May 29
(A story from the Leimonarion concerning almsgiving.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Some wealthy people may be called people of calculation. These are those who, when their financial affairs are going well, are willing enough to help the poor; but as soon as their business declines even a little, they stop helping the needy and say: “What can we do? When income is abundant, it is no hardship to share some of it. But when times are difficult, should we begin spending our capital on the poor? Who would agree to that?” And so the poor leave such people empty-handed, and whether they will ever receive help from them again, God alone knows.
But what then? Do such calculations actually help the miser increase his prosperity? Do they assist him in enlarging his wealth? Hardly. The frequent bankruptcies of the miserly, together with the other lessons sent to them from above, convince us of the opposite. To confirm this truth, we offer the following account.
The monks of the Monastery of Abba Theodosios related the following:
According to the rule established by the founder of their monastery, it was their custom on Holy and Great Thursday to give to all the poor, widows, and orphans who came to them a certain measure of wheat, five copper coins, and a measure of wine and honey. But one year there was a crop failure in the region surrounding the monastery, and grain became very expensive. During that season of fasting, some of the brethren said to the abbot:
“Father, this year do not distribute wheat to strangers and the poor according to the established custom. We have little wheat, and we shall have to buy more at a high price. Our monastery will become impoverished.”
The abbot replied:
“Why should we abandon the blessing of our father? He will provide for our sustenance. It is not right for us to transgress his command.”
The monks, however, persisted and said:
“We ourselves do not have enough. We will not give it away!”
The abbot was grieved, and seeing that his exhortations accomplished nothing, he finally said:
“Very well, do as you think best.”
The day of distribution arrived, and the poor went away with nothing. But what happened afterward? When the monk responsible for the granary entered it on some business, he was horrified to discover that all the wheat had become moldy and spoiled, so that nothing remained but to throw it away. When everyone learned of this, the abbot said:
“Whoever transgresses the command of his superior is punished. We only needed to distribute five hundred measures of wheat. Had we done so, we would have pleased our father through obedience and comforted the poor. Instead, we have lost five thousand measures and committed a double evil: first, we violated our father's command; second, we placed our trust not in God but in our granaries.”
What, then, shall we say to those who are afraid to touch their purse and show no mercy to the poor during difficult times? First of all, let us offer them the counsel of Saint John Chrysostom: “If you wish to be rich, distribute your wealth generously. If you wish to gather, scatter. Be like the sower: sow in blessing, that you may reap in blessing” (Homily 25 on the Gospel of John; from Incorruptible Food, p. 228).
And furthermore, let such calculating people frequently recall the words of Solomon: “He that gives unto the poor shall not lack; but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27). Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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