Letter 733

To Aglaophon. "He who loves," it says, "disciplines diligently; and God scourges every son whom he receives." [cf. Proverbs 13:24; Hebrews 12:6] And again one of the saints has said: "The whole day long of human life I have been scourged." [cf. Psalm 72:14 LXX] Why, then, do you marvel when you see holy men sick with various infirmities, and impoverished, and grieving, and spat upon?

« Ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν, φησὶν, ἐπιμελῶς παιδεύει· μαστιγοῖ δὲ ὁ Θεὸς πάντα υἱὸν, ὃν παραδέχεται. » Καὶ τις πάλιν εἴρηκε τῶν ἁγίων, ὅτι « Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου βίου ἐγενόμην μεμαστιγωμένος. » Τί οὖν θαυμάζεις βλέπων ἁγίους ἀνδρας ἀῤῥωστοῦντας ποικίλαις ἀσθενείαις, καὶ πενομένους, καὶ λυπουμένους, καὶ διαπτυομένους;