Letter 112: Chrysostom thanks Theodore for efforts on his behalf and asks him to keep love in bloom.

If it were possible to come, embrace your Reverence, and delight in your love through your presence, we would do it eagerly and quickly. Since that is not in our power now, we accomplish the same thing through letters. Even if we were carried to the ends of the world, we could not forget your genuine, warm, sincere, and guileless love, which you have shown from the beginning and again now. We know how much you have tried to say and do on our behalf, most honored and God-loving master. Even if nothing more came of it, God is your debtor for the eagerness and zeal, and your reward is complete. We therefore thank your holiness and proclaim your Reverence to all. Keep the same love always in bloom, and write to us about your health. That will be no small consolation to us in the wilderness.

ΡΙΒʹ. Θεοδώρῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Εἰ μὲν οἷόν τε ἦν καὶ ἐλθεῖν, καὶ περιπτύξασθαί σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν, καὶ ἐντρυφῆσαί σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ διὰ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτῆς, μετὰ πολλῆς ἂν τοῦτο ἐποιήσαμεν τῆς σπουδῆς, καὶ τοῦ τάχους· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐφ' ἡμῖν κεῖται νῦν, διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο πληροῦμεν. Κἂν γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὰς τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰς ἐσχατιὰς ἀπενεχθῶμεν, ἐπιλαθέσθαι σου τῆς ἀγάπης οὐ δυνάμεθα, τῆς γνησίας, καὶ θερμῆς, καὶ εἰλικρινοῦς, καὶ ἀδόλου, τῆς τε ἄνωθεν, καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἥν τε ἐπεδείξω νῦν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔλαθεν ἡμᾶς ὅσα καὶ εἰπεῖν καὶ ποιῆσαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐσπούδασας, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε καὶ θεοφιλέστατε. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν γέγονε πλέον, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεὸν ὀφειλέτην ἔχεις τῆς σπουδῆς, καὶ τῆς προθυμίας, καὶ τὸν μισθὸν ἀπηρτισμένον. Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐ παυόμεθα χάριν εἰδότες σου τῇ ὁσιότητι, καὶ πρὸς ἅπαντας ἀνακηρύττοντές σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν, καὶ παρακαλοῦντες τὴν αὐτὴν ἀγάπην διὰ παντὸς ἀκμάζουσαν διατηρεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν τυχοῦσαν, καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καθήμενοι, καρπούμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν, ὅταν τοσοῦτον ἐν καρδίᾳ θησαυρὸν καὶ πλοῦτον ἀποκείμενον ἔχωμεν, τῆς ἐγρηγορυίας καὶ γενναίας σου ψυχῆς τὴν ἀγάπην.