Letter 42
Braulio, worthless servant of servants, to the venerable Tajo, priest and abbot, most revered in the members of Christ and brother in Christ.
Braulio apologises for the delay in responding to Taio's letter.
What can there be in me, even to a small degree, that you expect from me the imitation of so many and such great men? You read them constantly yourself as befits your age, you are always searching them for knowledge, and their words are, if I may use the phrase, nested in your heart. Leisure is a blessed possession for you, but a burden to me amid the waves of my present life [...].
Braulio makes allusion to complaints of some kind that Tajo expressed in his letter.
Therefore, I beg you, my dearest friend, to make less complaint of the weakness and desires of those who live around you, since you should bear all things patiently. What harm can another's compliance with evil do to those who are virtuous? [...] the virtue of the humble is not to boast of their knowledge, since it is common to all. In repressing the mind's audacity, it is very helpful not to despise others, nor to assume a special knowledge or holiness ourselves, lest we hear in the words of the divine oracle: 'I have left for myself seven thousand man [who have not bowed the knee to Baal]' (Romans 11:4).
Your charity must believe, I beg, that I have said this because I love you. As to the question on which you decided to consult me, you must know that, concerning the resurrection of the dead, I do not believe or expect otherwise than what has been expressed with prudent thought and elegant language by St. Augustine in several of his works, which I have not sought out because I wanted to save myself the trouble and because I learned from your letter that you clearly have them yourself.
Then Braulio discusses at length the question of whether all a man's blood is reassumed after resurrection of the body and whether the bodily relics of Christ (blood, but also sweat, water from Jesus's side) can be authentic - Braulio himself is sceptical, but not because of the theological impossibility, but rather because of lack of proof and the dangers of inquisitions of that kind. He mentions the Eucharist as a source of the true Body and Blood of Christ.
It must be enough, my dearest friend, for me to have answered you briefly, as the thoughts came to me and as the time allowed; although I may not have answered sufficiently to match your immense eagerness, still, I tried to comply with your desires, as my leisure permitted. Finally, I must earnestly request to be favoured in your beatitude's prayers.
There is one thing which is necessary for me above all others and I had forgotten to mention it; if you grant it, may Christ make the course of your life glorious. Please send me quickly to be copied the books of the holy Pope Gregory which previously did not exist in Spain, but which have been brought here from Rome by your zeal and effort; for I am not the only petitioner in this matter, but also, my lord and brother, your friend. Therefore, you satisfy both if you do one a favour, and you hurt both if you spurn one. Your charity must believe that I will return the books at any time set by you.
There follow the final salutations.
(trans. by C. Barlowe 1969: 88-95; lightly adapted)