From a sermon on charity by Saint Basil the Great.
From a sermon on charity by Saint Basil the
Great.
Man should be like the earth and bear
fruit; he should not let inanimate matter appear to surpass him. The earth bears
crops for your benefit, not for its own, but when you give to the poor, you are
bearing fruit which you will gather in for yourself, since the reward for good
deeds goes to those who perform them. Give to a hungry man, and what you give
becomes yours, and indeed it returns to you with interest. As the sower profits
from wheat that falls onto the ground, so will you profit greatly in the world
to come from the bread that you place before a hungry man. Your husbandry must
be the sowing of heavenly seed: Sow
integrity for yourselves, says Scripture.
You are going to leave your money
behind you here whether you wish to or not.
On the other hand, you will take with you to the Lord the honor that you
have won through good works. In the presence of the Universal Judge, all the
people will surround you, acclaim you as a public benefactor, and tell of your
generosity and kindness.
Do you see how people throw away
their wealth on theatrical performances, boxing contests, mimes and fights
between men and wild beasts, which are sickening to see, and all for the sake of
fleeting honor and popular applause? If
you are miserly with your money, how can you expect any similar honor? Your
reward for the right use of the things of this world will be everlasting glory,
a crown of righteousness, and the kingdom of heaven; God will welcome you, the
angels will praise you, all men who have existed since the world began will call
you blessed. Do you care nothing for these things, and spurn the hopes that lie
in the future for the sake of your present enjoyment.
Come, distribute your wealth freely, give generously to those who are in
need. Darn for yourself the
psalmist's praise: He gave freely to the
poor; his righteousness will endure for ever.
How grateful you should be to your own benefactor; how you should beam with joy at the honor of having other people come to your door, instead of being obliged to go to theirs! But you are now ill-humored and unapproachable; you avoid meeting people, in case you might be forced to loosen your purse strings even a little. You can say only one thing: "I have nothing to give you. I am only a poor man." A poor man you certainly are, and destitute of all real riches; you are poor in love, generosity, faith in God and hope of eternal happiness.