О любви к бедным

Let us, finally, brethren, neglect the temporal, and take care of the eternal blessings promised to us. Let us make an effort before it gets dark, until this market is over: “let us make for ourselves friends from mammon of unrighteousness” (Luke 16:9). Let us make many poor people as our witnesses, let us buy oil from them, and send them ahead of us, for these are the ones who sell oil for lamps: widows, orphans, the weak, the crippled, the lame, the blind, lepers, and all the poor who sit at the church doors. We will bend them to our side; they will reconcile the Judge with us. Let us not turn away from those who come to us, but let us greet them cheerfully; and those who do not have the strength to come, we will send them ourselves: this is more important than the first. Let everyone find out in the churches if there is a poor person or a stranger and, having found them, try to take them into the house and put them to rest. Let everyone make an effort to anticipate the poor, before everyone who wants to do this, because together with the poor Christ, who became poor for our sake, enters the house; “For with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Heb. 13:16). And if “he who receives a prophet... will receive the reward of the prophet” (Matthew 10:41), then what reward will he receive who receives Christ Himself? Obviously, the one about whom it is written: “whose eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not sighed...”. (1 Cor. 2:9). Whoever brings a poor person into his home also brings in Christ, who said: “Blesseds of mercy...”. (Matthew 5:7). “The poor give mercy to God in return” (Prov. 19:17), who said: “Before you have made one of these least of my brethren, you have created for Me” (Matt. 25:40). Whoever takes a stranger under his roof, he accepts Christ, who said: “But the Son of God has no place to bow his head” (Luke 9:58). All this and the like are the fruits of repentance, the crown, praise and glory of Christians. “Let not the wise boast in his wisdom... and the mighty in his strength” (1 Samuel 2:10), “let everyone boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31). Praise for Christians is the commandment of the Lord. Praise for Christians is the teachings of the apostles and prophets. Praise for Christians is humility, spiritual poverty and obedience. Praise for Christians is tender psalmody. Praise for Christians is repentance with tears. The praise of Christians is meekness with silence, so as to submit and bow to everyone. Praise for Christians is to wash the feet of the brethren. The praise of Christians is to say to your friend: “Forgive me; I have sinned before you." Christians are praised for their hospitality and compassion. It is praise and salvation for Christians to always have the poor, orphans and strangers eating together at their meals, because Christ will never leave this house. It is the praise of Christians to not let the sun go down on their anger, and not to fall asleep with anything in their hearts against anyone. The praise and crown of Christians is to endure sorrow and not have indignation; such a person will turn out to be a friend to the One who said: “...your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20). Praise for Christians is to visit prisoners in prison, that is, in dens, mountains and abysses of the earth, to visit as a true disciple of Him who said: “...were in prison, and came to Me” (Matthew 25:36). The praise of Christians is to always remember God and the great day of Judgment. And why not say the most important thing? Praise and honor and salvation for Christians is the confession of the right faith, so as not to enter into agreement and friendship with those who think otherwise, but to keep the commandment and covenant immaculate, blameless, pure from all heresy, until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the Lord, seeing such a one, will say: “Behold, he is truly an Israelite,” that is, a Christian: “There is no flattery in him” (John 1:47). This is what we should boast about, brothers, and not in chariots, not in horses, not in power, not in wealth. You might be interested in: