Letter 628

To Reginus the Candidatus. [a candidatus was a member of the imperial guard] Some time ago, certain God-loving men, being pressed by an urgent matter, were entreating a monk to grant them a prayer, so that they might be helped in the affair before them, fair weather having come. But the monk, observing that the air had grown overcast and that drops were falling, begged off from praying, fearing failure. They, however, said to him: "Only grant us the prayer yourself, and we believe altogether that it will be for us just as we have believed." And indeed, when the prayer had been made, they went out under a light drizzle, not in the least downcast or of two minds. The air cleared, and there came a most radiant brightness of sky, and the winds were stilled; and they departed to the places they sought, and again returned to their own homes, having accomplished their endeavor well. These things I have just now related to you so that you might be able, even in part, to understand what is written: that faith is the substance of things hoped for. [Hebrews 11:1]

Πρό τινος χρόνου ἄνθρωποι θεοφιλεῖς πρὸς πρᾶγμα ἐπειγόμενοι ἀναγκαῖον, παρεκάλουν μοναχόν, εὐχὴν αὐτοῖς παρασχεῖν, ὥστε συνεργηθῆναι ἐπὶ τῷ προ-κειμένῳ, εὐδίας γενομένης. Θεωρῶν δὲ ὁ μοναχὸς συννεφῆ τὸν ἀέρα γενόμενον, καὶ ψεκάδας πιπτούσας, παρητεῖτο εὔξασθαι δεδοικὼς τὸ ἀποτυχεῖν. Οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· Αὐτὸς μόνον τὴν εὐχὴν ἡμῖν δώρησαι, καὶ πιστεύομεν πάντως ἔσεσθαι ἡμῖν, ὅπερ οὖν πεπιστεύκαμεν. Καὶ δὴ τῆς εὐχῆς γενομένης, ἐξ-ῆλθον μὲν καταψεκαζόμενοι μηδόλως στυγνάσαντες, ἢ διχονοήσαντες. Διεκρίθη δὲ ὁ ἀήρ, καὶ γίνεται αἰ-θρία φαιδροτάτη, καὶ καθησυχάζονται οἱ ἄνεμοι· ἀπιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν μέχρι τῶν τόπων, καὶ πάλιν ἐπανιόντων εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα, εὖ πεπραχότων τὸ σπού-δασμα. Ταῦτά σοι διεξῆλθον ἀρτίως, ἵνα κἂν μερικῶς νοῆσαι δυνηθείης τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὅτι ἐστὶ πίστις ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις.