82 (51). To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria
SAINT BASIL
my opinion known to you, in order that, if you want a man of this calibre, you may either send, about the time of the fast, one of the brethren to take him along, or may write to us if you have no one able to endure the fatigue of a journey here.
82. To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria!
When we look into our affairs and perceive the difficulties by which every good action is restrained as if fettered by some chain, we fall into an absolute despair concerning ourselves.
But, when again we look to your Grace and consider that our Lord has preserved you as the physician of the maladies in the churches, we resume our reflection and from the lapse into despair we rise up to the hope of better things.
All the Church has been rent asunder, as your Wisdom does not fail to realize. And, no doubt, you see the situation on every side as from some lofty watchtower of your mind's contemplation, how, just as at sea, when many ships are sailing together, all at once they are dashed one against another by the violence of the waves and there is a shipwreck, partly because of the violent stirring up of the sea by an external cause, and partly because of the confusion produced by the sailors pushing and jostling one another. It suffices with this comparison to have done with the subject, since your Wisdom requires nothing more, and the situation permits me no freedom of speech. But, who is a capable pilot for these troubles? Who is to be trusted to rouse the Lord that He may rebuke the wind and sea?2 Who else than he who from childhood bore up bravely in the struggles for religion?
I According to Tillemont (note 60). the bishops here referred to are probably the Macedonians. This letter was written late in the year 371.
2 Cf. Luke 8.24.