Letter 158: Chrysostom says the bishops' labors bring crowns to them and consolation to him.

Your beautiful zeal, your labors, your hardships, and the long journey you have undertaken give you an occasion for crowns and give us an occasion for consolation. While we sit in exile, hearing of your courage makes the wilderness lighter. Do not grow tired because the struggle is difficult. The more stubborn the disorder, the more admirable the endurance of those who resist it. The God who loves humankind is able to bring the churches into calm, and he will repay those who have worked for that calm even before it is fully seen. Keep the same purpose, then, and do not let delay weaken your eagerness. Write to us about your health and about your efforts. Such letters are medicine for our separation from you.

ΡΝΗʹ. Τοῖς αὐτοῖς. Οὐ μικρὰν καὶ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς στεφάνων ὑπόθεσιν, καὶ ἡμῖν παρακλήσεως ἀφορμὴν ἀπὸ τῆς καλλίστης ὑμῶν ταύτης σπουδῆς, καὶ τῶν πόνων, καὶ τῶν ἱδρώτων κατεσκευάσατε. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθήμενοι διαστήματος, ἀνακηρύττομεν ὑμᾶς, χάριτας ὁμολογοῦμεν, καὶ στεφανοῦμεν, καὶ μακαρίζομεν. Καὶ ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν καὶ συνεχέστερον ἐπιστέλλειν· καὶ γὰρ μεγίστην ἐντεῦθεν ἂν ἐκαρπωσάμεθα τὴν παραμυθίαν, εἴ γε τῶν τὰ γράμματα διακομιζόντων ἐπετυγχάνομεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ ῥᾴδιον ἡμῖν τοῦτο πρὸς αὐτὰς τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀπῳκισμένοις, καὶ οὐδενὸς ἡμῖν ταχέως ἐπιχωριάζειν δυναμένου, νῦν ὅτε ἐπετύχομεν τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ τιμιωτάτου καὶ εὐλαβεστάτου πρεσβυτέρου, τὴν ὀφειλομένην ἀποδεδώκαμεν πρόσρησιν, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμῶν τὴν εὐλάβειαν, ἐννοοῦντας τοῦ κατορθώματος τὸ μέγεθος, εἰ καὶ πολὺς ὁ παρελθὼν ἀνηλώθη χρόνος, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον τῶν ἐναντιουμένων αὔξεται ἡ φιλονεικία, καὶ μένουσι νοσοῦντες ἀνίατα, τὰ γοῦν παρ' ὑμῶν μὴ διαλιπεῖν εἰς διόρθωσιν τῶν γεγενημένων εἰσφέροντας. Ὅσῳ γὰρ πλείων ἡ δυσκολία, τοσούτῳ μείζων καὶ δαψιλεστέρα ἔσται τῶν καλῶν τούτων ἀγώνων ὑμῖν ἡ ἀμοιβὴ παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ.