DE RECIPIENDO SEVERIANO
A and to this I respond: You had wished to celebrate the Pascha with me; no one prevents you from celebrating the Pascha with me today. But perhaps you will say, "Are we to celebrate two Paschas?" No, but one, and that one in many ways. For just as the sun always rises, and we do not say there are many suns, but it is one sun rising daily, so too the Pascha is always being completed, and while it is always being celebrated, it is one solemnity of ours. We are not like the Jews; we are not enslaved to place, nor are we subject to the necessity of time, strengthened as we are by the Lord's voice. "As often," he says, "as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you shall announce the death of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:26). For we are announcing today the death of Christ. But then there is a festival, and today there is a festival. For where charity rejoices, there is the festival; and where I have received rejoicing children, I celebrate the greatest festival. For that festival too is charity. For so, says the apostle, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son for it" (John 3:16). But many, they say, were baptized in your absence. And what of that? Grace lacks nothing, the gift of God does not limp; they were not baptized with me present, but with Christ present they were baptized. Is it then a man who baptizes? A man extends the right hand, but God governs the hand. Do not doubt the grace, most dear one, because it is the gift of God. Attend diligently to what is said: if perhaps for some reason a sacred [(a)] document needs to be explained, when you have offered prayers and have received the subscribed sacred document, you do not ask with what reed the king inscribed it, nor on what paper, nor with what quality or what ink, but you ask only one thing: whether the king has subscribed. So it is in baptism: the paper is conscience; the reed is the tongue of the priest; the hand is the grace of the Holy Spirit. Whether it is through me, then, or through him who performs the office of priest, that same hand writes; we are ministers, not authors. And Paul is a minister: "For so," he says, "let a man consider us as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Cor. 4:1). "For what have you," he says, "that you have not received?" (1 Cor. 4:7). If I have anything, I received it; but if I received it, it is not mine, but His who gave the gift. Do not therefore doubt, most dear one; for the grace of God is perfect. Place does not hinder, whether you are baptized here, or in a ship, or on a journey. Philip baptized on the road, Paul in chains, Christ on the cross [baptized] the thief from his wound, and he immediately merited to unlock the gate of paradise. Because of these things I rejoice and exult, and I demand your prayers, with which I traveled to Asia, with which B I have returned, with which I crossed the sea, and aided by your prayers I sailed happily. For I did not embark on the ship without you, nor did I depart without you, nor was I in the city without you, nor in the church without you; but I was removed indeed in body, but joined in charity. For I was seeing your Church, even on the sea, and I rejoiced in exultation. For charity signifies something of this kind, which knows not how to be narrowed. I was entering the church, I was standing at the altar, I was offering prayers, and I was saying: "Lord, preserve the Church which you have entrusted to me." I am indeed absent in body, but your mercy is present, which led me there, and granted more than I deserved. And that it has amplified [the Church], the multitude of those present bears witness. I see the vine flourishing, and nowhere are there thorns, nor any traces of briars; the sheep are exulting, and nowhere is there a wolf. But if he is found anywhere, he is changed and becomes a sheep. For so great is your faith and charity, that by your emulation you provoke others. The Lord himself has preserved you, and he himself has brought me back, and placed in infirmity I felt the aid of your prayers, and I ask for them daily as an intercession. My pilgrimage has crowned your city. And because you loved me from the beginning, now it is manifest to all. For so you held me absent as if I were present. For when I was in Asia to correct the churches, those coming from here were announcing to us, saying: "You have inflamed the city." And certainly charity is accustomed to wither with time, but your love was growing daily. And I believe that you love me, whom you so loved absent, even better now that I am present. This is my treasure, these are my riches. And therefore I ask for your prayers. Your prayers are a wall and a bulwark to me. Do not say, "I am weak, how can I pray for the priest?" Hear the Scripture saying: "But prayer was made without ceasing" (Acts 12:5). And the ecclesiastical prayer loosed the chains of Peter, and dilated the confidence of Paul's preaching. Prayer extinguished the furnace of fire, prayer closed the mouths of lions, prayer calmed the sedition, prayer opened paradise, prayer unlocked the hinges of heaven, prayer made the barren fruitful, prayer penetrated the heavens for Cornelius, prayer justified the publican. Such a bulwark I ask from you, such grace I request: and may the God of glory, receiving your prayers, grant unto me in the opening of my mouth a word, so that I may be able to instruct the people entrusted to me for C salvation through Christ our Lord, with whom there is honor, glory, and power to God the Father with the Holy Spirit throughout all ages. Amen.
DE RECIPIENDO SEVERIANO
Just as it is necessary for the body to cohere to the head, so it is necessary for the Church [to cohere] to the priest, and the people to the prince; and as branches to roots, and rivers to springs, so too sons to a father, and disciples to a master. Now we have not spoken these things to your charity superfluously; but because I must say certain things among you, so that no one may be disturbed, nor any interruption arise to our discourse, but that the obedience of the disciples may grow in you, and it may appear how great an affection you defer to a father. Adorn me, sons, and place upon me the crown of your obedience; cause me to be judged blessed before all, and magnify my teaching through your obedience according to the admonitions of the apostle, who says: "Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over you, as D