19

A blind man, being shown mercy, knows how to lead by the hand into the kingdom of heaven; and though stumbling against walls, and slipping into pits, this one becomes a pathfinder for the ascent into heaven.

Why do you labor in vain, O rich man, hiding what belongs to the poor in your treasuries? Why, when asked by them, are you indignant, as if spending from your own substance? They want what is theirs by inheritance, not what is yours; what was entrusted to you for them, not what was born with you. What you have received, give, and gain the use of it. It is enough for you that you were appointed to give, not to receive.

Nothing so gladdens God as almsgiving. For this reason the priests of old were anointed with oil, and the kings and the prophets. For they had the oil as a symbol of the loving-kindness of God. Since God has mercy on and loves mankind, for this reason they were anointed with oil. For He also made the priesthood from mercy; and kings were anointed with oil. For, it says, He will have mercy on all, because He can do all things. For this is proper to rule, to have mercy. Consider that the world was established through mercy, and imitate the Master. A man’s mercy is upon his neighbor; but the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh.

Do not use a word of murmuring with your giving, as many do, giving, but not adding cheerfulness, which is greater and more perfect than the providing. Nor seek to test 15Ε_080 the one who is to receive, who is worthy, and who is not. For it is much better, I think, for the sake of the worthy to reach out also to the unworthy, than to deprive the worthy for the sake of the unworthy.

It is better to contribute according to one's ability, than to fail 769 completely. For not the one who was unable, but the one who was unwilling is at fault.

Become more honored to your neighbor, by appearing more useful. Become a god to the unfortunate, imitating the mercy of God.

The request must be measured to the one asking. For it is equally absurd to seek great things from one of little means, and little things from one of great means. For the one is inopportune; the other, petty.

Chrysost. When you nourish the poor, consider that you nourish yourself. For such is the nature of the matter, what is given departs from us to us.

Let us not fear a judge, who stretches out his hand before the tribunal. Let us not fear a judge who does not refuse to receive.

Of much senselessness, when one wants to buy a field, to seek out fertile land; but when heaven is set forth instead of earth, and it is possible to acquire a place there, to remain on the earth, and to endure its labors.

Greg. Nyss., He who has fellowship with the poor man will establish himself in the portion of Him who for our sakes became poor.

Nilus. Just as it is proper for light to give light, so it is proper for God to have mercy and pity His own creatures.

From the letter of Saint Irenaeus to Victor. If anyone is able to do good to his neighbors, and does not do it, he will be considered a stranger to the love of the Lord.

Of Philo. Be of such a sort toward your servants, as 15Ε_082 you pray God to be to you. For as we hear, so we will be heard by God; and as we see, so we will be seen by Him. Let us therefore offer mercy, that we may receive like for like.

Demosth. It is just to have mercy, not on the unjust among men, but on those who are undeservedly unfortunate.

19

Τυφλός οἶδεν ἐλεούμενος εἰς οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν χειραγωγεῖν· καί τοίχοις προσκρούων, καί βόθροις ἐνολισθαίνων, οὗτος ὁδοποιός γίνεται τῆς εἰς οὐρανόν ἀναβάσεως.

Τί ματαιοπονεῖς, ὦ πλούσιε, τά τῶν πενήτων ἐν τοῖς σοῖς θησαυροῖς ἀποκρύπτων; τί αἰτούμενος παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀγανακτεῖς, ὡς οἴκοθεν ἀναλίσκων; Τά πατρῷα θέλουσιν, οὐ τά σά· τά ἐγχειρισθέντα σοι δι᾿ αὐτούς, οὐ μετά σοῦ γεννηθέντα. Ἅ ἔλαβες, δός, καί τήν χρῆσιν κέρδανον. Ἀρκεῖ σοι ὅτι διδόναι, οὐ λαμβάνειν ἐτάχθης.

Οὐδέν οὕτως εὐφραίνει τόν Θεόν, ὡς ἐλεημοσύνη. ∆ιό οἱ ἱερεῖς κατά τό παλαιόν, ἔλαιον ἐχρίοντο, καί οἱ βασιλεῖς καί οἱ προφῆται. Τῆς γάρ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας εἶχον σύμβολον τό ἔλαιον. Ἐπειδή ὁ Θεός ἐλεεῖ τούς ἀνθρώπους καί φιλανθρωπεύεται, διά τοῦτο ἐλαίῳ ἐχρίοντο. Καί γάρ τήν ἱερωσύνην ἀπό ἐλέους ἐποίησεν· καί οἱ βασιλεῖς ἐλαίῳ ἐχρίοντο. Ἐλεήσει γάρ, φησί, πάντας, ὅτι πάντα δύναται. Τοῦτο γάρ ἀρχῆς ἴδιον, τό ἐλεεῖν. Ἐννόησον ὅτι δι᾿ ἔλεον ὁ κόσμος συνεστάθη, καί μίμησαι τόν ∆εσπότην. Ἔλεος ἀνθρώπου ἐπί τόν πλησίον αὐτοῦ· Ἔλεος δέ Κυρίου ἐπί πᾶσαν σάρκα.

Μή χρήσῃ ῥῆμα γογγυσμοῦ μετά τῆς ἐπιδόσεως, ὅπερ πάσχουσιν οἱ πολλοί, διδόντες μέν, τό δέ προθύμως οὐ προστιθέντες, ὅ τοῦ παρέχειν μεῖζόν ἐστι καί τελεώτερον. Μηδέ δοκιμασίαν 15Ε_080 ζήτει τοῦ ληψομένου, ὅστις ἄξιος, καί ὅστις οὔ. Πολλῷ γάρ βέλτιον, οἶμαι, διά τούς ἀξίους ὀρέγειν καί τοῖς ἀναξίοις, ἤ τούς ἀξίους ἀποστερεῖν δά τούς ἀναξίους.

Κρεῖσσον τό κατά δύναμιν εἰσενεγκεῖν, ἤ τό πᾶν 769 ἐλλείπειν. Οὐ γάρ ὁ μή δυηνηθείς, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μή βουληθείς ὑπαίτιος.

Γενοῦ τῷ πλησίον τιμιώτερος, ἐκ τοῦ φανῆναι χρηστότερος. Γενοῦ τῷ ἀτυχοῦντι θεός, τόν ἔλεον τοῦ Θεοῦ μιμούμενος.

Συμμετρεῖσθαι δεῖ τῷ αἰτουμένῳ τήν αἴτησιν. Ὁμοίως γάρ ἄτοπον παρά μικροῦ μεγάλα ζητεῖν, κκαί παρά μεγάλου μικρά. Τό μέν γάρ ἄκαιρον· τό δέ, σμικρολόγον.

Χρυσοστ.Ὅταν διαθρέψῃς τόν πένητα, σαυτόν νόμιζε διατρέφειν. Τοιαύτη γάρ ἡ τοῦ πράγματος φύσις, ἐξ ἡμῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς μεταχωρεῖ τά διδόμενα.

Μή φοβηθῶμεν δικαστήν, πρό τοῦ δικαστηρίου τήν χεῖρα προτείνοντα. Μή φοβηθῶμεν δικαστήν οὐκ ἀρνούμενον τό λαβεῖν.

Πολλῆς ἀλογίας, ἀγρόν μέν βουλόμενον ὠνήσασθαι, τήν εὔφορον γῆν ἐπιζητεῖν· οὐρανοῦ δέ ἀντί γῆς προκειμένου, παρόν ἐκεῖ κτήσασθαι χωρίον, μένειν ἐπί τῆς γῆς, καί τῶν ἐκ ταύτης ἀνέχεσθαι πόνων.

Γρηγ. Νύσσης, Ὁ πτωχῷ κοινωνήσας, εἰς τήν μερίδα τοῦ δι᾿ ἡμᾶς πτωχεύσαντος ἑαυτόν καταστήσει.

Νείλου. Καθάπερ ἴδιόν ἐστι τοῦ φωτός τό φωτίζειν, οὕτως ἴδιον Θεοῦ τό ἐλεεῖν καί οἰκτείρειν τά οἰκεῖα πλάσματα.

Τοῦ ἁγίου Εἰρηναίου ἐκ τῆς πρός Βίκτωρα ἐπιστολῆς. Ἐν ᾧ ἄν τις δύναιτο εὖ ποιεῖν τοῖς πλησίον, καί οὐ ποιεῖ, ἀλλότριος τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Κυρίου νομισθήσεται.

Φίλωνος. Τοιοῦτος γίνου περί τούς σούς οἰκέτας, οἷον 15Ε_082 εὔχῃ σοί τόν Θεόν γενέσθαι. Ὡς γάρ ἀκούομεν, ἀκουσθησόμεθα ὑπό τοῦ Θεοῦ· καί ὡς ὁρῶμεν, ὁραθησόμεθα ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Προενέγκωμεν οὖν τοῦ ἐλέου τόν ἔλεον, ἵνα τῷ ὁμοίῳ τό ὅμοιον ἀντιλάβωμεν.

∆ημοσθ. ∆ίκαιόν ἐστιν ἐλεεῖν, οὐ τούς ἀδίκους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλά τούς παρά λόγον δυστυχοῦντας.