The 'six acts of compassion'

[Irene]

Dear Fathers and List Members

I just read the following and it's troubling me:

"According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, both the righteous and the sinners will be judged according to six requirements: giving food to the hungry, providing drink to the thirsty, showing hospitality to the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and visiting prisoners. By rendering these acts of compassion to the least of our brothers, we perform them for Christ Himself.”

I am a little confused by how to go about doing all of these acts of compassion.

I am just about never asked for money on the streets - so would giving money to charity would cover feeding giving drink and clothing the needy?

No strangers ever ask me for hospitality and I would be afraid of them if they did.

I understand the visiting the sick and therefore I think that I understand visiting prisoners.

Please correct my errors and give me some pointers.

Thankyou

Irene.

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Irene,

The following commentary on Matthew 25:31-46 is taken from the Blessed Theophylact's Commentary on the Gospel of St Matthew (p.221): "You, then, O reader flee from this absence of compassion, and practice almsgiving, both tangible & spiritual. If you give food & drink to him who hungers & thirsts for teaching, you have given food & drink to Christ. For within the Christian there is Christ, and faith is nourished and increased by teaching. If you should see someone who has become a stranger to his heavenly fatherland, take him in with you. While you yourself are entering into the heavens, lead him in as well, lest while you preach to others, you yourself be rejected. If a man should cast off the garment of incorruption which he had at his baptism, so that he is naked, clothe him;and if one should be infirm in faith, as Paul says, help him; and visit him who is shut up in the dark prison of the body and give him counsel which is as light to him. Perform, then, all these six types of love, both bodily & spiritually, for we consist of both soul & body, and these acts of love are to be accomplished by both."

There are many instructions such as these to be found in the Holy Fathers.

In Christ- Fr R

[Justin]

While I wouldn't be so bold as to say that what you quoted is wrong, I don't think it would be good to take it as the end-all of salvation. Salvation can be attained by the hermit who never even sees anyone else physically (let alone helping others or giving them money). Likewise, if a layman never sets foot in a jail, this doesn't mean he or she can't be saved. Matthew might have said those things... but then the Apostles said that you had to "acknowledge Jesus with your lips," and that "faith comes by hearing": but certainly we wouldn't say that deaf and mute people can't be saved. Perhaps the quote you gave was more of an attempt to encourage and edify, than to give a definition of how we are saved? Indeed, if salvation is a mystery, we couldn't hope to define how one is saved, but must settle for various descriptions of how one can be saved.

[Daniel Jeandet]

Maybe you could give food to the hungry by offering a comforting word to someone who is sad, provide drink to the thirsty by sharing your faith with a friend, show hospitality to the stranger by giving some money to the Church or a charity (no-one is stranger than the ones we never even see), cloth the naked by covering someone elses sins, and visit the sick and imprisoned in your heart by praying for those who are afflicted both in this life and in the torments of hell.

[Irene]

Dear Father Raphael, Daniel & Justin,

Thankyou for your responses to my posting. I have to read them over again, you have given me a lot to think about. I had been thinking I had to go out and find people to help and in the past this has been disastrous for me and my children.

Probably the first book I ever read, as an Orthodox Christian, was The Way of A Pilgrim. From memory people keep taking him in feeding him, giving him shelter and then sending him on his way with a little bread or something for his journey. It would be so ideal to be able to take people in like that - to have complete faith in God and accept all the consequences, with love, whether they be good or bad. However I am weak and haven't been able to cope with the bad consequences and now all I want is to be alone with my children.

I will pray as you say, and give as much as I can to help those in need.

Irene

[Richard Leigh]

Dear Irene,

It isn't so much about following rules as about recognizing the ruler when (and in whom) he comes, and living accordingly.

To see Christ- the King of Ages in someone who is poverty stricken, homeless, starving, on the deathbed or recovering from surgery --- it is to serve him where we find him, where he presents himself to us.

So, don't worry about what you have not been gifted to do, but do as unto the Lord whatever need you can fill.

Peace,

Richard

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Irene,

In all things our Faith is ascetic, ie one of self-denial in Christ. But it also must be a struggle guided by discernment; first from our parish priest who is a father who regards us as part of a unique spiritual family; and then from those whom we can spiritually trust.

Think of God's love- each of us has a struggle personally given, exactly the right measure known by God. Too much and we break- too little and we wither on the vine. Thru trust in God thru trust in those we should trust we reap good fruit and heal.

In Christ- Fr R

[Fr Averky]

Dear Irene,

I am sure in one way or another, or in many ways, you have fulfilled these Acts of Mercy, a term I do not myself remember ever having heard.

No matter what part of the country I have lived, there are countless opportunities to
Feed the hungry-Food banks, food drives, dontations at holidays, contributing with money or time at benefits for unfortunate citizens (very common in this are) volunteering at soup kitchens, and many other ways. Entering or donating as a patron to various Marathons and Walks for..." "Sending gifts packs to our armed forces during conflict.

Alas,, since there are a ever growing number of Homeless Shelters, You can give hopitality to strangers, feed the hungry, and give drink to the thirsty and clothe the naked by donation of food, time, clothing and so on to these food shelters.

Even God's animals can be seen to by donating to local animal shelters, or to help programs of spaying cats and dogs. Leaving off food; We have a very large animal shelter in our area, and its policy is to destroy no animal, but to provide for its welfare until it finds a home.. One Winter about five years ago,, the director of the Shelter went on local television news and appealed for dog food, especially dry. "We have only enough food to last a few days, if we stretch it very far. Won't you please help God's creatures?" Instructions were given to drop off donations near the fron entrance. The very next morning, a total of 7,800 lbs of dog foor and 3,000 lbs of cat food were neatly stacked in front of the building. I gave some money to a friend of mine to buy some as my donation, as did he, and he said that when he got there, traffic had to be rerouted due to the long line of cars answereing the call.

And further, Irene, I am sure that you have done countless little kindnesses throughout your life of which you never even think. Justin is right when he says that these acts are not a "method," but in fact are a good outline of simply living a good Christian life.

Forgive me, but your desire to "do" what you read in the Way of the Pilgrim is a perfect example of why it is best for those of us who are new or not yet educated in our Faith, read the Lives of the Saints, The New Testament and say our prayers regularly. When we read a book and ar given to understand the words oprinted on paper, we most often do not realize that the reql mening can only be accomplished by struggle, fasting, but most of all, humility. As I have ad nauseum, the Way of the Pilgrim is one of the most over-read and least understood books concerning Orthodoxy available in English.

Irene, try to live you life basically as you are, and you will be fine.

Fr. Averky

[Irene]

Thankyou Father Averky, Father Raphael and Richard for your posts.

All your responses have been a big help to me and I appreciate your effort. I think, I understand, how getting too worried about not being as good at Lent or Prayer or Christian Acts as other people is not helping me. Instead I will replace worry with prayer.

Irene

Please pray for the Orthodox Christian children Christina, 16; Genevieve 16; and Alexander;13. Please also pray for Andrew, the person who brought me to Orthodoxy; his Orthodox daughter Xenia (12 years); and his non-baptised daughter Pelagia (4 years) and for the (non-Orthodox) women Brigid and Virginnia.

Note: (because I forgot to site my source in my first msgs no.8) The Original Quote in my msg no. 8 was from an Orthodox Website that I came across, http://www.theologic.com/oflweb/feasts/4preparatorysundays.htm ; I also thought I remembered them from my prayer book and The Bible.

** From "The Orthodox Prayer Book" Third Edition; South Canaan, PA, USA, 1975 Approved by Metropolitan Leonty NY July 1, 1957 The seven corporal works of mercy:- 1: To feed the hungry, 2: To give drink to the thirsty; 3: To clothe the naked; 4: To harbour the harbourless; 5: To visit the sick; 6: To visit the imprisoned; 7: To bury the dead.

The seven spiritual works of mercy:- 1: To admonish sinners; 2: To instruct the ignorant; 3: To counsel the doubtful; 4: To pray to the Lord for the salvation of thy neighbour. 5: To comfort the sorrowful; 6: To bear wrongs patiently; 7: To forgive all injuries.

[Hermit]

Lots of wise general advice here, Irene, probably a priest who knows you could give detailed advice on how to do this safely in your area, by donation.

One of the problems is that it's not always best to give money nowadays directly to people who ask for it, since you might be enabling a drug addiction. And as you mentioned there's danger to your family.

[Silouan Wollert]

When you say that "it's not always best to give money nowadays directly to people who ask for it, since you might be enabling a drug addiction", how do I discern when it is or isn't best to do so?

Frequently, I see people at the freeway off-ramps with cardboard signs stating that they are homeless or stranded and need money. They could very well be homeless or stranded or they could be trying to get me to fund their drug habit.

I feel guilty if I don't help but I also am concerned that I might be giving them money that enables them to do things they shouldn't. Should I simply take them at their word?

Silouan

[Arsenios]

Silouan writes:


When you say that "it's not always best to give money nowadays directly to people who ask for it, since you might be enabling a drug addiction", how do I discern when it is or isn't best to do so?

I just this last Sunday said "No." to a man walking down the street - Asking for $2.41 to put gas in his car to take his sick child to the hospital... He fairly reeked of "scam"... I should have given him a loaf of bread, but I got lost following his agility with words - his salesmanship - And so I forgot that I even had a loaf of bread in my car...

I simply did not believe him, and I have seen his scam worked repeatedly in parking lots of centers before, and he contradictied and convicted himself... But is there a rule of discernment? I don't know of any, except experience, and that can be fickle and wrong too... And I can be so easily so wrong...

Arsenios

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Silouan,

These are just my own feelings about this issue right now; our church is located in a poor area of the city. There are a lot of native (Indian) people with terrible addiction problems (solvents being the worst) & also single mothers. Most of the priests here have given money & help to these poor people; but at times whenever an addiction is involved one notices that gradually the asking for money also becomes abusive & manipulative because of the addictive behaviour behind it. So, a number of our 'regulars' have now been barred- they actually were becoming dangerous. So giving to the irresponsible also gives me pause.

On the other hand I have often given money to those on the streets who were in rough shape. Maybe they do misuse what is given to them- but giving to others without calculating everything (giving freely) can at times contribute to learning the virtues of charity & compassion. It's good to teach oneself to go out of the way to help someone who is smelly and dirty; some get more from the kind word you offer than the money. Also I have often asked myself, "how much of what God allows me do I also misuse and abuse, or waste in diversion". Anyways- just a few ideas to chew on.

In Christ- Fr R

[Fr Averky]

Dear Silouan,

I also once had a parish in a rough neighborhood, and I used to save all of my pocket change and when I went to the store to buy groceries, I always bought a bit extra, and my parishioners did the same.

However, in time, I began to realize that the word was getting to less savory characters, who wanted to take advantag of my modest charity.. Ohe Sunday afternoon, a man arrived at my door who loked like Caius Cassius; he had a "lean and hungry look." Giving me an obvious line about his "poor starving family," I began to ask him where he lived, how many children did he have, and I managed to repeat the questions and he gave me different answers. Finally, I said "Look, I will help the poor, but I am not going to allow you to con me." With that , his eyes narrowed, and he said, "You know Father, there are those around here who could hurt you."

As it turned out our security system gave us a straight line to the police. I picked up the phone, and said, "Officer ithis is Father Averky at the Russian Church, there is a man here, slim, greyish hair, and he wants to hurt me." The man ran out of the redctory office as fast as he could. Another time, a drunkem Mexican fellow came to my door at 3:00 am, and demanded money, and when I would not give it to him, he kicked in two of the windows in the church hall.

Ever since, I donate money and food to local food banks or the Salvation Army Even our Lord tells us it is better to give what we do for charity quietly and modestly,seeking no "glory" for our good works. If you know of a poor family, or of a benefit for a local person or family, or there is a natural disaster, like a major flood, earth quake, or a tornado, send your money to the designated place, or the Red Crossand forget about it.

hieromonk Averky

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Fr A,

Yes what with our parish also being in a rough neighbourhood we also have experienced similiar things- and it's so sad. Some have arrived at the door quite dangerous if they didn't get what they wanted. One poor single woman with children would pound on the door in the middle of the night for money claiming her child had been hit by a car; only the second time did I catch on.

To me what is so sad is that we are asked by Christ to be charitable to all, especially those down on their luck, but it seems the days are over when the poor person on the street would receive alms and pray for your departed (an old Orthodox tradition).

In Christ- Fr R

[Fr Averky]

Dear Arsenios,

You answered your own question; when such a person comes up and ask for money for "something to eat," offer to take him someplace wherr you will feed him. One time when I did that, I got cussed out!

I find that if a person asks for a specific odd amount like "$2.41" for gas, his request has to be bogus, again, tell him that he will just wait a few minutes, you will go and buy two gallons of gas, or offer to hail and pay for a taxi for him and his child, but will give him no cash. Nine times out of ten, that will be the end of it. In regards to the man you have seen more than once, walk over when you see him with another person gving his usual lie, and say, "Hey, aren't you the guy who needs gas for your sick daughter? I've seen you around here a lot lately." At the very least, he will find a new spot.

It is sad that there are those who have to be so dishonest, and we do not know what brought them to that state, and we should pray for them, but to help them is to further enable them, and to do so is to no one's benefit.

When the young Mexican guy kicked out the windows, I heard the noise and called the police, wo came by in minutes. As I was speaking to the officers, the fellow, had circled around the block, and managed just in time to see the police, and turned around and hurried away. I had every opportunity to say "There he is!" but said nothing, and I never saw him again.

In Christ,

hieromonk Averky

[George K.]

In the Greek, those six requirements are expressed in a vague language so as to be interpreted as: when you are hungry you feed Christ, when you are thirsty you give Him drink, when you become a stranger you offer Him hospitality, when you are sick you visit Him and finally when you keep watch over your senses and your thoughts you visit Him. Notice how the last one, attentiveness, brings one closer to Christ more than anything else.

gk

[garry horne]

I read the last message March 24 posted on this and was not familiar with the conversation so jumped to the page and read them all. I too sruggled at one time about when to give and to whom to give. What I do now is I accept that the person requesting the money really wants it for what he claims. If the reason given to me is for a good thing than I give. If that person takes it and does something else with it than God will judge him on that day. This is the most comfortable position for me to take on the subject.

[Owen Jones]

We could learn a lot from the Protestants.

For example: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/marvinolasky/mo20050804.shtml

[Moses Anthony]

Dear All,

Owen is quite right when he says that "we could learn a lot from Protestants....", for surely truth, justice, mercy and kindness, know of no societal, racial, or religious boundary!

I do not know if the pan-Orthodox ministry OCMC, does as this church does (as per the link provided by Owen), I do know that they have mission trips each year for the purpose of digging wells, helping build , teaching, etc., etc., etc...

The main problem with lists -of whatever type and origin- is that they tend to become as binding as the freedom which they are supposed to bring. The Scriptures tell us that God created us for good works, "....which we should walk in..." The emphasis is on walk, i.e., your manner of life, which as you deconstruct the point is an overflow of the life which is within us, i.e., from the heart.

Many of the things on the list I've done at one time or another in my life, either personally or through the ministry of the church. These things are to be as normal as breathing, as I understand 2 Peter 1:1-10. The holy Apostle Paul wrote that "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty...", "...it was for freedom that Christ set us free, do not become entangled again with a yoke of bondage, but through love serve one another.."

That concept of freedom in Orthodoxy, is something which has been emphasized to me by more than one member of the clergy and heirarchy.

a sinful and unworthy servant}