Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 30

The Month of October

Day 30

61. What Blessings Does Almsgiving Bring Us?

(From the Life of the Hieromartyr Zenobios and His Sister Zenobia)

The Lord teaches us to give alms. “Sell,” He says, “what you have and give alms” (Luke 12:33). And we give alms according to the Lord’s word. But here a question inevitably arises of its own accord: why, then, do we give alms? Is there any benefit to us ourselves from our almsgiving? Do we gain anything for ourselves through it? Does it bring us any blessings as well? Know, brethren, that almsgiving is of great benefit to us ourselves, that through it we acquire much for ourselves, and that it brings us great blessings. What are these blessings? And what, in general, does almsgiving bring us?

First of all, almsgiving makes us rich. Philaret the Merciful gave everything to the poor. They asked him for his last ox, and he gave it to them; they asked for a horse, and he gave them the horse; they asked for clothing, and he took that off as well and handed it to the poor man. His wife scolded him, and his household reproached him, but Philaret said to them: “I have a treasure of which you know nothing.” And Philaret truly did have a treasure. The Greek Emperor Constantine, who was seeking a bride for himself, saw Philaret’s granddaughter, Maria, and chose her. Having married her, the Emperor showed kindness and bestowed honors upon her entire family; and to the merciful Philaret he gave the richest houses and estates.

Secondly, almsgiving obtains mercy for us at the Judgment of God. “At the gates of Gehenna,” says Blessed Augustine, “almsgiving stands and does not allow anyone to be cast into prison.” And Chrysostom writes: “Almsgiving stands before the throne, not only offering protection, but also advising the Judge Himself to show mercy to the guilty and issue a favorable judgment concerning him.” And the Apostle James teaches: “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). Finally, Tobit instructs his son in this way: “Give alms ... and do not forget that almsgiving delivers from death and does not allow one to descend into darkness” (Tobit 4:8–10).

Thirdly, almsgiving returns to us in abundance what we have given away. Thus, Saint Basil the Great says: “Alms return to those who give them; the rich man who gives to the hungry has acted for his own good, for what you have given, you will receive back in abundance” (On Those Who Are Rich). And what Saint Basil says also happens in practice. Thus, in the case of the widow of Zarephath, who shared her last handful of flour with Elijah, from that time onward neither the flour in the jar nor the oil in the vessel diminished; and, in addition to this, Elijah also raised her dead son.

Fourthly, almsgiving also makes unbelievers into believers. In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a pagan who gave much alms. One day an Angel appeared to him and said: “Your alms have come to remembrance before God. Now send for Simon, who is called Peter, and he will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved” (Acts 10:4–6). After this vision, Cornelius met the Apostle and, having been instructed by him, believed in Jesus Christ.

Fifthly and finally, almsgiving makes some people wonderworkers as well. The Hieromartyr Zenobios gave everything to the poor; and for this, it is said, “the Lord endowed with the power of working miracles the hands that had shown mercy to the poor by giving alms.” Zenobios received the gift of healing illnesses through the touch of his hand as a reward for his almsgiving, and whenever the Saint touched a sick person with it, that person was immediately healed. And this servant of God practiced almsgiving in two ways: one by distributing money to the poor, and the other by healing the sick through the grace given to him by God.

Thus, almsgiving brings us many blessings, and great blessings indeed. As you have now been able to see, it makes us rich, obtains mercy for us at the judgment of God, returns to us in abundance what we have given away, makes unbelievers into believers, and makes some people wonderworkers as well. What, then, should we learn from this? First, that we should not forget, according to the word of God, “to do good and to share,” knowing now that “with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16); secondly, that we should generally do good to others, according to the same word, in order to lay up “for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:18–20); and thirdly and finally, in particular, that we should know what kind of almsgiving God requires of us, so that the almsgiving we practice may be pleasing to Him. And remember, He requires this kind of almsgiving from us: “Vindicate the widow,” He says, “give judgment for the poor, help the needy, defend the orphan, clothe the naked, care for the infirm and the weak, do not mock the lame, defend the one without hands, and bring the blind to behold My light; preserve the old and the young within your walls; wherever you find the dead, seal them and commit them to the grave, and I will give you the first place in My resurrection” (3 Esdras 2:20–23). Amen.

Questions on Discourse 61:

1. What did the Greek Emperor Constantine give to Philaret the Merciful?

2. Who, according to Blessed Augustine, stands at the gates of Gehenna and does not allow anyone to be cast into prison?

3. Whom does almsgiving advise, according to Chrysostom?

4. What did the widow of Zarephath do for Elijah?

5. Where, according to the Angel’s words to Cornelius, had his alms come?

 

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.