To the Archimandrite Gerontius, Asking His Prayers

The characters of souls are often painted in words, and their unseen forms made visible; and so now your reverence’s letter shows the piety of your holy soul. Your waiting for that sentence, your anxiety, your search for advocates and your preparing of a defense all clearly show your soul’s zeal for divine things. We, on the other hand, are inactive and sleepy, so to speak; we are brought up in idleness, and we need much help from prayers. Give them to us, man beloved of God, so that now at least we may wake up and give some care to the soul. [a]