Богатый

When the rich open their eyes to a beggar, their eyes are like the insensitive eyes of an idol and they do not want to see the needs and all sorts of troubles of the beggar. They have ears and do not hear the cry of those freezing from frost and hunger, they have hands but do not touch, that is, they do not stretch out to help their neighbor (Ps. 114:14-15). Such was the evangelical rich man who, having eyes, did not see the poor Lazarus, lying at the gate and covered in pus, having ears, did not hear Lazarus’ groans in pain, having hands, did not stretch out them to bring the poor Lazarus into his house: so, in justice, the rich man was not heard in torment, for during his earthly life he did not want to listen to the poor man who asked him Lazarus (see Luke 16:20–25) (1). The reward will be for those rich people who squander their wealth on good things, that is, on building the churches of God and decorating them, on feeding strangers, the poor and the needy, on ransoming captives and on all kinds of royal taxes, according to the words of Christ Himself, our Savior: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). If wealth is squandered in this way, then such rich people will not be deprived of the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life. It is about such people that the influx speaks: “A man redeems his life with his wealth” (Prov. 13:8). Especially righteous wealth, but not collected by unrighteousness, serves the salvation of the soul, for God is displeased with gifts brought from unrighteous accumulation. When the prophet Malachi once saw those offering sacrifices to God in the church of the Lord from theft, extortion and unrighteousness, then he cried out with tears: “O woe! The table of the Lord is profaned by those who offer it” (see Mal. 1:7). Jesus of Sirach says: “He who offers sacrifices from the wealth of the poor is like one who slays a son before his father” (Sir. 34:20), which must be understood as follows: if someone killed someone’s son and brought his blood as a gift to his father, could such a gift be acceptable to the father? Never, he would rather turn away his eyes with suffering. The same vile sacrifice to God is alms from theft, untruth and extortion. Perhaps some of you will say: why, in this case, did Christ accept half of the given property from the publican, even from the chief of the tax collectors, Zacchaeus? Listen carefully to the words of Zacchaeus. After all, he said: “Lord! I will give half of my property (and not someone else’s) to the poor.” He promised about what he had collected through untruth: “If I have offended anyone in any way, I will repay him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Such alms are pleasing to God. And somewhere in the Holy Scripture it is said: “If you have collected with evil, spend it on good, just try not to offend anyone, and the Lord, perhaps, will accept alms with repentance” (1). Do not desire or hope for many riches, lest you be like the rich man who destroyed a small granary and created a large one, saying: “Soul! you have a lot of good things for many years: rest, eat, drink, be merry,” and to the one who heard: “mad! this night your soul will be taken from you; who will get what you have prepared? - as the Lord said (Luke 12:19–20) (3). You might be interested in: