HOMILY 12 #

On Thursday of the First Week of the Fast, Concerning the Words from the Book of the Prophet Haggai: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.”

Question: God, through the prophet Haggai, says: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” Does this mean that every person becomes wealthy by God’s hand?

Answer: Some say, as it is written: “I will give to whom I will.” But this is the reasoning of the foolish and the lovers of gold. If someone has gathered wealth through warfare, robbery, theft, injustice, plunder, bribes, usury, or violence, how can he say that he received it from God? Such a gathering is wickedness and leads to the ruin of the soul. But if someone has become wealthy through a righteous life, as Job, Abraham, and others did, through their own labor, then such a one may say with Job: “The Lord gave.”

All unjust wealth shall perish, for “he that gathereth riches, gathereth them for another, and not for himself.” Wealth is good when there is no sin in it. The Lord says: “I love righteousness, and hate robbery and injustice.” If God is righteousness, then do not engage in injustice, and let no wealth come from another’s loss. If your riches are not gained through the tears of others, if no one has hungered while you were full, if no one has sighed in distress while you had abundance, then your bread is of God, such fruit is righteous, and such grain is pure.

If someone distributes rightful possessions to those in need, he will receive a hundredfold reward from God. But if he hoards it for himself, he will be condemned to torment. From such a one, no good shall come, for by leaving behind his labors, he loses his own salvation, yet his wealth helps him not at all. Solomon rightly said: “He that gathereth riches unjustly, and hath no mercy on the poor, gathereth eternal torment for himself because of his violence.”

Not having mercy on the poor, he gathers torment for himself, but for another—an inheritance. What then shall be said? Many oppress, and yet they seem to prosper? If one man hath robbed by violence, and another holdeth the spoils, is not both guilty? He that hath gathered through injustice, and he that sustains himself upon it, are alike condemned. He that gathered sins, wrath, and anger, and he that partaketh of his sin and wrath shall be judged with him. Therefore, if you know something was taken by oppression, return it, and do as Zacchaeus did, adding of your own goods, that you may receive a reward, while the other receives torment.

Do not mix your wealth with the tears of others, for as moth and rust consume, so shall it be destroyed. “Weep, ye that have been wronged,” it is said, “not for yourselves, but for those that have wronged you; for they have not harmed you, but have destroyed themselves.” You shall have a place in the Kingdom of Heaven, but they—a place in the fire. As the prophets wept, saying: “Woe to them that join house to house and field to field, and build their houses without righteousness.”

How then do some say that wealth and poverty both come from God? Do we not see many who have grown rich through robbery, sorcery, oppression, theft, falsehood, and seizing what belongs to others? How then shall it be said that such wealth is from God and not from sin? A harlot may grow rich by dishonoring her body, and a handsome youth may become wealthy through much fornication—yet is this wealth from God, as was the wealth of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or Job?

Therefore, as Job said: “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” Poverty, too, can be from God, as Christ said to the rich man: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor.” That which the righteous receive from God, they distribute according to God’s commandments. But that which the rich squander with harlots and drunkards, or hoard without giving to the poor, such gathering is an abomination before God, as also is its loss.

Understand, then, what poverty does not come from God: If one loses his substance through drinking, through luxurious feasting, through fornication, through folly, and through gambling, and thereby becomes poor, is it not clear that he himself is to blame for his poverty? Let no one say that all poverty and all wealth are given by God.

Question: Where is it more beneficial to offer possessions: to the Church or to the poor?

Answer: The Lord praises those who stand at his right hand, saying: “Come, ye blessed of my Father.” And he remembers nothing else but only that which was given to the poor, to strangers, to the naked, and to those in prison. However, if there are certain churches that are in need, it is beneficial to give to them as well. But what benefit is there in offering to wealthy churches? For in many churches, what is gathered is either stolen by thieves, taken by soldiers, or consumed by fire.

To build churches is not forbidden to anyone, but to have no mercy on the poor is to invite the fire that is never quenched and torment with the demons. Build churches, but do not neglect the needy—showing mercy to the poor is a more true offering to God. For in churches, even the unbelieving and murderers may seize what is given; but what is given as alms to the hungry and naked, not even the devil can steal, for this wealth is stored in a place where it cannot be taken.

Great Basil said: “God is able to feed his servants, but he has given us the opportunity for our own salvation.” And again, “According to your giving, I will repay you.” If you have honored a saint, or fed a poor man, you have honored God, who said: “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.” And again: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

To our God be glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.