Letter 78: Whenever anything happens to the helmsman, the officer at the bow or the highest-ranking sailor takes his place --...
To Eusebius, Bishop of Persian Armenia,
Whenever anything happens to the helmsman, the officer at the bow or the highest-ranking sailor takes his place -- not because he has appointed himself helmsman, but because he is looking out for the safety of the ship. In war, when the commander falls, the senior tribune assumes command -- not in a grab for power, but because he cares for his men. And the thrice-blessed Timothy, when sent by the divine Paul, stepped into Paul's role.
It is therefore fitting for your piety to accept the responsibilities of helmsman, captain, and shepherd. Run every risk gladly for the sake of Christ's sheep, and do not leave his flock abandoned and alone. It is yours to bind up the broken, raise up the fallen, turn the wanderer from his error, and keep the whole in health -- to follow the example of good shepherds who stand before the folds and wage war against the wolves.
Let us remember the words of the patriarch Jacob: "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. The rams of your flock I have not eaten. That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night" [Genesis 31:40-39].
These are the marks of the true shepherd. These are the laws of tending sheep. And if the illustrious patriarch took such care of mere cattle and made this defense to the one who entrusted them to his charge, what ought we to do -- we who are entrusted with the care of rational sheep, who have received this charge from the God of all, and who remember that the Lord gave up his life for them?
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
Original text not yet available in this corpus.
This letter still needs a Latin or Greek source-text backfill. The source link, when available, is preserved so the text can be checked and added later.
View sourceRevision history
- 2026-05-27v2.2.34-import
Initial corpus import from New Advent / NPNF.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2707078.htm
Related Letters
Our merciful God, Who makes comfort match trouble, and consoles the lowly, lest they be drowned unawares in exceeding grief, has sent a consolation, equivalent to the troubles I have suffered in Nicopolis, in seasonably bringing me the God-beloved bishop Jobinus. He must tell you himself how very opportune his visit was. I shrink from a long let...
The death is still with us, and I am therefore compelled to remain where I am, partly by the duty of distribution, and partly out of sympathy for the distressed. Even now, therefore, I have not been able to accompany our reverend brother Hypatius, whom I am able to style brother, not in mere conventional language, but on account of relationship...
At once and in haste, after your departure, I came to the town. Why need I tell a man not needing to be told, because he knows by experience, how distressed I was not to find you? How delightful it would have been to me to see once more the excellent Eusebius, to embrace him, to travel once again in memory to our young days, and to be reminded o...
I am delighted at your remembering me and writing, and, what is yet more important, at your sending me your blessing in your letter. Had I been but worthy of your labours and of your struggles in Christ's cause, I should have been permitted to come to you and embrace you, and to take you as a model of patience. But since I am not worthy of this,...
The same cause seems to make me hesitate to write, and to prove that I must write. When I think of the visit which I owe, and reckon up the gain at meeting you, I cannot help despising letters, as being not even shadows in comparison with the reality. Then, again, when I reckon that my only consolation, deprived as I am of all that is best and m...