教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 751 章

Gregory to Barbara and Antonina. Having received your letters, and being made fully aware of your welfare, I have rejoiced, and I beseech Almighty God to guard you by His protection both from malignant spirits in your thoughts, and from perverse men and from every adversity; and so to order you, with the grace of His fear, into worthy unions, that He may gladden us all in your arrangement. But you, sweetest daughters, place your hope in His help, and always, under the shadow of His defence, both by prayer and by well-doing avoid the snares of evil men. For whatever human consolations or adversities there may be, they are nothing, unless either His grace protect, or His offence disturb.

In no man, therefore, place your hope, but bind your whole heart in trust upon Almighty God. When we render Him our due, He will protect you, of whom it is written: Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep (Ps. 121:4). But since you say that you hasten to the thresholds of blessed Peter, chief of the apostles, I greatly desire, and with burning longing await, that I may see you joined by worthy nuptials within his Church, so that both you may gain some little comfort from me, and I no small joy from your presence. Moreover, I have taken pains to commend your affairs to my most reverend brother Bishop John and to Romanus the defensor, that they ought, with God as author, to bring to completion what has been begun.

Your gift, moreover—two cloaks which you charged to be the work of your own labour—I have gladly received. Yet know that I did not credit the assertion; for you seek praise for another's labour, since perhaps you have never yet put your hand to the distaff. Nevertheless this matter does not sadden me, since I desire that you may love to read Holy Scripture, so that, as long as Almighty God shall have joined you to husbands, you may know how you ought to live and how to order your household.