John Chrysostom, On Almsgiving

is laid upon you, not to give alms? It is not so, may it not be; but you both have and are able, whoever you may be, and especially a believer. And towards the body you are ambitious, but concerning the soul, a castaway. Almsgiving is food for the soul; and just as bread and wine are food and gladness for the body, so also almsgiving and prayer are healing and joy for the soul. And what shall a man give in exchange for his soul, but only almsgiving? But if you are ignorant, learn also from the widow in the New Testament, that for two small coins she gained the whole kingdom of heaven, having received God Himself as the praiser of this poverty, with her fruit-bearing having ascended even to the heavens. Did you not see the Savior in the holy Gospels accepting the widow who cast the two mites into the treasury, and bestowing on her the heavenly crown? For he saw the fragrance of her soul, he saw the poor woman as a lover of the poor, he saw the one in need of money contributing to those not in need. Many indeed were those casting much into the treasury; and God who is also man was present at these events, he who does not judge by appearance, and who searches the hearts of men. And what decision does he pronounce concerning these, let us hear: Truly, truly I say to you, that this widow has put in more than all. For I do not accept all that is cast in, he says, but I also test the intention of those contributing. Truly, truly I say to you, that this widow has put in more than all. Why? Because these have contributed from their surplus, but she has contributed her whole life. Therefore, since he judged righteously, let us all also say to God, as the Prophet said: Righteous are you, O Lord, and your judgments are upright; because you test the intention of men, and you do not define the kingdom by the quantity of the offerings. For you do not pay attention to the things offered, but to the disposition of those offering. Therefore, let no one among you hesitate, I beseech you, to cast even two mites, or even ten obols into the treasury of the widows and orphans; for so also holy Scripture teaches, that as one has the intention, he is well-pleasing to God. Therefore, let not that table be a stranger to your fruit-bearing; but have a share with it, that you may receive a share with those who are being cared for, mercy from the merciful God who said: Be merciful, that you may receive mercy. For just as it is believed, that there is an angel from heaven who receives the prayers of the people, and offers these to God, and you are eager with all to render your prayers to God, that your gift of prayer may be accepted with all; so believe, that also in these things there is an angel who receives the things given by you to the poor, and offers these to God. And who is this angel, but the one who brought the prayers and alms of Cornelius to God, and said to him: Cornelius, your alms and your pray60.750ers have ascended as a memorial before God? And he was formerly a Greek; but after this, from when the angel spoke to him, he became a believer, and so they were accepted. How much more of you, the Christ-lover? We ought then also to exhort the rich. For the most part, many are lovers of the poor, and they do this of their own accord; for they have well practiced being watered by such men, those teachers before us, to bear fruit; but nevertheless since they also demand an account of our poor, I will not hesitate to exhort them, and to lead them by the hand to almsgiving, guarding against these two things, that neither they be accused before God, nor I be slandered by the angels; and how, I say. For if I do not cast down the oracles of the divine Scripture into your good

ἐπίκειταί σοι, τοῦ μὴ ποιῆσαι ἐλεημοσύνην; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω, μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔχεις καὶ δύνασαι, ὅστις ἐὰν εἶ, καὶ μάλιστα πιστός. Καὶ πρὸς μὲν τὸ σῶμα φιλότιμος ὑπάρχεις, περὶ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν περίψηφος. Ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τροφὴ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστι· καὶ ὥσπερ ἄρτος καὶ οἶνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστι τροφὴ καὶ εὐφρασία, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ προσευχὴ τῆς ψυχῆς ὑπάρχει θεραπεία καὶ χαρά. Καὶ τί δίδωσιν ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, ἢ μόνον ἐλεημοσύνην; Εἰ δὲ ἀγνοεῖς, μάνθανε καὶ παρὰ τῆς χήρας τῆς ἐν τῇ Καινῇ ∆ιαθήκῃ, ὅτι διὰ δύο ὀβολοὺς ὅλην τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν ἐκέρδανεν, αὐτὸν ὅλον τὸν Θεὸν ἐπαινέτην λαβοῦσα τῆς πτωχείας ταύτης, καὶ μέχρι τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνελθούσης τῆς καρποφορίας αὐτῆς. Οὐκ εἶδες τὸν Σωτῆρα ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις Εὐαγγελίοις ἀποδεχόμενον τὴν χήραν τὴν βάλλουσαν ἐν τῷ γαζοφυλακίῳ τὰ δύο λεπτὰ, καὶ χαρισάμενον αὐτῇ τὸν στέφανον τὸν ἐπουράνιον; Εἶδε γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν εὐωδίαν, εἶδε τὴν πτωχὴν φιλόπτωχον, εἶδε τὴν ἐνδεῆ χρημάτων τοῖς μὴ ἐνδεέσι συνεισφέρουσαν. Πολλοὶ μὲν ἦσαν οἱ βάλλοντες πολλὰ εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον· καὶ παρῆν τοῖς γενομένοις ὁ Θεὸς ἅμα καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ὁ αὐτὸς οὐ δικάζων κατὰ πρόσωπον, καὶ τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων διερευνῶν. Καὶ ποίαν ἀπόφασιν ἐκφέρει περὶ τούτων, ἀκούσωμεν· Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ χήρα αὕτη πλεῖον πάντων ἔβαλεν. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ βαλλόμενα πάντα ἀποδέχομαι, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν προαίρεσιν τῶν συνεισφερόντων δοκιμάζω. Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ χήρα αὕτη πλεῖον πάντων ἔβαλεν. ∆ιὰ τί; Ὅτι οὗτοι ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύοντος αὐτοῖς ἤνεγκαν, αὕτη δὲ ὄλον τὸν βίον αὐτῆς εἰσήνεγκεν. Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ δικαίως ἔκρινεν, εἴπωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἅπαντες τῷ Θεῷ, ὡς ὁ Προφήτης εἶπε· ∆ίκαιος εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ εὐθεῖαι αἱ κρίσεις σου· ὅτι τὴν προαίρεσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων δοκιμάζεις, καὶ οὐ τῷ πλήθει τῶν προσφερομένων τὴν βασιλείαν περιγράφεις. Οὐ γὰρ προσέχεις τοῖς προσφερομένοις, ἀλλὰ τῇ διαθέσει τῶν προσφερόντων. Μὴ τοίνυν ὀκνήσῃ τις ὑμῶν, παρακαλῶ, κἂν δύο λεπτὰ, κἂν δέκα ὀβολοὺς εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον τῶν χηρῶν καὶ ὀρφανῶν καταβαλεῖν· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἁγία Γραφὴ διδάσκει, ὅτι καθὼς ἂν ἔχῃ τις προαίρεσιν, εὐπρόσδεκτός ἐστι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Μὴ οὖν γένηται ἡ τράπεζα ἐκείνη ἀλλοτρία τῆς σῆς καρποφορίας· ἀλλ' ἔχε μερίδα μετ' αὐτῆς, ἵνα λάβῃς μερίδα μετὰ τῶν κομιζομένων, ἔλεος παρὰ τοῦ ἐλεήμονος Θεοῦ τοῦ εἰπόντος· Ἐλεεῖτε, ἵνα ἐλεηθῆτε. Ὥσπερ γὰρ πιστεύεται, ὅτι ἔστιν ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ὁ τὰς προσευχὰς δεχόμενος τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ προσφέρων τῷ Θεῷ ταύτας, καὶ σπουδάζεις μετὰ πάντων ἀποδοῦναι τῷ Θεῷ τὰς εὐχὰς, ἵνα σου τὸ δῶρον τῆς προσευχῆς μετὰ πάντων ἀποδεχθῇ· οὕτω πίστευε, ὅτι καὶ ἐν τούτοις ἐστὶν ἄγγελος ὁ δεχόμενος τὰ παρὰ σοῦ διδόμενα τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ ταῦτα προσφέρων τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ποῖός ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ ἄγγελος, ἀλλ' ἢ ὁ τὰς προσευχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐλεημοσύνας Κορνηλίου τῷ Θεῷ προσενέγκας, καὶ εἰπὼν αὐτῷ· Κορνήλιε, αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου καὶ αἱ προσ60.750 ευχαί σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ; Καὶ ἦν τὸ πρώην Ἕλλην· μετὰ τοῦτο δὲ, ἀφ' οὗ ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος, ἐγένετο πιστὸς, καὶ οὕτω προσεδέχθησαν. Πόσῳ μᾶλλον σοῦ τοῦ φιλοχρίστου; Ὀφείλομεν δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους παρακαλέσαι. Μάλιστα μὲν οἱ πολλοὶ φιλόπτωχοί εἰσι, καὶ ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν τοῦτο πράττουσι καλῶς γὰρ ἐμελέτησαν ἀρδευθῆναι παρὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν, ἐκείνων τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν διδασκάλων, καρποφορεῖν· ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν πτωχῶν λόγον ἀπαιτοῦσιν, οὐκ ἀποκνήσω παρακαλέσαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ πρὸς ἐλεημοσύνην χειραγωγῆσαι, δύο ταῦτα παραφυλαττόμενος, τῷ μήτε αὐτοὺς παρὰ Θεῷ ἐγκληθῆναι, μήτε ἐμὲ παρὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων διαβληθῆναι· καὶ πῶς, ἐγὼ λέγω. Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ καταβάλω τὰ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς λόγια εἰς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγαθὴν