Беседа XLI

“God appeared to Abraham at the oak of Mamre, and I sat with him before the door of his canopy at noon” (Gen. 18:1). Slowly and reluctantly today I begin to pronounce the word. When I think that every day we teach, exhort, offer you a spiritual meal, and yet many of those who are here and take part in this spiritual edification, in this wonderful and terrible meal, spend whole days on the horse trails, and thus do not receive any benefit from our care, and, as if out of habit, at the first suggestion of the devil, they rush to these lawless spectacles and voluntarily plunge themselves into the snares of the evil demon, so that neither our suggestions, nor the danger itself, nor the waste of time there 364 can bring them to their senses - then with what zeal, after this, will I begin to offer teaching to people who do not at all want to benefit from our words? Don't be surprised! And the farmer, when he sees that the land, after many of his cares and hard labors, remains barren and does not reward enough labor, no longer with such eagerness as before begins to sow, and does not begin cultivating the land with such zeal. Likewise, a doctor, when he sees that a patient does not obey his instructions, and that his lifestyle only increases his illness from day to day, often allows such a person to remain ill, so that experience itself will teach him to understand his benefit. Likewise, those who teach science to children, when they see that they are neglecting their previous lessons and do not want to remember what has already been taught to them, often leave them in order (thus) to correct their carelessness and encourage them to greater diligence. But the farmer naturally sometimes becomes less active when he sees that his losses are increasing more and more, and despite his labor and expenses he does not receive fruit. And the doctor does not sometimes leave the patient unjustly: he heals the body, and therefore leaves (the patient) for a while, so that the increase in pain makes the patient feel sick, and then prompts him to accept healing. Likewise, the teacher of children, due to the imperfection of their age, often usefully imposes punishment on them. But we, surpassing all these people, are ready even today to show fatherly love to the fallen and teach them that if they remain in the same carelessness, this will lead to greater condemnation for them. The farmer, not with the same desire, sometimes throws seeds in the thought that it is already in vain and useless to make expenses, and we are far from such despair. True, when we throw spiritual seed, we sometimes do not receive fruit, due to the carelessness of our listeners; nevertheless, in the future we have a reward in store for us, because we put into circulation the silver entrusted to us and fulfill what is commanded to us from the Lord; and the listeners will subsequently give an account to the One who will demand from them what was given to them with interest. However, we don’t mean that so as not to suffer harm to ourselves and just to do our job. No, we want you to use what was handed over to you from us and not be subjected to the punishment that befell the one who hid the talent and not only did not multiply, but also buried the silver of his Lord in the ground. Such are those who accept the word of teaching (teaching is called talent and silver in Scripture) and do not try to bear fruit and make proper use (of teaching). But maybe someone will say that this parable about the talents is told about the teachers themselves? And I will say the same. But if we carefully delve into the parable, you will see that teachers are only obliged to distribute silver, and your duty is not only to keep what is given to you, but also to use it. And to be sure of this, you need to set out the parable itself. “A certain master of the house,” it is said, “as he departed, called his servants... and to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one. And in time I returned to him, and the servants came: and he that had received the five talents approached, saying: Lord, thou hast delivered five talents to me, and behold, with them I have gained five more talents” (Matt. 25:14–15, 19–20). Great is the prudence of a servant, generous is the love of the Lord. Really, what is He saying? “Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in a little, I will make you ruler over many, enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:23). Since, he says, you have shown a lot of prudence in the use of what was entrusted to you, you deserve to be entrusted with even more. “Now come and receive the two talents, saying: Have you not delivered two talents to me? Behold, I acquired two other talents” (Matthew 25:22). There is also a lot of care in this (slave) about the property of his master; therefore he too is rewarded with the same thing that the first received. But why is the one who brought two talents given equal honor to the one who brought five talents? This is fair because greater and lesser increments (of talents) are made not according to the diligence of one and the carelessness of another, but according to the number of talents entrusted to them. As for their diligence, both brought equally 365; That's why they received the same reward. 2. But one servant did nothing of the kind; but what? “Come, saying: I know that thou art a cruel man, reaping where thou hast not sowed, and gathering where thou hast not squandered: and being afraid, he went and hid the talent in the earth: behold, these are thine” (Matthew 25:24-25). Oh, slavish anger! Oh, extreme ingratitude! Not only did he not acquire anything with the talent given to him, but he also reproached his master for the talent. Such is the depravity of the soul: it darkens the mind, and a person, once turned away from the straight path, is cast into the abyss. All this is said about teachers, so that they do not hide what is entrusted to them, but convey it to the students with all care. But listen further, beloved: from the master’s indignation at this slave, you will see how the students can become guilty, how not only what is given to them will be required of them, but also with interest. Indeed, what does the Lord say to that wicked servant? Evil slave! The indignation is terrible, the threat is amazing! “If,” he says, “you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not waste, then it was fitting for you to give my money as a trader, and I came and took it with interest” (Matthew 25:26-27). He calls the precious word (of God) silver, and traders - you who receive this word (from us). Your job, he says, was only to give them the silver; and mine is to collect from them not only what was given to them, but also what they would have acquired in addition. You see, beloved, how much horror there is in these words! What will those who do not even care about preserving the treasure entrusted to them say to this, when in addition they will also be required to increase it? But look how loving the Lord is! He forbade taking growth from real money. Why and for what? Because from this both one and the other 366 suffer a lot of harm. One is crushed by poverty, and the other, with the increase in wealth, acquires a multitude of sins. That is why, from the beginning, God gave the hard-hearted Jews this commandment: “Thou shalt not give interest to thy brother (silver), nor to thy neighbor” (Deut. 23:19). So, what kind of apology can those who surpass the Jews themselves in cruelty be worthy of, and after the gracious atonement and such great love of the Lord, find themselves lower and worse than people under the law? Meanwhile, in spiritual gifts the Lord promises to demand interest from us. Why is this so? Because this spiritual surplus is completely opposite to material wealth. There, the debtor, from whom the increase is exacted, suddenly falls into extreme poverty; but here, if he is subject to the collection of interest, if he is a prudent person, then the greater the interest he brings, the greater the reward from above he will receive. So, beloved, when we transfer into your hands the treasure entrusted to us, then each of you must increase your labor and vigilance, both in order to preserve what is given to him, so that it is preserved intact, and in order to use it for business, i.e. and pass it on to others, and lead many to the path of virtue. Thus, your gain will be doubled - both by your own salvation and by the benefit of others. If you do this, then you will make us blessed: “Blessed,” it is said, “tell it in the ears of those who listen” (Sir. 25:12), and encourage us to offer you this spiritual meal in even greater abundance. So, do not leave your brothers without care and keep in mind not only your own benefit, but let each (of you) try to snatch your neighbor from the jaws of the devil, distract him from lawless spectacles and bring him to church, showing him with love and meekness what great harm is there, and what great benefits are here. Do this not just once or twice, but constantly. Let him not listen to your words today - he will be convinced later; and if he doesn’t listen next time, then, seeing your persistence, someday he may come to his senses, and, touched by your thoughtfulness, he will leave behind disastrous pleasures. And don’t ever say that I told him once, twice, three, and many times, but didn’t manage to do anything. Don’t stop talking, because the longer you continue, the more your reward will increase. Don’t you see how long-suffering we enjoy from the God of all, and how, despite the fact that we daily violate His commands, He does not abandon His care for us, but also provides us with everything from Himself, by shining the sun, giving rain, and so on? In the same way, we will also have concern for our brothers, and we will resist the evil demon in order to render his tricks in vain. If each of those who come here 367 manages to do such good to at least one, then think how our Church will rejoice at the multiplication of its children, and how the devil will be ashamed, seeing that in vain and without success he laid out his nets. If you do this, you will also hear on that day: “Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in a little while, I will set you over many.” 3. I firmly believe that this is exactly what you will do. I see your faces and guess that you gladly accepted our instruction, and therefore I hope that you will do what is due on your part. Now let’s finish this admonition and offer you our wretched and meager meal, so that you can return having received the usual edification. It is necessary today to bring to your attention the forefather Abraham, so that you know what rewards he received from God for his hospitality to strangers. “God appeared to him,” it is said, “at the oak of Mamre, and I sat for him before the door of his canopy at noon.” Let us carefully examine every word, open the treasury and consider all the wealth contained therein. “God appeared to him,” it says. Why did (Moses) begin like this: “God appeared to him”? Notice the Lord’s love for mankind and note the gratitude of the servant. The Lord, having appeared to him at the time preceding this, by the way, gave him the commandment about circumcision, and this wondrous man, always ready to fulfill the commandments of God, immediately, without any delay, was circumcised himself, according to the commandment of God, and circumcised Ishmael, and all the members of his household, and thus showed perfect obedience. Then the Lord appears to him again. This is our Lord: as soon as he sees in us gratitude for the benefits shown by Him, He multiplies His bounties and does not cease to do good, rewarding the gratitude of those who obey Him. So Abraham obeyed (God); and God, as it is said, appeared to him again. That is why blessed Moses began his story this way: “God appeared to him at the oak of Mamre, and I sat for him before the door of his canopy at noon.” Notice here the virtue of the righteous: “I sit,” it is said, “before the doors of the canopy.” He was so busy hosting strangers that he did not allow any other member of his household to call the wanderers, but he himself, a man already in advanced years and in extreme old age (since he had already reached a hundred years), having, moreover, three hundred and eighteen household members, himself sat at the door. So he was busy with this matter, and neither old age hindered him, nor did he care about his peace, and did not recline on a bed inside the house, but sat at the door. Meanwhile, many others not only do not have such zeal, but, on the contrary, try to avoid meeting strangers, so as not to be forced to unwittingly accept them. This is not what the righteous did: no, he sat “before the door of his canopy at noon.” And because he was engaged in hospitality even at noon, his virtue receives even more value. In fact, he knew that people forced to travel at this time are especially in need of charity, and therefore he chose this very time (Abraham) as the most convenient, and, sitting at the door, collected those passing by, considering it a joy to serve strangers; He tried to bring those scorched by the heat under his roof, without being curious to find out anything about them, and without exploring whether they were familiar to him or not. It is not typical for a truly hospitable person to scout, but rather for all passers-by to show their hospitality. When he thus spread the rule of hospitableness, he was honored to receive the Lord and the Angels. That is why Paul said: “Do not forget the love of strangers, for there are some angels who do not know strangers” (Heb. 13:2), obviously meaning the forefather. That is why Christ said: “Whoever receives one of these little ones in My name, receives Me” (Matthew 18:5). Let us remember this, beloved, and when intending to receive a stranger, let us never find out who he is and where he comes from. If the forefather had been curious to know about this, he might have sinned. But you will say that he knew the dignity of those who came. How is this known? On the contrary, if he really knew, then what would he do to deserve surprise? If he had been curious to know them, then his hospitality would not have been as wonderful as now, when, not knowing who those who came to him were, he treated them with such zeal and respect, like a slave with his masters, obliging them, like bonds, with his words, and begging them not to refuse him and thus not to deprive him of a very great favor. He knew what he was doing, 368 and that is why he tried with such ardent zeal to extract all the benefits for himself from this. But let us listen to the words of the writer himself in order to see in deep old age youthful vigor, an old man rejuvenated, who came into delight, and who considers visiting strangers to be the acquisition of a great treasure. “When he looked,” it is said, “with his eyes, he saw, and behold, three men stood over him: and he saw a stream come to meet them from the door of his canopy” (Gen. 18:2). The old man runs and flies: he saw the fishing and, not paying any attention to his weaknesses, ran to catch; did not call the slaves, did not order the servant, did not show any carelessness; no, he ran, as if saying: here is a great treasure and rich booty, and I myself must acquire it so as not to miss such a profit. And so the righteous man did, assuming that he was receiving insignificant travelers. 4. Let us learn and begin to imitate the virtue of the righteous. If we do the same, then of course we ourselves will someday receive the same catch, or better yet, we can always have it in our hands if we want. The Lord, the lover of mankind, (wishing) that we should not be sluggish in matters of love of strangers and should not inquire about travelers (who they are and where they are from), says: “Whoever receives one from these little ones in My name, He receives Me.” So, do not look at the apparent insignificance of the traveler, and do not humiliate him outwardly, but think that you accept your Lord in him. Therefore, when for the sake of the name of the Lord you show charity to a stranger, you will receive such a reward as if you had received the Lord himself, and even if the one who enjoys your hospitality was a careless and lazy person, do not look at it: you will be given a full reward for doing this for the sake of the Lord and imitating the virtue of your forefather. “And seeing,” it is said, “there came to meet them from the doors of the canopy.” The word “priteche” is also well used here, so that you know that the strangers, like strangers, walked past, and would not have approached the bush on their own. That is why, so that this spiritual trap does not escape him, he, an aged, gray-haired hundred-year-old man, runs up to them and runs to express his zeal. “And having seen,” it is said, “bowed down to the ground and said: Lord, if I have found grace before You, do not minimize Your servant. Let the water be brought and wash your feet, and cool yourself under the tree: and I will bring bread and eat it, and therefore you will go 369 for whose sake you turned aside to your servant” (Gen. 18:2-5). There are many surprising things in these words of the righteous man! It is not so wonderful in his hospitality that he received strangers, but that he received them with such care, paying no attention either to his years or to the strangers themselves (who, perhaps, appeared to him young) and did not consider it sufficient to invite them only in words, but “bow down,” it is said, “to the ground,” as if begging and expressing a strong request; so that it would not seem that he was inviting them simply out of decency. That is why the Divine Scripture, showing the great and ineffable virtue of the righteous, says: “bow down to the ground,” showing both by this act and by words fiery zeal, deep humility, the greatest love of hospitableness, and unspeakable care. “And having bowed,” it is said, “he said: Lord, if I have found grace before you, do not diminish your servant.” Who can adequately praise this righteous man, or how to glorify him, even with countless lips? To say: “Lord” is an ordinary thing; but to say, “If I have found grace before You,” this is marvelous. You, he says, show me a benefit, and do not accept it from me. This is true love of strangers: whoever shows it with zeal receives more for himself than he gives (to the wanderer). But no one who hears this should degrade the virtue of the righteous man by supposing that he spoke so because he knew who those travelers were. In this case, as I have said many times, there would be nothing great if he spoke in this way, knowing the travelers; but it is wonderful and extraordinary that he says such words, treating them as people. Do not be surprised that the righteous man, receiving three strangers, says: “Lord,” as if addressing one. Perhaps one of those who came seemed more important than the others; That is why the righteous man turns his request to him. But then he turns his speech to everyone in general, and says: “Let water be brought, and let your feet be washed,” and again: “cool under the tree and eat bread, and therefore you will go on the way for which you turned away to your servant.” Do you see how he, not knowing who these travelers are, and talking to them as to ordinary people, makes a general invitation to them all, repeatedly calling himself their slave? And look how he already speaks in advance about the poverty, or better yet, about the richness of his meal: “Let water be brought,” he says, “and let your feet be washed, and cool yourself under the tree.” Since, he says, you are tired and have suffered a lot from the heat, I ask you not to pass by your servant. There's not much I can offer you. I can only bring you water for ablution, and then rest from fatigue under a tree. He also gives an idea about his meal. Do not think that I will offer you something luxurious, a lot of delicacies, or a variety of dishes: you will eat bread, “and again you will go on the way that you turned aside to your servant.” 5. Do you see how he uses various means to convince travelers and lure them to him: bows, words, and all methods. First, they say, he bowed; then he calls them masters, and himself a slave; then he says what kind of treat they will get from him, speaking modestly about it and showing that there will be nothing important. I can, he says, bring you simple water to wash your feet and bread and shade under an oak tree. Do not neglect my tabernacle, do not despise my old age, do not reject my request. I know what kind of work you have endured, I imagine the flame of heat; so I wish you to get some rest. What kind of child-loving father would show as much zeal for his children as the forefather showed to unknown people, strangers, hitherto completely unknown to him? But since he turned to them with great zeal and insistence, he received the prey, capturing the catch in his nets. “And rekosha,” it is said, “let us make 370 tacos, just as you rekosha” (Gen. 18:5). The old man perked up; the treasure, he says, is in my hands; I received wealth; Now I will forget my old age. And look with what delight he sets to work, how he rejoices with joy and admires, as if he were carrying countless treasures in his hands. “And Abraham labored,” it says, “into the shadows” (Gen. 18:6). Just as at the time when he rushed to catch them, the Divine Scripture indicated his haste and fiery zeal, saying: “he came to meet them,” so now, when he saw these men and achieved what he wanted, and now he does not abandon his zeal, but shows even more ardent love, and did not become more careless because he received what he wanted. Meanwhile, it often happens to us that at the beginning we sometimes show a lot of care, but when we get into the actual business, we no longer put in as much work as before. This is not what the righteous did, but how? The old man hurries again and, hastily running into the booth to Sarah, says to her: “Hurry and mix three measures of pure flour” (Gen. 18:6). Look how he makes Sarah a participant in the same trick, and how he teaches her to be jealous of her virtue! He urged her to get down to business immediately: “speed up,” he said; we have made a great profit; Let us not lose treasures, but “quicken and mix three measures of pure flour.” Knowing the importance of such a good deed 371, he wanted to accept the one who was the ally of his life as a participant in the rewards and rewards. Otherwise, tell me, why did he order this not to some slave, but to his elderly wife? (After all, she was already ninety years old.) And Sarah does not refuse to fulfill the order, but she herself applies equal diligence. Let husbands hear this, and wives hear this too! Husbands - so that they teach their cohabitants in the same way, not to do it through slaves when there is any spiritual benefit in the matter, but to do everything (that needs to be) themselves; wives - to hurry to take part in the good deeds of their husbands, so that they would not be ashamed of love of hobbies and serving strangers, but would imitate Sarah, the old woman, who in such advanced years took on this work and performed the duties of slaves. I know, however, that no one will accept our words. Nowadays we are all going in a completely different direction; Women are dominated by effeminacy, concern for outfits, gold jewelry, and external adornment in general, but there is no concern for the soul. They are not convinced by Paul when he proclaims: “Not with braided hair, or gold, or beads, or costly garments” (1 Tim. 2:9). See how this soul, reaching to heaven, did not consider it a shame for itself to descend in its words even to such subjects, and to admonish about braiding hair. And rightfully so, because all he cared about was the correction of souls. Since he saw that such concern for appearance does great harm to the soul, he did not refuse to say everything that was necessary for those suffering from this illness. If you, he says, want to adorn yourself, adorn yourself with true adornment, which is appropriate for pious women: adorn yourself with good deeds. This is an adornment of the soul that is not subject to any condemnation from strangers, and no one can steal this adornment: it always remains undamaged. Countless evils come from external decorations: not to mention the spiritual harm, the resulting vanity, contempt for neighbors, arrogance of spirit, corruption of the soul, infatuation with illicit pleasures; I only say that this decoration can easily be lost, both from the malice of slaves, and from the attacks of thieves, and from the slander of slanderers, and one can point out the countless number of evils and continuous sorrows that result from this. Sarah was not like that: she acquired true adornment and was worthy of her forefather; and as he hurried and ran into the bush, so she carefully fulfilled his order and dissolved three measures of pure flour. Since three strangers came to him, he ordered the three measures to be dissolved so that the loaves would be ready sooner. And, having so ordered, he himself again “flowed to the blood” (Gen. 18:7). Oh, senile youth! Oh, spiritual strength! He runs “to the lands”, and does not allow the slaves to go there, showing in everything to the strangers what pleasure his visit to them filled him with, and how highly he values ​​their presence (in his bush), considering it a treasure for himself. “And he took,” it is said, “a young and good calf” (Gen. 18:7). He himself chose the animal and, taking the best of all that he had, gives it to the slave, urging him not to hesitate, but to use all diligence. 6. See how everything is done with speed, with fiery zeal, with cordiality, with joy and with great pleasure. “And the servant hasten,” it is said, “to prepare this” (Gen. 18:8). But even after this the elder does not calm down, but again joins the ranks of servants. “And you took the oil and the milk and the bullock that was prepared, and offered it to them” (Gen. 18:8). He does and offers everything himself. He did not even recognize himself as worthy to sit with them, but when they ate, he stood before them under the tree. What greatness of strangeness! What depth of humility! What sublimity of a God-loving soul! As they ate, this hundred-year-old man stood before them. It seems to me that out of great joy and cordiality he then rose above his weakness and seemed to receive new strength. Indeed, it often happens that the fiery jealousy of the soul, when intensified, overcomes the weakness of the body. So, the forefather stood like a slave, considering it the greatest honor that he was honored to serve the visitors and calm them down after a difficult journey. Do you see how great was the love of the righteous man? Don’t just look at the fact that he offered loaves and bulls, but think about how respectfully, with what humility he performed the duty of hospitality, not like many others who, although they sometimes do something similar, are vain in front of their visitors, and often despise them because of the service rendered to them. This is as if someone had collected wealth and already had it in his hands, and then suddenly threw everything he had collected out of his hands. Anyone who does something with arrogance and acts as if he gives more than he receives does not know what he is doing, and therefore loses the reward for such a deed. But this righteous man knew what he was doing, and therefore in everything he did, he showed spiritual zeal. And since he sowed the deeds of homosexuality in abundance and with great cordiality, he soon gathered sheaves with an abundant hand. When he has fulfilled everything that depended on him, without missing anything, when the work of love of strangers is over, and the virtue of the righteous man is fully revealed, then, so that the righteous man will know Whom he has accepted to himself and what great benefits he has acquired for himself through his love of strangers, the Comer (the wanderer) finally reveals Himself and little by little shows the righteous man the greatness of His power. Seeing that he (Abraham) was standing by the oak tree and by standing showing (the strangers) special honor and readiness for services, the stranger said to him: “Where is Sarah your wife?” (Gen.18:9). And such a question immediately made him understand that the one who came was not some ordinary person when he knew the name of his wife. And he answers: “Behold, in the shadow” (Gen. 18:9). And since He who came, as God, wanted to promise him something above natural, then, by the very name of Sarah by name, He showed that he who entered his booth was above man. “When I return,” He said, “I will come to you at this time at this hour, and your wife Sarah will have 372 sons” (Gen. 18:10). Here are the fruits of love of love, here is the reward of intense zeal, here is the reward of Sarah’s labors! “She,” it is said, “heard in front of the doors of the canopy, standing behind 373.” And when they heard this, “they laughed within themselves, saying: I have not had anything hitherto, but my master is old” (Gen. 18:12). To justify Sarah, Divine Scripture first noted that Abraham and Sarah “had become a devil in their days” (Gen. 18:11); and without stopping there, the Scripture goes on to say: “and Sarah was left as a woman” (ibid.). The source has dried up, it says, the eye has darkened, the body itself is damaged. Turning her attention to this, Sarah reflected within herself both about her advanced years and about the old age of her forefather. But while she was thinking like this in the booth, the One Who Leads Her Hidden Thoughts, wanting to show both the greatness of His power and the fact that nothing hidden is hidden from Him, says to Abraham: “Why, as Sarah laughed within herself, saying: I will surely give birth, but I am old” (Gen. 18:13). Indeed, she thought so within herself. But “food,” he says, “will fail the word of God” (Gen. 18:14)? Thus, He 374 clearly revealed Himself. Or don’t you know, He says, that I, as the Lord of nature, can do everything I desire, and I can revive dead bodies and make them capable (of childbearing)? Is it really possible, he says, that there is anything impossible for God? Am I not the one who creates and transforms everything? Am I not the one who has the power of life and death? “God fails every word” (Luke 1:37)? Didn’t I promise this before, and can My word not be fulfilled? Listen: “In due time I will return to you... in the hours, and Sarah will have a son.” When, he says, I return at this same time, then Sarah will actually know that neither old age nor her barrenness will be an obstacle (to the birth of a son); but My word will be sure and valid; the birth of her son will show her the power of My word. Sarah, hearing that her thoughts did not hide from the Visitor, “denied, saying: We did not laugh” (Gen. 18:15). Fear clouded her mind. Scripture, attributing everything to her weakness, says: “for fear” (ibid.). But the patriarch tells her: “no, but you laughed” (ibid.). Although you, he says, thought about this only in your mind and secretly laughed, do not think, however, that you can hide from the omnipotence of the One who came; do not deny what happened, and do not add sin to sin; we will receive great blessings today; and the reason for all this is our hospitality to strangers. 7. Let us all imitate him, and let us take more care of love of strangers, not in order to receive only these fleeting and perishable blessings as reward, but in order to prepare for ourselves the enjoyment of immortal blessings in the future life. If we do this, then we too will be worthy to receive Christ here, and He Himself will receive us in the abodes prepared for those who love Him, and we will hear from Him: “Come, O blessing of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Why and for what? “For you were hungry, and gave Me food, you were thirsty, and you gave Me a drink, you were strange, and you knew Me,... in prison..., and you visited Me” (Matthew 25:34–36). What could be easier than this? But He does not command us to curiously question and investigate about those to whom we intend to render our services. You, He says, do your job, even if the wanderer is poor, even if outwardly you seem to be a despicable person, because what is done for them, I will appropriate to Myself. That’s why he adds: “Because ye have made the least of my brethren one and the same, ye have been made together with me” (Matthew 25:40). So, let us not neglect such a great benefit that comes from welcoming strangers, but let us try to make this wonderful purchase every day, knowing that our Lord requires us to have an abundance of zeal, and not a lot of dishes, not a luxurious meal, but a welcoming heart, services not only in words, but also love that comes from the heart and pure intention. Therefore, the wise man said: “Better is a word than a gift” (Sir.18:16). Often, a zealous word comforts the needy more than alms. So, knowing this, let us never be indignant at those who come to us; but if we can help their need, we will do it with joy and cordiality, as if we ourselves received more from them than we gave to them. If we are unable to help them, let us at least not treat them rudely, let us render them a service at least in a word and speak to them with meekness. And why treat him rudely? Is he forcing you? Is it forced to do something? He asks, bows, begs; and he who does this deserves no cruelty. And what am I saying: asking and begging? He expresses to us thousands of different good wishes, and he does all this for the sake of one obol. And we don’t want to give him even that. And can we receive forgiveness (from God) for this? What excuse will we have when every day we ourselves prepare a rich meal for ourselves, often exceeding the measure of what is needed, but we don’t want to give them (the poor) even a little, and this is when how could we receive countless benefits in this way in the future? Oh, how great is our carelessness! How much benefit we lose from it for ourselves! How much profit we are missing out on! We remove from ourselves the means of our salvation given to us by God and do not think, do not imagine either the smallness of our alms or the great rewards for them, but we lock everything in chests and allow rust to eat our gold, or better said, we save it for thieves; We leave various clothes to be damaged by moths, and we do not want to properly dispose of what lies with us without use, so that it will again be preserved for us, and so that through this we can be rewarded with indescribable benefits. But may we all be able to receive them, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Those. both of them acquired twice as much as was entrusted to them. Those. lender and debtor. Those. understood the importance of hospitality. Zlat.: παρελεύσεσθε with the exception of further words: εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῶν “on your way” according to Cottonian and some other sp., as well as Hebrew t., and contrary to Alec. and Lucian. sp., where these additional the words, as in Slavic B., are readable. Zlat.: οὕτω ποιήσομεν according to sp. Dorotheus and Vensky (31 in “Holmes”), where, however, ποιήσωμεν - “let us create”); instead in Lucian. – οὕτως ποίησον – “do this” (Slav. B.), according to the Hebrew text. Ἔξει, what is the usual translation among the 70, retained by Chrysostom and transferred to Slav. B. in the word: “give birth.” Zlat. ἐστῶσα ὄπισθεν according to sp. Dorothea and Oxford. (75 in “Holmes”), instead of οῦ᾿σα ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ – “beings behind him” (Slav. B.). You might be interested in: