[With What Fear Men Ought to Partake of the Lord’s Oblations.]
V. We exhort, therefore, the widows and orphans to partake of those things that are bestowed upon them with all fear, and all pious reverence, and to return thanks to God who gives food to the needy, and to lift up their eyes to Him. For, says He, “Which of you shall eat, or who shall drink without Him? For He openeth His hand, and filleth every living thing with His kindness: giving wheat to the young men, and wine to the maidens, and oil for the joy of the living, grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men, flesh for the wild beasts, seeds for the birds, and suitable food for all creatures.” 6 Eccles. ii. 25, LXX.; Ps. cxlv. 16; Zech. ix. 17, LXX.; Ps. civ. 14, 15. Wherefore the Lord says: 7 One V. ms. reads, “Thus also did the Lord exhort His disciples, saying.” “Consider the fowls of heaven, 8 The words in italics are not in one V. ms. that they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns, and your Father feedeth them. Are not ye much better than they? Be not therefore solicitous, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? For your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” 9 Matt. vi. 26, 31, 32. Since ye therefore enjoy such a providential care from Him, and are partakers of the good things that are derived from Him, you ought to return praise to Him that receives the orphan and the widow, to Almighty God, through His beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord; through whom 10 One V. ms. reads, “with whom be glory to Him, with the Spirit.” glory be to God in spirit and truth for ever. Amen.
[5] Παραινοῦμεν οὖν ταῖς χήραις καὶ τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς μετὰ παντὸς φόβου καὶ πάσης εὐλαβείας μεταλαμβάνειν τῶν αὐτοῖς χορηγουμένων, καὶ εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ τῷ διδόντι τοῖς πεινῶσι τροφὴν καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῷ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκτείνειν. «Τίς γάρ, φησίν, ὑμῶν φάγεται ἢ τίς πίεται παρὲξ αὐτοῦ; Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀνοίγει τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐμπιπλᾷ πᾶν ζῷον εὐδοκίας, σῖτον νεανίσκοις καὶ οἶνον παρθένοις καὶ ἔλαιον εἰς εὐφροσύνην τῶν ζώντων, χόρτον τοῖς κτήνεσιν καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κρέα τοῖς θηρίοις, σπέρματα τοῖς ὀρνέοις καὶ πᾶσι τὴν πρόσφορον τροφήν.» Διό φησιν καὶ ὁ Κύριος: «Καταμάθετε τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν τρέφει αὐτά: οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; Μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες: τί φάγομεν ἢ τί πίομεν; Οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν, ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων.» Τοσαύτης οὖν τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ προνοίας ἀπολαύοντες καὶ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ μεταλαμβάνοντες ἀγαθῶν, αἶνον ἀναπέμπειν ὀφείλετε τῷ ὀρφανὸν καὶ χήραν ἀναλαμβάνοντι παντοκράτορι Θεῷ διὰ τοῦ ἠγαπημένου Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, δι' οὗ ἡ δόξα τῷ Θεῷ ἐν Πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας: ἀμήν.