XXIII. Милость

“See to it that you do not do your alms in front of people so that they will see you: otherwise you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). “Then the King will say to those on His right hand: Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:34–36). The reward for deeds of mercy is the Kingdom of Heaven. “Then He will also say to those on the left side: Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and you did not give Me anything to eat,” and so on (Matthew 25:41–43). Execution for mercilessness is eternal fire. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). “Sell,” Christ says to His faithful, “your possessions and give alms” (Luke 12:33). “Make friends for yourself with unrighteous wealth, so that when you become poor, they will receive you into eternal abodes” (Luke 16:9). “Judgement without mercy to him who showed no mercy; mercy exalts itself above judgment” (James 2:13). “Do not forget also to do good and to communicate, for such sacrifices are acceptable to God” (Heb. 13:16). “The Lord loves mercy and judgment” (Ps. 32:5). “Blessed... is he who thinks about the poor and needy! On the day of trouble the Lord will deliver him. May the Lord preserve him and spare his life; and grant him bliss on earth and may he not deliver him into the hands of his enemies” (Ps. 40:2–3). “A good man gives generously; he... lavished, gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever” (Ps. 112:5, 9). Where there is mercy, there is salvation, unrelated to torment; where there is mercy, there is no judgment; where there is mercy, there is no need for justification (Sermon on David the prophet and Paul the apostle, on the words of Ps. 50: “Have mercy on me, O God”). Mercy and almsgiving are the heart of the virtues (Conversation 48 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 13). If we want to create mercy, we only need a good will (Conversation 52 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 15). As we are to our neighbors, so God will be to us (Conversation 60 on the Evangelist John, chapter 10). All good things will follow mercy (Conversation 19 on the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 11). Nothing is more pleasing to God than mercy (Conversation 4 Philippians). He is merciful who squanders his own and gives generously of all that is his (Psalm 3). There is no one so noble and glorious as the merciful (On Psalm 3). Salvation is achieved through charity (Psalm 122). Alms at the Judgment will protect the giver, and there will be no condemnation for him (Psalm 3). It is more pleasing to God to hear alms given to the poor than the song of David (Psalm 12). The power of almsgiving is immortal, incorruptible, unquenchable (On Psalm 111). Cleanse your hands, defiled by robbery, resentment and love of money, with alms and mercy (On Psalm 140). Alms given to the poor are given to Christ (Conversation 88 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 27). All mental illnesses are quenched by alms (Conversation 40 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 1). Alms are the intercessor of eternal life (Conversation 52 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 15). The treasure does not perish if you give alms: but if you do not give, it perishes (Conversation 20 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 6). If you give alms, shut your doors: the one who accepts it, let him alone know about it (Conversation 72 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 17). You gathered unlawfully, you squandered lawfully; gathered unrighteously, squander righteously (Conversation 5 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 1). You will be worthy of great surprise if, while in poverty, you turn out to be more generous than the rich (Conversation 64 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 19). One should not cry for the dead, but it is appropriate to do alms that are useful to him (Conversation 62 on the Evangelist John, chapter 11). Great mercy is when we give alms from what is needed, and not from excess (Conversation 60 on the Evangelist John, chapter 10). Grace, as it is said, is the fruit of love. What is mercy, and how should it be done? First. Man consists of two parts: body and soul; Therefore, the mercy shown to him is twofold: mental and physical. Physical mercy, when mercy is given to the body, for example, to give food to someone who is hungry, to someone who is thirsty to drink, and so on. Spiritual mercy, when mercy is given to the soul, for example, to convert a sinner from sin and lead to a better life, to comfort the grieving, and so on. Second. Mercy occurs when we do good to the unworthy, that is, to those who have done nothing to deserve it from us, or when we give a reward higher than merit. For example, if someone worked for one day, and his labor cost no more than twenty or thirty kopecks, and he was given more, fifty kopecks, or a ruble, then this would be mercy; otherwise there will be no mercy, but reward. Also, when we do mercy without any of our self-interest. Third. The greater the need, the greater the mercy done. For example, it is a greater mercy to clothe a naked person than to clothe one who was in thin clothing. It is a greater mercy to be in need with a needy person than to simply help him without harming yourself. Fourth. Alms or mercy is judged by the zeal of the giver: “God loves a cheerful giver,” says the apostle (2 Cor. 9:7). Fifth. Mercy should not be done for the sake of vanity, “otherwise you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). Sixth. Mercy must be shown from one’s own labors, and not from something stolen; otherwise it will not be mercy if it is not given to you. Seventh. The kindness done should be forgotten as much as possible, so that it is not damaged by vanity. Eighth. Mercy must be shown to everyone, good and evil, friends and enemies, whenever need requires. Ninth. Mercy must be done depending on the need of the one who requires it: whoever has a greater need, give more in order to help his need. Reasons for mercy First. Mercy is a great virtue by which a person becomes like a merciful God. Second. The merciful will receive mercy (Matthew 5:7). Third. For mercy, the Kingdom of Heaven is promised (Matthew 25:34). Fourth. He who has mercy on the poor lends to God, from Whom he will certainly receive reward in the next century. Fifth. The greater the mercy, the greater the reward for mercy: “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Cor. 9:6). Sixth. Judgment without mercy will be to those who have not done mercy (James 2:13). And Christ sends the unmerciful to eternal fire. If Christ sends the unmerciful, who do not give of theirs, into eternal fire, then what will happen to those who rob other people’s goods? You might be interested in: