Sermon on Alms by St. John Chrysostom
Author:St. John Chrysostom [Chrysostom, St. John]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2013-02-24T16:00:00+00:00
IV
Therefore let us obey this mandate and let us do even as Paul commands: let us place the Lord’s money beside the private store in our house, that these private funds may thereby be protected. For even as in royal treasuries, if the private wealth of a subject is deposited there, his money is rendered safe by the presence of the royal treasure; so also, if you have the money of the poor laid up in your home—the money which you collect on the Lord’s Day—it will ensure safety to your own store. Thus you will be the steward of your funds, appointed by Paul. What do I mean by this? The money which you have already laid aside will furnish the occasion and starting point for collecting more. For if you commence this good habit, you will be able to stimulate yourself to further effort without any pledge. In this way let every man’s home be a church, being the repository of sacred funds. For the treasure lying there is his contribution. The place where the money of the poor lies is safe from demons. Of a truth, money collected for alms is a better defense for the home than shield or spear or arms or bodily strength or bands of soldiers.
After he had shown when, by whom, and in what manner money should be collected for this purpose, he leaves the question of the amount which is suitable to the discretion of the givers. For he did not say, Give such and such an amount, lest the command should prove burdensome, and many would object that they could not afford it; lest the poor should say, But what if we cannot? But he left the amount of the offering to the discretion of the givers: “Let everyone of you”, he says, “put apart with himself, laying up what it shall well please him” (1 Cor. 16:2). He did not say, what he shall be able to give, or what he shall have acquired, but, “What it shall well please him”, or, What shall be suitable,—showing that he will thereby obtain the approval and the mercy of God.
For Paul did not have in mind merely that money should be given to the poor, but that it should be given cheerfully. And God did not ordain the giving of alms only in order that the poor might be fed, but also that blessings might be added to the givers, and even more for the sake of the latter than of the former. If his only concern had been for the poor, he would have prescribed merely that money should be given and would not have demanded cheerfulness in the givers. Instead of this you see that the apostle earnestly exhorts the givers of alms to be glad and cheerful. And elsewhere he says: “Not with sadness, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7); not merely a giver, but one who gives cheerfully. And again in
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