THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
See Heb 12:26. And what is unshakable? The age to come. Let us therefore do everything to obtain these good things and to enjoy them. Yes, I beg and entreat you, let us be zealous for this.
No one builds in a city that is about to be destroyed. Tell me, I ask you: if someone said that one city would be destroyed in a year, and another would never be destroyed, would you build in the city doomed to fall?
For this reason I now say: let us not build in this world. It will soon be destroyed, and everything will perish. But why do I say that it will soon be destroyed? Before its destruction, we ourselves will perish, suffer, and depart from ourselves.
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Why do we build on sand? Let us build on the rock (Mt 7:25). Then, whatever may happen, our building will remain unbroken, and nothing will be able to destroy it.
This is certain, because that place is inaccessible to every assault, while this place is exposed. Here earthquakes, fires, and enemy invasions deprive us of our buildings while we are still alive. Often they destroy us together with them.
And if the building survives, then sickness overtakes us before it does. If sickness does not utterly strike us down, it does not allow us to enjoy it in peace. What pleasure is there where there are illnesses, slanders, envy, and plots?
Or, if none of these things happens, often we have no children. Therefore we lament and grieve, not knowing to whom we shall leave our houses and everything else. We are distressed that we labor for others.
Often our property passes as an inheritance to enemies, not only after our death, but even during our life. What could be more grievous than laboring for enemies, and multiplying one’s sins so that they may enjoy the fruits?
We see many examples of this in cities. I pass over them in silence, so as not to grieve those who have suffered loss. I could name some of them, recount many cases, and point out many houses whose owners became the enemies of those who labored over them.
Not only houses, but also slaves and the whole inheritance have often passed to enemies. Such are human goods. In heaven, however, there is no need to fear anything of the kind.
There another, an enemy, will not take the place of the one who has died, nor seize his inheritance. There is neither death nor enmity, but only the dwellings of the saints. Among these saints there is exultation, joy, and gladness.
"The voice of joy and salvation," says the Psalmist, "is in the dwellings of the righteous" (Ps 117:15). These dwellings are eternal and have no end. They do not fall through time, nor do they change their owners, but stand and flourish continually.
This is certain, because there is nothing corruptible or swiftly passing there. Everything is immortal and incorruptible. Let us therefore use our possessions for the construction of this building.
We shall need neither architects nor workmen. These houses are built by the hands of the poor, by the lame, the blind, and the needy. They build these dwellings.
Do not marvel at this, since they even obtain the Kingdom for us and give us boldness before God. Almsgiving is an excellent artist and the protectress of those who practice it. It is beloved by God and stands near Him.
It easily asks mercy for whomever it wishes, provided only that we do not offend it. It is offended when we practice it with stolen goods. But if it is pure, it gives great boldness to those who send it up to God.
Its power is such that it intercedes even for those who have fallen and sinned. It looses the bonds of Hades, drives away the darkness, quenches the flame, kills the worm, and delivers from the gnashing of teeth.
For it the gates of heaven are opened without hindrance. When a queen enters, none of the guards stationed at the doors dares ask who she is or whence she comes. All immediately receive her.
So it is also with almsgiving. It is truly a queen, making men like God. "Therefore be merciful," the Lord said, "as your Father also is merciful" (Lk 6:36).
It is light and swift-winged. It has golden wings and a flight that delights the angels. The Psalmist says that it has "the wings of a dove, covered with silver, and her shoulders with the gleam of gold" (Ps 67:14).
It flies like a dove, golden and living, endowed with a gentle gaze and a meek eye. Nothing is more beautiful than this eye. The peacock is beautiful, but compared with this dove it is a crow.
So beautiful and wondrous is this bird. It constantly looks upward and is surrounded by the great glory of God. It is a virgin with golden wings, adorned and having a white and meek face.
It is light and swift-winged, and it stands before the royal throne. When we are brought to judgment, it suddenly flies in, appears, and delivers us from punishment, overshadowing us with its wings.
It is more pleasing to God than sacrifice. He often speaks of it, so dear is it to Him. "The Lord upholds the orphan, the widow, and the poor," says the Psalmist (Ps 145:9).
God Himself loves to be called by its name. "The Lord is compassionate and merciful," David says, "long-suffering and plenteous in mercy," and true (Ps 144:8; Num 14:18). Again, "Your mercy is great unto the heavens" (Ps 56:11; Ps 102:11).
It saved the human race. If God had not had mercy on us, everything would have perished. It reconciled us when we were enemies. It bestowed countless blessings upon us.
It moved the Son of God to become a servant and to empty Himself. Let us therefore, beloved, be zealous for that by which we have been saved. Let us love it and prefer it to riches.
Even without riches, let us keep our soul merciful. Nothing distinguishes a Christian so much as almsgiving. Nothing so astonishes unbelievers and everyone else as works of mercy.
We often need this mercy ourselves, and every day we cry out to God: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy" (Ps 50:3). We ourselves begin works of mercy beforehand.
Or rather, we do not begin first. God Himself has already shown His mercy toward us. Let us therefore, beloved, follow Him, even if from behind. If men show mercy to the merciful, even when he has committed many sins, much more will God.
Hear the prophet who says: "But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God" (Ps 51:10). Let us be like the olive tree. Let us fence ourselves on every side with the commandments.
It is not enough merely to be an olive tree. One must also be fruitful. There are people who give alms sparingly, or once in the whole year, or once each week, or only by chance.
They are olive trees, but not fruitful ones, and even dry ones. As giving alms, they are olive trees. As not giving generously, they are unfruitful olive trees.
Let us therefore be fruitful. I have often said, and now repeat, that the greatness of almsgiving is measured not by the quantity given, but by the disposition of the giver.
You know the Gospel account of the widow. It is good always to call this example to mind, so that even the poor man may not despair, remembering her who put in two mites.
At the building of the tabernacle some brought goat’s hair (Ex 35:26), yet even they were not rejected. If those who had gold had brought goat’s hair, they would have been accursed.
But since those who brought it had only this, they were not rejected. So also Cain was condemned, not because he offered something of little value, but because he offered the least valuable of all he had.
"Cursed is the deceiver," says the prophet, "who has in his flock an unblemished male, yet offers to the Lord what is blemished" (Mal 1:14). He did not speak simply, but said this of one who has and keeps back.
Therefore one who does not have is not subject to condemnation. Or rather, he is even worthy of reward. What is smaller than two mites, or more insignificant than goat’s hair?
What is of less value than a measure of flour? Yet God was pleased to receive even this equally with calves and gold. "For if there is eagerness, it is accepted according to what one has, not according to what one does not have" (2 Cor 8:12).
Again, "Do not withhold good from the needy," says the Wise One, "when your hand has power to do it" (Prov 3:27). Therefore I exhort you: let us willingly distribute our possessions to the poor.
Even if they are few, we shall receive a reward equal to those who give much, and even greater than those who distribute thousands of talents. If we do this, we shall receive ineffable treasures from God.
This will be so if we not only hear, but also do; not only approve, but show it in deed. May we all be counted worthy of these things, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ.
With Him, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.