the fertile field a sheaf that towered above all the other fruits of their journey, like a blessed harvest. The gratitude they poured out was threefold: to God first, who had not only satisfied but exceeded their hopes, so that they found more good in you than they had dared imagine; then to us, for being the authors of so great an acquisition for them; and finally to themselves, for having obeyed us to their own benefit. I cannot express the pleasure that washed over me as they described your conduct, your conversations, and your heart perfected in divine love — how you are humble and exalted, poor and rich, slave and free: a fellow servant to your servants, a servant to your brothers, rich in compassion toward the poor, poor in spirit and gentle toward the rich, humble in the power of devotion, towering in the height of virtue, a slave to God and free from Mammon. They declared that in you the whole spirit of Martin lives and breathes, that Clarus flourishes again [Clarus was Martin of Tours's closest disciple], and that the Gospel is coming to maturity. They have truly anointed our head with the oil of gladness [Psalm 45:7], and for this our whole being blesses the Lord — doubly grateful, because we recognize how much our introduction of these beloved brothers meant to you, and we see them rejoicing over your friendship and love as over a gift from God. They also marveled at your young students, who flourish around you like young olive shoots [Psalm 128:3]. God has made you to them what he himself is to all of us: they both revere you as a master and love you as a father. And yet — we confess it — in the midst of their account we groaned at our own unhappiness, since our heavier sins have left us childless in that way. But we were somewhat consoled, because we count the blessing of your fruitfulness as close to our own. So that our sins may not build any longer wall between us, rally the whole company of that sacred youth by whom you charm God day and night — line them up in battle against our sins and on our behalf. Let them direct their volleys of prayer and win the victory, so that the Lord may confirm the work he has begun in us [Psalm 68:28]: that in your love, in which we now rest and glory, we may find refreshment and joy on that final day.

XXVII. SEVERO FRATRI VNANIMO VENERABILI ET SEMPER DESIDERANTISSIMO PAVLINVS. Benedicam dominum in omni tempore et non obliuiscar retributiones eius, quia non secundum peccata nostra retribuit nobis, qui adsiduis et numerosis de tua unanimitate solaciis satiat desiderium nostrum; nam in paucis diebus reditum ad nos sanctorum fratrum et unanimorum communium, Postumiani et Theridi, aduentus aliorum fratrum, Virini et Soriani, consecutus est. ita nobis uno propemodum in tempore plurima gaudiorum messis obuenit, cum omnes hi, quos pariter uenisse memorauimus, litteris unanimitatis tuae dulciorem nobis praesentiae suae gratiam reddidissent. exultauit itaque in domino spiritus noster, et dilatatum est os nostrum super inimicum nostrum, cui non dabatur dicere: praeualui aduersus eos, cum potius uota desideriorum nostrorum praeualuissent, ut exoptata de te id est maxima animae nostrae cura et iudicia et eloquia reciperemus. Itaque ut nihil inuicem, sicut praeceptum est, nisi amorem mutuum nobis debeamuł, respondebo omnibus epistolis tuis, ac primum illi, quam primo accepi, qua de ipsis, per quos scripseras, apud me expostulas, cur aut te solum reliquerim aut illos tibi abduxerim. sed recognosces neutro me posse culpari, quia neque in te desiderando umquam modum feci neque ullum tecum habui de eorum usurpatione certamen; alioquin ultro tibi de tuo iure cessissem, si prius tua fuisset possessio. non enim a me alieni forent tecum manentes, qui 4] Ps. 32, 2. Ps. 102, 3 et 10. 14] I Reg. 2, 1; Luc. 1, 47. 16] Ps. 12, 5. 20] (Ioh. 15, 17; Rom. 13, 8; I Ioh. 3, 23). 0. — Incipit ad eundem VIIII 0. 6 retribuet Ov, tribuit Rosw . qui v, quia 0 7 satiat v, faciat 0 8 sanctorum r, sanctum 0 10 propemodum v, propemodo 0 12 hi 0, ii v litteris r, laetens 0 t 15 dilatatum r, delectatum 0 22 qua Rosw., quia Ov 23 aute 0 totus es meus in Christo domino, per quem sum inuicem tuus, neque tantum cepissem gratiae in his receptis, quantum amisissem, si tibi praeripuissem quamlibet expetendos in salutari uia comites. nam mea quoque sententia dignissimum me iudicarem qui a tua caritate uacuarer, si ullum bonum mihi quam tibi mallem. uerum ego cum illos inopinato domini munere adlapsos mihi tales conperissem, quales et tibi postea in breui claruerunt, etiam inuidebam mihi, cur in hac parte felicior te fuissem, ut tuo conspectu et consortio digniores ego potius obtinerem uel prius agnouissem. denique ut quam primum hac qua me beatum existimabam gratia te consorte gauderem, et praesentes increpui, quod se familiaritatis ac notitiae tuae expertes faterentur, neque quicquam studiosius mandaui proficiscentibus, quam ad conspectum tuum conplexumque properarent teque cognoscere omnibus in patria rebus et curis suis anteferrent, ut diutinum damnum sibi uel sero sarcirent. et, gratias domino, recipimus eos uenientes in exultatione magnumque huius, qua nobis in te prae ceteris expetendo credidissent, conscientiae gaudium quasi benedictum et ceteris uitae suae fructibus altiorem de agro pleno manipulum reportantes. quas illi deo primum, qui non solum satiasset, sed et superasset desiderium eorum, ut plura in te quam praesumpserant inuenirent bona, quas nobis, qui tantae illis adquisitionis fuissemus auctores, quas sibimet ipsis, quod nobis in suum lucrum paruissent, gratias agebant! Ineffabile mihi est quanta me uoluptate perfuderint, cum referrent et actus et sermones tuos et perfectum cor tuum caritatis diuinae scientia; qua humilis et excelsus, pauper et diues, seruus et liber, famulis conseruus, fratribus seruus, pauperibus diues in uisceribus misericordiae, diuitibus pauper in spiritu mansuetudinis, humilis uirtute pietatis, arduus sublimitate uirtutis et seruus deo, liber mammonae, totum in te 17] Ps. 125, 6. 1 suu 0 2 his 0, iis v amississem 0 6 inopinato Rosw., inopinatos Ov 10 ut v, om. 0 18 in te v, inter 0 19 gaudium v, et auditu 0 21 satiasset v, saciasse 0 28 qua] qua cum sis expcctes spirare Martinum, florere Clarum, maturari euangelium praedicabant. inpinguarunt omnino oleo laetitiae caput nostrum; propter hoc benedixerunt omnia interiora nostra dominum duplici causa gratulationis, quod et tibi plurimum praestitisse nos intellegeremus de agnitione dilectissimorum, ut probasti, fratrum et illos gratulari sibi de notitia et caritate tua ut diuino munere uideremus. quantum illi praeterea inter opera et munera in te dei admirati sunt etiam pueros tuos, qui in circuitu tuo sicut nouellae oliuarum uirent, quibus te deus noster idem fecit, quod ipse cunctis est, ut te et quasi dominum uereantur et quasi patrem diligant! in hoc tamen sermone eorum fatemur gemuisse nos ad infelicitatem nostram, quibus ab eiusmodi filiis sterilitatem grauiora peccata fecissent, sed facti sumus quasi consolati, quia uicinum esse nobis tuae felicitatis bonum iudicamus. Verum ne longiore interuallo nostra iniquitas inter nos et te separet, totum hunc, quo diebus et noctibus deum mulces, sacrae pubis accinge delectum, ut aduersum peccata nostra pro nobis aciem orationum dirigant et exorent, ut confirmet hoc dominus quod operatus est nobis, id est ut caritate tua, in qua nunc adquiescimus et qua gloriamur, in illa die refrigeremur et gaudeamus.