The saints serve as our guides in serving the poor
Our Orthodox Church is very clear in her teaching regarding the poor. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us by His example as the great philanthropos, and we can do nothing less than follow His example. Christ commanded us to love and serve the poor and the hungry. He told us we must care for the sick and suffering, and that we must visit those in prisons, and cloth the naked.
The Church’s liturgical hymns and seasons are filled with the commemoration of saints who were known for their love of the poor. Saint Basil the Great of the third century established Church sponsored hospitals and mental institutions. Saint Nicholas of Myra of Lycia distributed money to those in need. Saint John the Almsgiver was one of the most charitable Patriarchs of the Byzantine Empire. Saint Joseph of Volokhlamsk emphasized the ancient monastic tradition of hospitality and care for the poor, and Saint Elizabeth the Grand Duchess established hospitals for the poor and destitute in Russia. The newly canonized saint, Mother Maria Skobtsova, served soup kitchens and established houses of hospitality in World War II France.
These holy saints provided unique examples to the rest of us of what it means to be Christians. They showed forth the Light of Christ by following His example of love for the poor, by giving of their talents, time and money to those in need. Orthodox Christians told up the saints as exemplary people whose lives are worthy of emulating. They show us the way to live out the Gospels, and point, by their lives, the Way of Christ.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Abbot Tryphon recording a podcast for Ancient Faith Radio.
Monday January 26, 2015 / January 13, 2015
34th Week after Pentecost. Tone eight.
Afterfeast of the Theophany.
Martyrs Hermylus and Stratonicus at Belgrade (315).
Venerable Irinarch of Rostov (1616).
Venerable Eleazar of Anzersk Island at Solovki (1656).
Martyr Peter of Anium, at Eleutheropolis (1st c.).
Venerable James, bishop of Nisibis (350).
Venerable Maximus of Kapsokalyvia Skete, Mt. Athos (1364) (Greek).
Martyrs Athanasius.
St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers (369).
Martyrs Pachomius and Papyrinus in Greece (Greek).
Scripture Readings for the Day
1 Peter 2:21-3:9
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Submission to Husbands
3 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
A Word to Husbands
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Called to Blessing
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
Mark 12:13-17
The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?
13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”
But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16 So they brought it.
And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
And they marveled at Him.
Father Abbot, I am unclear as to the essential difference between the 19th century workhouse and the ancient Orthodox “hospitals” that you cite, aside from the fact that the workhouses were run by state and local governments while the hospitals were (usually) operated by the Church. Similarly, you mentioned direct financial aide to the poor that seems indistinguishable from government welfare, aside from the fact that the aide that you extol is offered as voluntary charity. Is your ultimate point then to valorize VOLUNTARY personal charity as opposed to mandated impersonal government welfare? Basically, what is peculiarly Orthodox about the hospitals as opposed to these workhouses? Didn’t the poor ever need to work in these hospitals? Are you suggesting that there was no social stigma attached to acquiring assistance at these hospitals? I would appreciate whatever clarification you might offer.
Very interesting questions!
There are some considerable differences between workhouses—in both the British and American versions—and Byzantine hospitals. Byzantine charity institutions and hospitals were sites where the poor (Christian and non-Christian alike) were provided with free healthcare, housing, food, alms, clothing, elder care or hospice care. They were not workhouses, they were relief houses. Some of these institutions (such as St. Basil’s fourth century Basiliad) provided work training and housing for the mentally ill, the most despised members of society. There might have been a social stigma on the part of society for those in those situations, but this was eradicated as the honor/shame system of evaluation of a person gave way to Christian, monastic charity. In fact, theologically the poor were seen as necessary, for they provided the wealthy with opportunity to demonstrate charity (a problematic view, certainly, and no one holds this view in Orthodoxy now). What is “Orthodox” about hospitals in the Byzantine Empire, then, is that free services were provided to those in need, those in despair, those on the margins of society, and there was no expectation that those who received care needed to earn the care and love they were given. Like Jesus’ care for the starving and ill, Byzantine hospitals (staffed largely by male and female monastics and funded by bishops) provided care for the frail bodies of anyone who darkened the door. If you have interest in further exploration of this topic, I can provide you with both primary and secondary sources on this topic. I hope this is helpful. Dr. Brenda Llewellyn Ihssen.
Very informative! Thank you for the comment!