286 (294). To Fist and Magnus

(He expresses his strong desire that the piety instilled by St. Basil in their young souls grow to perfection, and proves the usefulness of the teaching set forth in writing, because it benefits both those who are absent and posterity)

It is proper for fathers to provide for their own children, and for farmers to care for plants or seeds, and for teachers to care for their disciples, especially when they give beautiful hopes for themselves according to their gifts. And the farmer rejoices in his labors when the ears of corn ripen and the trees grow; both the pupils of teachers and the children of their fathers rejoice, some succeeding in valour, and others in age. And I have all the greater care for you, and the better hope in you, the more precious is the piety which I have rooted and cultivated in your tender and pure souls, and which I wish to see attain to perfect maturity and bear ripe fruit in accordance with my desires for your love. For you know that both my goodwill towards you and God's cooperation depend on your will; as soon as it takes its proper direction, and God is your helper, whether you call on Him or not, and every God-loving person will volunteer to teach you; for zeal in people who are able to teach something useful is irresistible when the souls of the disciples are pure from all stubbornness. Therefore, bodily separation does not hinder this; for the Creator, in the abundance of wisdom and love for mankind, has not limited our thoughts to bodies, nor the power of words to the tongue, but is capable of being useful, and has given us some advantage in relation to the time itself, so that they can transmit the teaching not only to those who are remote in place, but also to the most recent descendants. And this idea is confirmed to us by experience, because many years before us those who lived instruct our contemporaries with the teaching preserved in writing. And I, so far removed from you in body, am always inseparable in thought and converse comfortably with you; and the teachings will not stop either the land or the sea, if only there is some concern in you for your own souls.

287 (295). To the monastics

(He convinces them to introduce a community and beware lest anyone shake them in the faith of their fathers)

I think that by the grace of God you have no need of any other persuasion after the conversations that I personally had with you, persuading all of you to accept a common life in imitation of the apostolic way of life, which you accepted as good instruction and thanked the Lord for this.

In this way, each of you, both for himself and for the advancement of your brother, will receive a perfect reward, to the acquisition of which you must all help each other in word and deed in unceasing conversations and persuasions. Above all, I urge you to keep in mind the faith of your fathers and not to hesitate at the suggestions of those who try to seduce you in your silence; for you know that even the strictness of life, not enlightened by faith in God, is not useful in itself, and right faith without good works is not able to place us before the Lord, but that both must be together, "that the man of God may be perfect" (cf. 2 Tim. 3:17), and that our life may not be tempted by lack of anything; for faith saves us, as the Apostle says, "by love we are hastened" (Gal. 5:6).

288 (296). To a widow

(He apologizes for keeping her hinnies for a long time, and gives her and her daughter her useful instructions)

Guessing about your disposition towards me and knowing the zeal that you have for the work of the Lord, lately I have trusted in you as in my daughter, and for a long time I have had your hinnies in my use; he used them, it is true, sparingly, as if they were his own, but at the same time he extended the time of their service. This should have been written to your sedateness, so that in what you have done you may see a proof of benevolence.

But at the same time I remind you by this letter of your splendor to remember the Lord and, always having before your eyes the departure from this world, to arrange your life in such a way as to give an answer to the infallible Judge and for your good deeds to have boldness before Him Who on the day of His visitation will reveal the secrets of our hearts.