Diadochos of Photiki: The Lord will demand from us an account

“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.

“The Law figuratively commands men to work for six days and on the seventh day to rest (cf. Exodus 20:9-10). The term ‘work’ when applied to the soul signifies acts of kindness and generosity by means of our possession — that is, through material things. But the soul’s rest and repose is to sell everything and ‘give to the poor’ (Matthew 19:21), as Christ Himself said; so through its lack of possessions it will rest from its work and devote itself to spiritual hope. Such is the rest into which Paul also exhorts us to enter, saying: ‘Let us strive therefore to enter that rest’ (Hebrews 4:11).”

Mark the Faster (fifth century) was also discipled of John Chyrsostom (as was Neilos of Sinai cited yesterday). His works are recounted 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) 137.

God made us to work and rest. He also gave us instructions about what to do with the fruit of work. We are to enjoy it and deploy it to those in need. When we hoard it for ourselves we actually fail to experience the rest God intends for us (think: we are a slave to whatever we think we own, as God owns everything). But that’s not all we miss out on. With this reading, the wise student of one of the most famous preachers in the early church deciphers a deeper spiritual truth.

People who fail to follow God’s design for work and handling possessions do not enter “rest” — that is, these souls miss out on grasping the “spiritual hope” offered to them. So worrying about what they have stockpiled distracts them from seeking God first and experiencing the hope they have in Him. Pray with me as I talk about the integration of faith and work in God’s economy with a group of pastors and lay leaders in Arkansas today that they will grasp this profound truth.

“Detachment is the mark of a perfect soul, whereas it is characteristic of an imperfect soul to be worn down with anxiety about material things. The perfect soul is called a ‘lily among thorns’ (Song of Solomon 2:2), meaning that it lives with detachment in the midst of those who are troubled by such anxiety. For in the Gospel the lily signifies the soul that is detached from worldly care: ‘They do not toil or spin . . . yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them’ (Matthew 6:28-29).

But of those who devote much anxious thought to bodily things, it is said: ‘All the life of the ungodly is spent in anxiety’ (Job 15:20, LXX). It is indeed ungodly to pass one’s whole life worrying about bodily things and to give no thought to the blessings of the age to come — to spend all one’s time on the body, though it does not need much attention, and not to devote even a passing moment to the soul, though the journey before it is so great that a whole lifetime is too short to bring it to perfection. Even if we do seem to allot a certain amount of time to it, we do this carelessly and lazily, for we are always being attracted by visible things.”

Neilos of Sinai (died c. 430) 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) 244-245.

Feeling warn down? Anxious about bodily things? Attracted by visible things? Don’t be careless and lazy! It’s time to press on to perfection. Remember, “perfect” in the ancient Mediterranean mind means “mature” and “imperfect” means “immature” so don’t let the language confuse you.

I returned safely last night from Milwaukee, WI, and tonight am flying to Little Rock, AR, to teach at an Anglican Mission Clergy Retreat. Father, give me strength and wisdom to point those I serve to “perfection” by your Holy Spirit. Do this I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen!

“Light is the property of a star, as simplicity and humility are the property of a holy and God-fearing [person]. Nothing distinguishes more clearly the disciples of Christ than a humble spirit and a simple way of life. The four Gospels should shout this aloud.”

Hesychios the Priest (c. eighth century) in “On Watchfulness and Holiness” 83, 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) 176.

Thanks for your prayers. The teaching time went well in Milwaukee yesterday. Before flying home tonight I will spend the day with Tim Dittloff and other fellow disciples of Christ to encourage their simplicity and humility, for without these traits, our lives cannot reflect generosity.

“The more they place their hope in the Lord with regard to all things that concern them, whether of soul or body, the more they will find that the Lord provides for them. In the end they will regard themselves as lower than all other creatures because of God’s many gifts, visible and invisible, bestowed on both soul and body . . . The more they give thanks to Him and try forcibly to exert themselves for the sake of His love, the more God draws them through His gifts and longs to fill them with peace.”

Peter of Damascus (twelfth century) Christian monk and theologian in “The Classification of Prayer” in The Philokalia: The Complete Text, compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St. Makarius of Corinth, Volume 3 (London: Faber & Faber, 1984) 146.

Today I am teaching on “Extravagant and Impactful Generosity” in Wisconsin, and I picked this meditation from my reading of the Orthodox Church Fathers as it indirectly relates to my topic. Conference attendees are coming today because they want to see extravagant and impactful generosity unleashed in their lives and among those they serve.

Peter of Damascus would suggest that it will happen when God’s people “place their hope in the Lord” in prayer. In so doing, they will be transformed to see the generosity of God, which causes them to live into the power of His love, experience His peace, and subsequently serve as conduits of His blessings as recipients of “God’s many gifts” both visible and invisible. Join me in praying that each hearer today, as well as each reader of these meditations, will grasp that such generosity is rooted in truth, lived out by faith, and empowered by God’s love!

“He who forsakes all worldly desires sets himself above all worldly distress. He who loves God will certainly love his neighbor as well. Such a person cannot hoard money, but distributes it in a way befitting God, being generous to everyone in need. He who gives alms in imitation of God does not discriminate between the wicked and the virtuous, the just and the unjust…He gives equally to all according to their need.”

Maximus the Confessor (580-662) Christian monk, theologian, and scholar, in “Four Hundred Texts on Love” in The Philokalia: The Complete Text, compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St. Makarius of Corinth, Volume 2 (London: Faber & Faber, 1981) 55. Of the 400 texts, these are numbered 22-24.

Many people say we should only give to those who are deserving of our assistance. Alternatively, Maximus calls us to imitate God and give as God gives, generously to everyone. How will you and I give? Before we answer, let us reflect on this profound truth recounted by Paul in Romans 5:8. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

I am flying to Milwaukee tonight to speak at a conference tomorrow. Pray for safe travel and good rest tonight. Also please pray that God would show each of us avenues for serving both noble neighbors as well as the most undeserving people we know, and that He will fill us with His love to bless each of them according to their need, so as to imitate the generosity of God.

“Accepting the task of hospitality, the patriarch used to sit at the entrance to his tent (cf. Genesis 18:1), inviting all who passed by, and his table was laden for all comers including the impious and barbarians, without distinction. Hence he was found worthy of that wonderful banquet when he received angels and the Master of all as his guests.

We too, then should actively and eagerly cultivate hospitality, so that we may receive not only angels, but also God Himself. For ‘inasmuch’, says the Lord, ‘as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren you have done it to Me’ (Matthew 25:40). It is good to be generous to all, especially those who cannot repay you.”

Theodore of Edessa (9th century) monk from the monastery of St. Sabas near Jerusalem in “A Century of Spiritual Texts” in The Philokalia: The Complete Text, compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St. Makarius of Corinth, Volume 2 (London: Faber & Faber, 1981) 32-33. These days I am reading from the four volumes of the writings of the Orthodox Church Fathers. Fascinating stuff.

Yesterday we hosted a Connecticut couple here in Colorado, Mark and Kate Whitsitt. They are considering moving here as Mark may study at Denver Seminary. We met them at Camp Spofford in New Hampshire when I taught there this past summer.

What a joy to go for a walk with them near our home, to drive to Idaho Springs to get pizza at Beau Jo’s, and to pray over them regarding their future. Hospitality is a facet of generosity. On the surface it costs you something, but in God’s economy the blessing you receive far outweighs any expense.

“The Lord wants us to love one another. Here is freedom: in love for God and neighbor. In this freedom, there is equality. In earthly orders, there may not be equality, but this is not important for the soul. Not everyone can be a king, not everyone a patriarch, or a boss. But in any position it is possible to love God and to please Him, and only this is important.”

St. Silouan the Athonite (1866-1938) in Wisdom from Mount Athos: The Writings of Staretz Silouan (New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2001) VI.23.

Think of it this way, regardless of our station in life, we can love God and neighbor generously because God has generously lavished His love on us. So what are we waiting for?

I am thankful to be at home for a few days and grateful that God led me to focus on His generous love toward me, because it renews my strength to go love and serve others.

“Human beings have accumulated in their coffers gold and silver, clothes more sumptuous than useful, diamonds and other objects that are evidence of war and tyranny; then a foolish arrogance hardens their hearts; for their brothers in distress, no pity. What utter blindness! …Attend not to the law of the strong but to the law of the Creator. Help nature to the best of your ability, honor the freedom of creation, protect your species from dishonor, come to its aids in sickness, rescue it from poverty…Seek to distinguish yourself from others only in your generosity. Be like gods to the poor, imitating God’s mercy. Humanity has nothing so much in common with God as the ability to do good.”

Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 325-389), one of the four doctors of the Eastern Church in his treatise, On Love of Poor.

What a punchline! “Humanity has nothing so much in common with God as the ability to do good.” The question for each of us is this: Will we?

Will we imitate God’s mercy (that means, not give people what they deserve), and instead, distinguish ourselves from others in our generosity (that means, give them grace and favor they don’t deserve)?

As I explore generous love in the church fathers, it seems they rightly equate it with God and His posture toward us. Again, will we imitate Him and have this posture toward others?

Saint Augustine, a bishop in Northern Africa in the fourth century gave this answer to the question: What does love look like? “It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) as recounted by William C. Graham in 100 Days Closer to Christ (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2014) 92.

Yesterday’s meditation got me thinking about what generous love looks like, and so did a great trip to the Philippines where God’s servants were so loving and kind. I intend to explore that in the minds of the saints through the centuries in the coming days. For Augustine, it is clear: generous love looks like the way Jesus ministered to the poor and needy.

Do people know what love looks like by watching you and me?