Letter 7007: Perfect love does not suffer the losses of bodily absence, nor is the serene union of souls diminished by the...

ENNODIUS TO HELPIDIUS THE DEACON. Perfect love does not suffer the losses of bodily absence, nor is the serene joining of minds diminished by the separation of journeys: those whose souls come together with Christ uniting them in love can be parted by no interposition of lands. With this hope, or rather this assurance, drawn from my confidence in your conscience, I address one who loves me as though he were set within my embrace. Cherish, lord Helpidius, the one whom you took up with God as intermediary. Let the world keep its cunning, and let it, deserving condemnation, call the shrewdness of deceiving by the name of urbanity: do you mix nothing into that sweetness which I have proved, except what may lead us by degrees to the goods of perfect love. Lord, as above rendering you fullest greeting, I ask that you make known to me, by frequent communications, your prosperity and that of those who love us.

VII. ENNODIVS HELPIDIO DIACONO. Perfecta caritas corporalis absentiae damna non patitur nec animorum serena coniunctio itinerum sequestratione mulcatur: quorum animae Christo in caritatem sociante conueniunt nulla possunt separari interiectione terrarum. hac ego spe uel securitate de conscientia uestra securus amantem mei adloquor tamquam in amplexibus constitutum. foue, domne Helpidi, quem deo medio suscepisti. habeat suas mundus astutias et urbanitatem fallendi prudentiam damnandus appellet: tu illi dulcedini quam probaui nihil admisceas, nisi quod gradibus ad perfectae caritatis nos bona perducat. domine, ut supra salutationem plenissimam reddens quaeso, ut prosperitatem uestram uel eorum, qui nos diligunt, frequentibus mihi indicetis alloquiis.