To the Martyrs 1

Blessed martyrs-designate: among the nourishments for the flesh which both our lady mother the church from her breasts and the brothers individually from their own means supply to you in prison, take something from us as well, something that may serve to nourish the spirit too. For it does no good for the flesh to be fattened while the spirit goes hungry. Indeed, if what is weak is cared for, what is weaker ought not to be neglected either. Nor am I such a one as to address you. Yet even the most accomplished gladiators are urged on not only by their trainers and masters, but also from a distance by the untrained and by anyone at all who has no business there, so that shouts from the crowd itself have often done them good. First of all, then, blessed ones, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit,” who entered prison with you. For if he had not entered with you now, you would not be there today. And so take care that he remains with you there; so he will lead you out of there to the Lord. The prison, indeed, is the devil's house too, in which he keeps his household. But you have come into prison for this very purpose, to trample him even in his own house. For you had already trampled him when you engaged him outside. Let him not say, then, “They are in my domain; I will tempt them with petty hatreds, with defections or with quarrels among themselves.” Let him flee your sight and hide in his depths, shrunken and numb, like a snake charmed or smoked out. Let him not fare so well in his kingdom as to set you against one another, but let him find you fortified and armed with concord, because your peace is war to him. This peace some who do not have it in the church have been accustomed to beg from the martyrs in prison. And therefore you ought to have it, cherish it, and guard it in yourselves for this reason, so that you may perhaps be able to grant it to others as well.