“The Lord will demand from us an account of our help to the needy according to what we have and not according to what we have not (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:12).”
Diadochos of Photiki (c. 450-500) in “On Spiritual Knowledge and Discrimination” 66, in The Philokalia: The Complete Text, compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St. Makarius of Corinth, Volume 1 (London: Faber & Faber, 1979) 274.
Today’s post seems like a fitting one to wrap up my recent exploration of the Orthodox Church Fathers. Helping the poor is not optional! Someday we will have to give an account of what we did with what we had. What account will you give?
Tomorrow, I will shift to exploring generosity in the thinking of contemporary voices from around the world. That’s the focus of my reading now as I arrived safely in San Diego late last night. My wife came in earlier yesterday. We are here to visit our daughter, Sophie, at San Diego Christian College.