Letter 51: To several monks

To the holy ones of my Lord and my fathers, my lords Mār Ḥabībā, Mār Zūzūy, Mār Ṭarsay, Mār Marmāh, and Elijah who is with them, who wrote to me. The son of the inner chamber of the love of your fatherhood, Īšōʿyahb, in my Lord, salutes. I received and read what you wrote to me, and concerning your health I gave thanks to my Lord. And if I say to you what was said: that I said, “Go out, go out to me, and stand and read in the name of the Lord, and lay his hand on the place, and it will be healed from the blow,” how then will you say to me, as they said to that one, his servants? Or with what will you cover the smallness of my faith, as with the cloak the wonder of the prophet? For the memory of my action was narrow, and upon the poverty of nightly thoughts, and upon the persuasive power of such a one. And if you are to be occupied with that, that one, however, in sickness, is good for the gift of my Lord. And if, like the bodily thoughts of myself and of Elijah who is like me, you have not yet arrived at the place of peace, just as the true likeness of Elijah of the fasts you have not seen before. For he was separated from a distance, while looking only at the person of the action, very much of the night. And in your opinion, also many others: Elijah who is king, Elijah who is your queen. Those who, when they approached the poverty of Elijah of the fasts, that I may not prolong in word, while saying only that thus it is not considered that he is healed. That one, however, that which also seems to you. Give then either the signs, or the power of the action like Elisha, or the prayer over him like the partners of the affliction. If, with the testing of my people, from the near approach you have restrained the foot of your diligence, and separate and consecrate the intention to my Lord, that in the humility of your request my poverty may be extended in peace, whatever is pleasing to the will of my Lord.

...and if it is his will, even without toil and without burden and without sin, he leads my weakness. The rest of the life that is stored up for my strength in this world, and in every deed, whatever is pleasing to his will, he accomplishes at all times. Completed.