On almsgiving

Almsgiving is an expression of love; Christian love is “the possibility of the impossible”, it means to see in another person, whoever he may be, Christ, Who has come into our life not merely for a “good deed” or for an exercise in philanthropy, but for the beginning of eternal communion with God.

Why must I give alms? Why must I give a part of the property I have gained by hard work to an unknown person? These are questions to which not only unbelievers but believers also seek an answer.

Happily for us, in Georgia there are a multitude of people who simply help a person in need. People who give mercy or alms lose nothing. In purely human understanding, mercy sooner or later certainly returns to him who showed it, often unexpectedly and many times greater than what was given. Strive that no one learn of your good: “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,

that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” (Matt. 6:3–5). The Lord also said: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matt. 9:13) — that is, what comes out of your heart.

Your alms may save your soul: “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7)

So too Jesus Christ says to the apostles: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matt. 10:40–42).

So too at the second coming, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall separate the righteous from those who have gone astray, He will say to them:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” (Matt. 25:34–45). By this Jesus Christ revealed to us that all that we give is not lost to us, but is reckoned to us with Jesus Christ.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:19–21)

And our bright-souled Shota Rustaveli teaches us the same: “What thou givest is thine; what thou givest not is lost.”

But with what are we to give alms, since often we ourselves have nothing? someone will ask. Yet there is that which even the poorest man can give. It is compassion, good counsel and prayer. So strive, beloved, to do works of mercy both for the living and for the departed. Very well, another will ask; granted that it is good to give mercy for the living, but how can we help the departed?

Of course the salvation of a soul is wholly in the will of the Lord; but let us know that our prayer helps the departed. At that time we ask of the Lord His boundless mercy for the one who has died. It is desirable that those close to him should prepare a memorial offering and have a memorial service sung in church on the departed one's birthday, on the day of his death and on his name day.

It is of particular importance for the departed if those close to him attend the services every Saturday and Sunday and on church feasts, receive Communion and send a prosphora into the altar for the commemoration of the departed one's soul. (For the departed a prosphora is sent into the altar, with a slip bearing the name or names of the departed.) In particular cases, by personal agreement with the spiritual father, commemoration of the departed at the chalice is also possible.

The seven works of bodily mercy

1. To feed the hungry. 2. To give drink to the thirsty. 3. To clothe the needy. 4. To take in strangers. 5. To visit the sick. 6. To visit prisoners. 7. To bury the dead.

The seven works of spiritual mercy

1. To convert sinners. 2. To teach the ignorant. 3. To help those who stumble. 4. To comfort the sorrowing. 5. To bear injustice. 6. To forgive those who have sinned. 7. To pray to God for the salvation of people.