The Month of September
Day 22
23. A New Form of Charity
(From the Life of Saint Phocas, Called the Gardener)
“Varied is the manner of showing mercy,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “and broad is this commandment.” How are we to understand these words? It seems to us that they can be understood in the sense that there may be countless kinds of charity and many ways of putting it into practice. Let us consider the latter. In order to show charity to others, some simply give their own money or possessions; others establish charitable societies; others collect offerings in churches; others make collections at public gatherings; others invite the wealthy to practice charity; still others do something else altogether; and some even practice charity in particularly original ways. Hearing this last point, you will surely be surprised and ask: can there really be special ways of practicing charity? Yes, brethren, there can, and we shall now present you with an example.
Saint Phocas, called the Gardener, whose memory the Holy Church commemorates on September 22, revealed himself after his martyrdom as a great wonderworker. Some received healing from illnesses through him, others consolation in their sorrows, and still others help in their troubles. But above all, Saint Phocas revealed himself as a wonderworker at sea. Seafarers turned to him with particular faith, asking for his help, and he always granted it to them. Many times he appeared to them visibly at sea. Sometimes, at night during a storm, he would awaken the sleeping helmsman; at other times they saw him unfurling the sails; sometimes they saw him standing at the stern of the ship; at times he pointed out dangerous shoals to the seafarers; and sometimes they even saw him walking upon the sea. Because of such mercies, the seafarers especially venerated him, and his name was renowned not only among those who sailed upon the Red Sea and the Adriatic, but even among those who sailed upon the ocean. The seafarers composed hymns of praise in honor of Saint Phocas, and his name, it is said, was continually “on the lips of those who go out to sea in ships and work upon many waters.”
But the seafarers did not honor Saint Phocas only with hymns of praise. They established among themselves the following custom in his honor. Whenever they sat down to a meal or ate in someone's home as guests, they would set aside a portion of the food or drink in honor of Saint Phocas. Since, of course, Saint Phocas could not actually sit with them, eat, and drink, they did the following: one of them, taking turns, would redeem the portion set aside in honor of the Saint and place the money in a special alms box. Thus, today one would redeem the Saint's portion, tomorrow another, and the day after tomorrow a third—and eventually this would amount to a certain sum of money. When the seafarers came ashore, they would take the money from the box and distribute it to the poor, the sick, orphans, and strangers. And for many years the seafarers faithfully preserved this custom among themselves.
From this example, brethren, it is evident that there truly can be special ways of obtaining means for charitable work, and ways that are, perhaps, worthy of imitation. As we have seen, those who venerated Saint Phocas set aside something for the poor from every meal. Why, then, should we not also set aside something from our own meals for their benefit? Many of us eat rich and delicious foods. We eat them, rise from the table, pray, and then either lie down to rest or turn to our own affairs, without thinking about anything else. Yet there would actually be something worth thinking about. We are well fed; but how many people may at that very moment remain with nothing to eat except dry bread, or perhaps with nothing to eat at all? How many unfortunate widows and orphans may there be who have absolutely nothing with which to obtain their daily sustenance? How many sick poor people may there be for whom nourishing food is more precious than anything else, yet they have none?
This is why all of us should think about these things after our meals and do something for the poor. And what should we do? Well, if the wealthy, after every meal, were to set aside even a single kopek for the benefit of the poor, how many kopeks would be collected each day altogether? And how many truly needy people could be fed each day with these kopeks? And how many people would be saved from hunger? And how many tears would be wiped away? Yes, brethren, if only the wealthy were to resolve to act in this way, even that alone would truly make the undertaking both great and holy. But if all of us who possess even some means were to join the wealthy, then truly a sea of tears would be wiped away by us all. Amen.
Questions for Discussion 23
1. Where did Saint Phocas, called the Gardener, chiefly reveal himself as a wonderworker?
2. What did the seafarers compose in honor of Saint Phocas?
3. What did the seafarers do with the portion of food set aside for Saint Phocas because he could not sit, eat, and drink with them?
4. What did the seafarers do with the money in the alms box for Saint Phocas's portion when they came ashore?
5. Under what condition would a sea of tears be wiped away by us all?
Source: The Cheti-Minei: Homilies for Every Day of the Year (Book 1: September, October, November) by Archpriest Viktor Guryev. Publication of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, 1896. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
