Sermon 350C
SERMO 350/C On the 23rd lesson of the season of Christmas. Wishing you peace, brothers, in the name of the Lord, in whom and through whom our good will is renewed. For He prevails, our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He is our propitiation, who offers Himself for us and intercedes for us. As therefore we have heard the holy Gospel, let us consider what we have celebrated, so that our souls may be kindled unto God. For today the blessed martyr Bishop Stephen is to be honored, who first among all combatants carried the standard of righteousness and courageously overcame the enemy, following in the footsteps of his Master and Lord. Therefore, beloved, we must understand that the same day is both noble and sacred, on which His Majesty has chosen to unite the birth of the King with the passion of the soldier. This day's glory surpasses the rest, since it honors in double celebration the birth of Christ and the victory of Stephen. When the holy martyrs emulate their King by conquering for righteousness, let us celebrate such heroes with worthy reverence, for it is right that we should make our offerings of prayers for those having left a glorious example for us to follow. So, brethren, let us be encouraged by their triumphs and fortified by their intercessions, that we may obtain assistance of even greater merit. Let us cling to Christ with our whole affection, joining with the faithful martyrs who have gone before us, that by following their example and supported by their prayers, we may attain the same reward. Amen.
SERMON ON ALMSGIVING
Give from what you have, so that you may receive what you do not have.
O man, fragile in body, changeable in time, dissolvable in death, burdened with honors, wearied with anxieties, listen to my advice: Relieve yourself by giving to the poor what you have acquired through your labors; give something to the one who has nothing, for you yourself have nothing, for you never possess eternal life; therefore give from what you have, so that you may receive what you do not have. A beggar knocks on your door; you knock on the door of your Lord. God does with His beggar as you do with yours; therefore give, and it will be given to you. If you refuse, it is your choice. For the poor man cries out and says to you: "I ask for bread and you do not give; you ask for life and do not receive; let us see which of us suffers the greater loss, I who am deprived of a morsel, or you who are deprived of eternal life; I who am chastised in the belly, or you in the mind; after all, I who burn with hunger, or you who are to be burned with fire and flames forever?" I do not know whether the pride of the rich man can respond to these words of the poor man. The Lord says to give to everyone who asks of you. If to everyone, how much more to the needy and miserable, whose emaciation and pallor beg, whose tongue is silent, whose squalor and groans request alms.
Weigh eternal life with your little morsel.
Listen to me, O rich man, and let my counsel please you: redeem your sins with alms, do not depend on gold; naked you came out of your mother's womb, naked you will return to the earth; and if you will return naked to the earth, for whom do you amass it on the earth? I believe if you could take anything with you, you would have swallowed men alive. Behold, you will return naked, why do you not distribute the money gathered either well or poorly? Send forth where you are going, make transfers of perishable things, so that you may reach the kingdom of heaven. For if you gave a man ten coins, for which he would later return a hundred to you, how much would you rejoice, how much joy of soul would you exult in! If you rejoice in such exchanges, lend to your Lord, give to your God from what is His own; for He will repay you with multiplied interest. Do you want to know how abundantly He will repay you? For a piece of bread, for a coin, for a tunic, you receive eternal life, the kingdom of heaven, endless bliss. Weigh eternal life, everlasting riches, against your piece of bread—there is no comparison; for you give the earth and receive Him who made heaven and earth. For He is indeed our reward, without whom the rich man begs, and with whom the poor man is most abundantly rich. For what does the rich man have, if he does not have God? What does the poor man not have, if he has God?