Letter 722

To the Same. The same one was worshipped on high by the host of the heavenly powers as equal in power to the Father; the same one also dwelt upon the earth among human beings according to his human nature, and dined together with sinners and tax collectors as a compassionate physician, not enslaved to the belly, but setting right those who were accustomed in the dining halls to [...], and seasoning the meal of those who reclined together with him by his own glorious wisdom. Banish the occasions of enmity, and behold, wild beasts will be at peace with you, and you shall sleep beneath your vine, "when he gives sleep to his beloved" [Psalm 126:2 (LXX)] -- a sleep that mortifies the passions hateful to God; and there will be no one to terrify you.

Ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ ἐν ὑψίστοις ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου προσκυνεῖτο τῶν οὐρανίων δυνάμεων ὡς ἰσοσθενὴς τῷ Πατρί, ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστρέφετο, καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς καὶ τελώναις συνεδείπνει ὡς συμπαθὴς ἰατρός, οὐ τῇ γαστρὶ δουλεύων, ἀλλὰ διορθούμενος τοὺς ἐν τοῖς δειπνητηρίοις........ εἰωθότας, καὶ τὴν μετάληψιν τῶν συνακουμδισάντων τῇ αὐτοῦ ἐνδόξῳ παρ- αρτύων σοφίᾳ. Τὰς ἀφορμὰς τῆς ἔχθρας ἐξόρισον, καὶ ἰδοὺ θῆρες ἄγριοι παρὰ σοῦ εἰρηνεύσουσι, καὶ κοιμηθήσῃ ὑπὸ τὴν ἄμπελόν σου, « ὅταν δῷ τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς ὕπνον », τινὰ νεκρωτικὸν τῶν θεοστυγῶν παθῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἐκφοβῶν.