How orthodox christian should relate to money and wealth, can he be, for example, a banker?
And can he save the soul with his wealth? These moral questions often concern modern ones.
Poverty breeds envy?
The division of people into castes, into rich and poor has always existed. And people have always strived to be rich.
But the Christian religion teaches us not to strive for material wealth (mammon), but to appreciate the spiritual, Christ called not to serve two masters, he said that the rich will not be able to enter the kingdom of God. So how should a Christian think, what should he strive for - poverty? Poverty, of course, is not a vice, but what does it bring to people? Nothing good. In addition, poverty inevitably creates a gap, a gap between the poor and the rich, and envy and hatred are often born from this, which in turn leads to real social cataclysms (wars, riots and revolutions).
At the same time, the church has always treated charity and benefactors with respect and warmth, and history knows cases of saints who were very rich people, and sinners who went to crime out of poverty. There are many cases when the poor, out of envy and a false sense of justice, destroyed, destroyed and destroyed the acquired property of richer people, taking sin on their souls. Once, Russians were considered hospitable, cordial, able to rejoice for others and endure their hardships with courage and dignity. Modern poor people prefer equality in poverty and severely punish any upstarts in their opinion.
What do Orthodox clergymen say about this? They declare that envy is the greatest sin, destroying the soul and preventing people from entering the kingdom of God. Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II said that neither poverty nor wealth are in themselves neither a virtue nor a sin, and everything depends on what a person is filled with, on his inner world.
The Patriarch emphasized that the Church is grateful to those patrons who help in the construction of churches, the creation of almshouses, orphanages. However, no one should forget that poverty is a temptation; it can embitter a person, plunge him into despair, and sometimes push him to commit a crime. Therefore, Alexy II noted, the task of Orthodox Christians and priests is to overcome poverty. It is sad that poverty is next to defiant luxury, and real honest work is not adequately assessed - pensioners are sometimes deprived of the most essential for life.
What to do?
The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia proposes to create an economy focused on ethical values to eradicate poverty, as well as work on debugging the system of society's responsibility to its citizens. Only under such conditions, when wealth becomes the result of creative and selfless labor, the desire for material wealth will be balanced by spiritual and moral principles. After all, labor is a duty both to people and to God. Metropolitan Kirill, who became Patriarch, expressed indignation at the fact that in the richest intellectual potential and natural resources the country of Russia has an outrageously low standard of living for ordinary citizens, which gives rise to the practically highest gap in the world between the poor and the rich. In this regard, he called on the authorities to apply part of the Stabilization Background to overcome poverty in the country, while actively stimulating the development of infrastructure and innovative technologies.
Is money just money or something more? Where to get them and what to do with it so that life is not wasted? Reflects Archpriest Andrei Tkachev.
A believer must constantly be busy with some kind of change: he changes the earthly and temporal to the heavenly and eternal. This, by the way, is the meaning of voluntary hardships and restrictions. Time, energy, sleep, food can be sacrificed and received in return for God Himself and His grace. In this sense, in the parables, the Lord distributes talents (mines, goldsmiths) and tells the slaves to trade effectively and achieve profit.
"Use them in circulation," says the Lord about the talents given away (Luke 19:13), and in Slavonic this word sounds: "I will buy it until I come." This is the spiritual buying and selling that we must conduct. One might think that the word of Revelation about the impossibility of “buying and selling” under Antichrist means a complete lack of desire in people to do anything for God and to sacrifice anything.
Even now there are a great many people who do nothing for God, do not exchange anything earthly for heavenly, do not "trade" in the Gospel way. These people are in an undoubted state of destruction and without any additional seals, since their foreheads have already been spiritually "sealed" with a bad and fruitless way of thinking, and their hands - in the same bad and fruitless way of activity
Money must be sanctified as a sacrifice. They no longer ring, or rather, those that ring are like Cat's tears. But those that rustle still remain effective.
Money rustles, crunches and rustles in different ways. The blessing of God dwells over the rustling of banknotes. This is money invested in Christ's love. No pigeon flies over the crunch of other banknotes, but on the contrary - a kite hovers around them. It is stolen, taken away, and most importantly - wickedly or stupidly spent.
The Church is obliged to sanctify the money that falls into her hands through sacred and wise use. To bury wanderers, it is essential (and not in pennies) to help widows, orphans and cripples, to support the deserted parishes, to finance the mission and printing business, we ourselves must. This needs to be learned.
Each of us, even the poorest person, has a “crumpled hack” in our pocket, giving it away, we will not feel impoverished. This is where we need to start. There are still millions of us - Christians! Like drops, these crumpled pieces of paper, about which Vysotsky sang that "saving is a grave sin", are able to collect in streams, and then into rivers. It is only important that these rivers, in the words of the same, "at the end where it is necessary to flow."
Expenditure items need to be thought out carefully, and hands should be washed in advance so that nothing sticks to them. This is the most difficult task. If we solve it, then a self-sustaining high-quality Orthodox press will appear, and humiliating poverty will recede from many, and our widows, as in ancient times, will be nourished by the Church.
The only thing that is needed is that the purity of intentions and knowledge of not only the multiplication tables, but also the division tables. It is necessary to share - who did not understand. Otherwise, we will scare everyone with the Antichrist, slowly building a house of four floors, but we will retell the life of Paul of Thebes at the service, without shame driving around in a car for 100 thousand dollars.
"God is in His holy temple." But not only. It is impossible to limit the Immense, and Solomon at the consecration of the Jerusalem Temple said that "The Heaven of Heaven does not contain You, much less this small temple." God must be given a place everywhere. He needs to be admitted to school and hospital. He needs to open the doors family life his. Finally, you need to let God into your wallet. Otherwise, we will not be saved.
Otherwise, we, arbitrarily trying to limit the action of the Almighty only to the area of the temple, will turn our pockets and wallets into some devilish "holy of holies", and we will be like the Pharisees, about whom the Gospel says that they are money-lovers. So that not only the outer part, but also the inner part, would be clean, like a cup, Christ the Lord commanded them to give alms.
The problem of dividing people into rich and poor is as old as the world. It would seem that in the Gospel several times in plain text it is said that the rich in the next world will not be good at it. Jesus Christ himself taught people not to strive for earthly wealth: “No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be zealous for one and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth) "and "It is more convenient for a camel to pass through the ears of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." So do all people need to strive for poverty? But poverty does not bring anything good to many. The chasm between the haves and have-nots breeds envy and hatred, echoing riots, pogroms, revolutions and wars. At the same time, the Church has always treated rich benefactors warmly and with respect. Yes, and history knows the holy righteous, who were very wealthy people, and grievous sinners who were mad from poverty ...
Black envy
Building a mansion in a quiet village near Ivanovo, the capital's businessman Valery K. "got" at exorbitant expenses. Building materials were constantly plundered by local residents. Having finished construction, he fenced off from the people with a high fence and sighed with relief. But it was not there! Soon he received thousands of electricity bills. Solving this "phenomenon", he discovered illegal inserts on his fence - local craftsmen connected to a high-voltage barbed wire, providing the village with "free" electricity.
The attempt to sue the thieves led to new problems. " Kind people"They made a tunnel by stealing an electric generator and ... watchdog... Now the merchant is looking for someone to sell his hacienda, but there are no willing ones yet ...
But these are still "flowers" from the category of curious cases. For provincial barefoot and a common person average income may seem "rich". The main ulcer of many poor people is banal black envy. Especially to those with whom they once grew up and dug in the same mud. "How is it so, he is rich, and I am poor - where is the justice ?!"Or, as in the famous song of Vysotsky: “They don’t peck money, but we don’t have enough money for vodka!” Especially from popular envy and hatred goes to those to it is unlikely to be able to take revenge ...
A native of the Novgorod region, Mikhail L. during the war years was a juvenile prisoner of a fascist concentration camp. After his release, he returned to his homeland, studied, worked, and created a family. The German-based compensation fund for the victims of Nazism paid the ex-prisoner an amount equivalent to three thousand euros. With them, Mikhail bought a solid house in the village of Rogozino, moving in his old age to his native village.
Alas, fellow countrymen saw in this fact a gross violation of the "principles of equality and justice." Like, how can it be - during the occupation, the whole village suffered, but money was paid only to Mikhail for his personal suffering! They looked sideways at the lucky man, cursed him and showered him with threats. In the spring of 1997, fellow countrymen set fire to his house altogether - so that it would become "like everyone else." A month later L. died (his heart could not stand) and his wife, leaving everything, went to the children in Sergiev Posad ...
Several years ago, Russian families who had lived and worked in Latvia for a long time decided to return to Russia. With the assistance of the Pskov authorities, they built multi-family houses on their own. Some townspeople were indescribably infuriated by this fact: “We have been living here all our lives in“ wreckers ”, and these“ Latvians ”managed to get money and built themselves brand new apartments! Come in large numbers here, so let them live in some temporary huts! And why are the authorities helping them ?! " In March 2003, the houses of the IDPs were set on fire and they lost their homes over their heads. "Tramp justice" triumphed ...
And there are hundreds of such sad cases throughout the country. Difficult to experience the successes of their neighbors, envious people again and again "restore justice", letting people through the world and taking a grave sin on their souls.
In former times, the Russian people were considered cordial and cordial, able to endure hardships with dignity, rejoice in the well-being of their neighbors and the Motherland. But you see, the souls of many people have mutated. Modern "biomass" prefers equality in poverty and severely punishes "upstarts".
All this is sad! - this is how my acquaintance priest, Father Alexander, commented on the situation. - I am very sorry not only for those who suffered, but also for the arsonists themselves. All the light, inherent in them by God, could not manifest and was suppressed by elementary envy. And envy is one of the gravest sins, destroying the soul and blocking our path to Eternal Life ...
Bunity must be overcome!
At the eleventh World Russian People's Council, the Orthodox clergy, together with representatives of other religions, officials and politicians, discussed the problems of wealth and poverty in Russia. Everyone came to a consensus that the main wealth of our country is, first of all, people capable of work, creativity and creation of the Fatherland. And it is precisely Russia that is rapidly losing them. The people get drunk and die out, many young talented personalities leave the country in search of a better life. It is necessary to protect people and educate them in the best spiritual traditions!
- Neither wealth nor poverty in themselves is neither a sin nor a virtue, - said the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II. - It all depends on the aspirations of a person, on what he is filled with inner world... We are grateful to those rich people who help the Church to build temples, to create almshouses and orphanages. But every day we meet with people living below the poverty line, and their pain is our pain. We must not forget that not only wealth, but also poverty can become a strong temptation, embitter and plunge a person into despair, and even push on a criminal path! That is why overcoming poverty is our task ... It is sad that in Russia people get much less for selfless labor than in other countries, and pensioners who honestly worked for the good of the country are sometimes deprived of the most essential things. Poverty coexists with flashy luxury. To eradicate poverty, it is necessary to build an ethically oriented economy and fine-tune the system of social responsibility ... Wealth should be the result of creative labor, and labor is a duty to God and people. Only under this condition the natural striving for material prosperity is balanced by the influence of spiritual and moral principles ...
At the same time, Metropolitan Kirill (now Patriarch) expressed his sincere indignation: why in Russia, which has the richest natural resources and intellectual potential, in contrast to other countries, such an outrageously low standard of living and one of the highest gaps in the world between the rich and the poor ?! He called on the authorities to channel part of the Stabilization Fund to overcome poverty, and at the same time actively stimulate the development of innovative technologies and infrastructure.
The correct management of wealth has always been considered in Russia an art and a gift from God, - says Metropolitan Kirill. - It is a shame in front of the whole world when the rich people of Russia in full view of everyone spend huge money on dubious entertainment, while in their homeland people receive scanty salaries. And then they also have the audacity to justify their profligacy in front of the people, using television ...
Divinely it is necessary to share! - echoes the Orthodox hierarchs by the chairman of the Central Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia Talgat Tadzhuddin. “And if someone doesn’t give it back, it’s necessary to take it with guts ... If the Almighty gives wealth to someone, it means that God has chosen him as his“ caretaker, ”and the honor must be justified by good deeds ...
Wealth and Salvation of the Soul
The gospel dialogue between Christ and a rich young man, the Savior's call to distribute wealth and follow it, and His words that it is difficult for a rich man to save his soul ( Mt. Chapter 19; 16-26) confuse many. Is Christ really against all rich wealthy people, and wants everyone to become indigent? Of course not! The Savior simply invites all of us not to become attached to earthly wealth and not to see in property the source of our being and dignity. After all, He gives us not only everything we need for earthly life, but much more, something that exceeds any earthly wealth - bliss in Eternal Life.
There was a narrow gate in Jerusalem, popularly called the "Needle Ears". A loaded camel could pass through them only by crawling on its knees.Jesus' words to his disciples after the young man left are filled with sorrow. The Savior grieves that earthly wealth is blocking Heaven for people,binds to the mortal, drowns in the empty worldly vanity ... If you think about it, even among people of moderate income, their small wealth can obscure Heaven from them no less than the capital of millionaires. If a person is morally not ready, if necessary, to part with the possession of property, to find freedom in Christ and follow Him, then he is a slave to his own wealth.“Do not lay up treasures for yourself on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourself treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not dig in and steal, for where your treasure is, there and your heart will be ”- this is the basis and meaning of the Christian life.
There are many pitfalls in the path of the rich Christian, he is responsible for the people who depend on him.Satiety and satiety often take away faith and the feeling of the presence of God from the heart, prayer goes badly, overwhelmed by temptations. But Christ's words about the impossibility of serving God and mammon do not at all mean that wealth and the salvation of the soul are incompatible.
The Kingdom of God is open to anyone who is alien to the cult of acquisitiveness and who is not enslaved by what he has. If a person is not attached to money and directs it not towards self-gratification, but towards goodness and mercy, he is on the right path. It is useful to remember that everything that we have is given to us by God only as a “steward” so that we can properly and worthily dispose of it. Using wealth for the good of people, we abide in the love and light of God, and receive good fruits.
Many warnings and advices can be found in the teachings of the holy fathers of the Church. Saint Basil the Great calls on all people not to overstep the limits of moderation and remember that covetousness (greed, greed, etc.) is a grave sin of idolatry. Saint Seraphim of Sarov criticizes people's desires to acquire money and rewards, advising them to acquire another capital, grace-filled and eternal - the acquisition of the Spirit of God. It can only be obtained by good deeds for Christ's sake, by uprooting one's own shortcomings and by a prayer life.
“Just as wealth does not elevate a person, so poverty does not humiliate him,” writes great theologian XX century St. Nicholas of Serbia. - He who thinks otherwise does not live in the Christian faith, but in ancient polytheism, in which a person was valued at the price of his gold. That is why Christ deigned to be crucified on Calvary in order to destroy this barbaric standard of people and give a new, spiritual, moral one. By the measure of Christ, what constitutes the value of a person is not increased by wealth and is not diminished by poverty ... The Orthodox know that an unrighteous person does not succeed at the expense of his mind or strength, but only because our Lord is unspeakably merciful and allows him to succeed, so that he remembers about God, he was ashamed of his unrighteous deeds and was corrected. The Creator is waiting for the lost one to return to the right path. His wisdom is unmatched and His mercy unsurpassed ... "
There are no sinless people (the saints also recognized themselves as sinners, seeing and eradicating even the smallest negative manifestations in themselves), and God sends many of us sorrows to cleanse our souls from vices and passions. However, the Lord can call people to Himself through joy and earthly abundance. If the rich man remains blind and deaf to spiritual life, then his earthly prosperity will rob him of his chances of being justified in Last Judgment, while the poor sinner can still count on God's mercy.
This means salvation human soul depends not so much on the standard of living as on the ability of each person to love their neighbors and overcome any temptations.
So differentrich
Interesting results were brought by a recent Internet survey on the topic “ Does Russia need rich people? " Only 15% of the respondents said “No!” 48% agree to be rich, if they are not thieves and care for the poor. And 37% believed that the moral character of a person does not depend on the amount of money.
History knows a lot positive examples the lives of rich people - believing Russian industrialists and entrepreneurs. The fate of the merchant Vasily Muravyov can serve as an unsurpassed role model. WITH early childhood worked in the lowest positions, an honest, purposeful young man eventually opened his own business and in just a few years became the largest mechanic in St. Petersburg. His enterprise was famous not only in Russia, but also in many European capitals... Despite his huge incomes, Vasily was indifferent to money and luxury, and he donated most of his capital to the Church and poor people. On holidays, many tables were laid in his hospitable house, crowds of the poor were inviting from the street, who were fed, endowed with money, things and food.
After the revolution, the merchant Muravyov s covered his own business, generously paid all the workers and donated his capital to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and other monasteries. Having long dreamed of becoming a monk, he was finally able to fulfill his cherished desire. V years of open persecution of the Church, he became the confessor of the largest monastic monastery in Russia and the great holy elder - father Seraphim Vyritsky. Through his prayers, people were healed spiritually and physically, and the prophecies of Fr. Seraphim have come true and are still coming true ...
The welfare of unbelievers is short-lived and illusory. For all its external attractiveness, a rich life is often dreary and unenlightened.
One of my acquaintances, who jokingly called himself a "corrupt journalist", earned money with ordered materials in the newspapers. This job paid well. He, frankly, did not deny himself anything. He changed cars and mistresses, was a part of the high society crowd, regularly went on trips, in a word, he led a life that many dream of. But only the closest ones knew how bad the soul of this "darling of fate" was. He himself said that "I want to fall asleep and not wake up." By some miracle, the idea came to him to visit the temple. Then something like a drug withdrawal happened: he changed his job for a much lower paid one, although he refused high level life is perhaps the most difficult thing in the world. He became Orthodox. Nightmares and morning sickness disappeared. He began a peaceful, meaningful life. He had to give up everything that was contrary to the laws of a clear conscience. This affected his financial condition and popularity, but he regrets nothing.
One ancient sage said: "Do not call any person happy until you see the end of it." Biblical parable about Saint Job the Long-suffering reminds us that even a righteous man can lose all earthly wealth in one day, but faith and prayers will save him from despair and lead to even greater holiness. A sinner far from God risks losing everything, including his immortal soul.
Having lost their wealth, many lay hands on themselves, get drunk, live their lives painfully and sadly. And the prosperous millionaires who have lived to old age are not very happy. It's hard to realize that life is slipping through your fingers like sand, there is a frightening unknown ahead, and you can't take wealth to the grave ...
Real freedom
In the late 90s, businessman Ivan T. went bankrupt. The apartment, dacha and cars had to be sold to repay debts. The remaining money was enough to buy a house in a Tver village. The former businessman has become a simple hard worker. He has his own farm and is happy Orthodox family... He works in shifts as a security guard at an enterprise in the regional center, his wife teaches at a local school. They live modestly, but their children are well fed, shod, dressed and free from the bustle of the capital and temptations. Ivan considers himself a happy person and does not regret his past life at all. According to him, wealth, for all the seeming freedom, actually very much binds and interferes with spiritual growth. Only now he found real freedom - freedom of spirit and conscience, and the ability to be himself to the end ...
And the close-knit large family of Kuznetsovs from Shchelkovo near Moscow did not initially strive for wealth. Spouses live, trusting in God - that He will always help them at any moment of life. Their motto is "Glory to God for everything!" And indeed, despite the rather modest earnings of the head of the family, the language does not dare to call them poor or destitute. They have many friends who help in difficult times. The children of the Kuznetsovs are kind, obedient and hardworking. You can be sure that this kind family is not afraid of any crises and everyday storms.
Unfortunately, more often we come across families "maddened" by poverty. Moreover, in literally... They live with envy and hatred and are concerned only with the fact that no one in the neighborhood lives happier than them. And it is not necessary to say that only circumstances are to blame for this.
To whom to pray
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker has long been known as the patron saint of all good poor and rich people. The Orthodox pray to his contemporary, Spiridon Trimifuntsky, whose right hand was recently brought to Russia for a month from the Greek island of Corfu. Saint Spyridon is revered by believers as the patron saint of the homeless, the sick and the poor. He also helps those who are honestly, conscientiously engaged in trade and financial activities. They are also patronized by those who lived in XIV century great martyr John Sochavsky, during his lifetime formerly a godly merchant. Many Orthodox businessmen pray to the holy parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh Cyril and Maria, and of course, to the above-mentioned saint of the twentieth century Seraphim Vyritsky.
Among the patrons of the poor, one can single out the saint of the III century Tatiana (she is also in high esteem among students) and the most famous sister of mercy, Grand Duchess Venerable Martyr Elizabeth Feodorovna.
It is enough and simply to regularly pray to God with the prayer that Christ Himself gave to people - "Our Father". In her words, "Give us this day our daily bread ..." is a request to the Heavenly Father to give us everything we need for today. God himself knows what we need for earthly life and the salvation of our souls, and we can only accept in peace everything that he gives us. The main thing is to try not to envy anyone and to use your poverty, prosperity or wealth for good deeds and spiritual improvement.
“And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched as the people put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in a lot. On arriving, one poor widow put in two mites, which is a kodrant. Calling His disciples, Jesus said to them: Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than all those who went to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but out of her poverty she put in everything that she had, all her food ”(Mark 12 : 41-44). The story, which we will analyze in detail, will help us understand the principles of successful and wise financial management. There is no more important topic in the earthly life of a person than the topic of money. Of course, all of us Christians will talk about the importance of love, service to God, compassion and patience and other Christian virtues, but the fact remains that we live in such a way that money is the most important point in life for us. For the sake of money, most wars, murders, hatred, conflicts. For the sake of money, people leave to work, leaving their families, for the sake of money they change not only their city, but also their country. For the overwhelming majority of the population of our planet, money is the meaning of life, and most of the time is devoted to earning it.
As a rule, for years of his life, a person goes to an unloved job, only in order to receive a salary, that is, money. How does God view money? What should be the attitude of a Christian towards money? How to properly manage money? Does our wealth depend on how we manage our money? What does tithing mean and how does it apply? Here are the questions of our topic.
CHAPTER 1 GOD LOOKS AT HOW MAN SPEND MONEY
“And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched as the people put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in a lot. Having arrived, one poor widow put in two mites, which is a codrant "(Mark 12:41). From the first quotation of the passage we are analyzing, we immediately draw several obvious conclusions:
1. Christ was not afraid to talk about money. For some reason we are afraid. We are afraid in church, we are afraid to touch on this topic with our non-Christian friends, but, in fact, why? Isn't this topic so important to us? No, we are afraid, because dishonest Orthodox propaganda has convinced people that in the Protestant church people are ripping off money. This is a pure lie! God speaks in the Bible about the most important things in a person's life: love, family, faith, hope and, of course, finances. And God speaks about this in order to teach how to act the most wisely on this topic. Moreover, money, or rather the attitude towards them, speaks a lot about a person. One paraphrased proverb can sound like this: "Tell me how you feel about money and where you spend it, and I will tell you who you are and what is valuable to you." Money shows the state of the heart. Money shows a person's faith in God. Money shows how much a person lives on earth. The disposal of money shows the degree of kindness, but also composure, organization, and also reveal the values of a person.
2. Christ watches the sacrifice. The Lord sits down right in front of the donated box and stares intently thereby demonstrating what is important to God.
- Christ looks at how much they donate.
- Christ assesses how they donate.
- Christ pays attention, to a greater extent, to the heart with which they sacrifice.
- And with what kind of heart they donate is expressed by the ratio of the amount to the profit. This, by the way, is the formula for how to determine the state of the heart.
Why is God so interested in this topic? Suppose you gave your money to someone to use, you will be interested in how your money is disposed of? God is the master of everything and everything that is on earth, by and large, belongs to Him. “Psalm of David. The Lord is the earth and what fills it, the universe and everything that lives in it "
(Psalm 23: 1) More specifically, the money belongs to God: "And every tithe on the earth from the seeds of the earth and from the fruits of the tree belongs to the Lord: this is the holy thing of the Lord" (Lev.27: 30). What is this concept of tithe and where does it come from? We will talk about this now, but note that a believer begins with this thought, and this very thought will change our attitude towards what we have. In the process of meditation, I wrote down an item in my prayer book: "Lord, help me treat everything as yours and teach me how to properly and wisely dispose of yours."
CHAPTER 2. HOW FAITH AFFECTS THE DISTRIBUTION OF MONEY OR
WHERE DOES THE TISS COME FROM?
The nephew of Abraham, the famous ancestor of the Jewish people, Lot was in the land where several kings went to war. Abraham went to free his nephew and won this fight. Melchizedek comes out to meet him, to whom Abraham gave tithes: “For Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, the one who met Abraham and blessed him, returning after the defeat of the kings, to whom Abraham separated tithes from everything, - first, by the sign of the name is the king of righteousness, and then the king of Salema, that is, the king of the world, without a father, without a mother, without genealogy, having neither the beginning of days, nor the end of life, being like the Son of God, remains a priest forever. You see how great he is, to whom the patriarch Abraham also gave tithes of his best spoils ”(Heb. 7: 1-4). Abraham gave him 10%, as it is said, from his best booty. What caused Abraham to give tithes? There are several important thoughts here in this episode.
1) Abraham gives tithes, although no one commanded him to do so. He gives tithes as an expression of his reverence and respect.
2) Abraham tithes because he met the king and saw in him a type of Christ. He felt it or understood it, or God revealed it to him, we do not know. But they simply do not give tithes to someone who is himself a priest and king, which means he is not a poor person, which means that tithe is a natural figure of material donation for a person.
3) And most importantly. Abraham gave tithes upon meeting the king. This raises the question, why don't Christians tithe? Because they have not met the king, the king of the world? Or have they met the king, but do not give him royal honors?
By the way, it is interesting that another descendant of Abraham, his grandson, by his inner disposition without the law, gave tithes to God: “... and of all that You, God, give me, I will give You a tenth” (Gen. 28:22) ...
So how did tithing come about? God based on how the best, devout representatives felt and understood ancient humanity and sets such a percentage, although he could offer 20 and 30% all the same, everything is God and God will take care. God, so to speak, condescended to man.
Christians often ask - is it necessary to pay tithing, because we do not live in the period of Abraham and not according to the Old Testament? Christ builds on the commandments of the Old Testament and raises the bar. All the commandments of the Old Testament speak of outwardly correct actions - do not kill, do not steal. Christ raises the bar, speaking about the heart, about thoughts (Matt.5.28) Therefore, Christ says that our Christian life should be higher than how we lived in Old Testament, especially when compared with a purely external fulfillment of the law: "For, I say to you, if your righteousness does not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, then you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20) The same applies to tithing. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe mint, anise and caraway seeds, and have left the most important thing in the law: judgment, mercy and faith; This was to be done, and this should not be forsaken ”(Matthew 23:23).
But let us return to our widow who donated two mites: “Having come, one poor widow put two mites, which is a kodrant. Calling His disciples, Jesus said to them: Truly, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those who went to the treasury ”(Mark 12: 42,43). How could a widow, who put, on the one hand, the smallest amount, on the other hand, gave everything that she had, how did she manage to accomplish such a small feat of giving? What made her do this?
- The widow expressed love for God. Let's not forget that this woman was raised in a Jewish religious culture. She knew perfectly well that you need to give 10%. And, nevertheless, it gives much more. The widow knew that the one who sacrifices expresses his attitude towards God. The donor shows two of the most important points: 1) How I respect God; 2) How I trust God. "Honor the Lord from your possessions and from the firstfruits of all your profits" (Prov. 3: 9). The scale of the donation shows the scale of what is valuable to us. For example, parents give their children an apartment, friends are already a smaller gift, friends are even less valuable. And our gift also depends on what the person has done for us. And God saved us, so how can we express our love for the one who gave us life and eternal salvation? The widow kept this truth in her heart and therefore did so.
- The widow believed that God would reward her (trust in God). Of course, the widow had a thought, how could she live on, having lost her last money? The Bible encourages us to take care of God and know that God will take care of us: “So do not worry and do not say: what do we have? or what to drink? or what to wear? because the pagans are looking for all this, and because your Heavenly Father knows that you have a need for all this ”(Matthew 6: 31,32). I have always wondered why believers are not as generous as they would like, as they should? The second pastor and I somehow calculated how much percent people donate to the “Church of the Nativity” if, on average, everyone receives 1000 hryvnias? It turned out 4%. Take 10% (tithe) of donations for 100% of expressing love to God, it turns out that we honor God, on average in the church, by 40% and trust God by 40%. By the way, in the church all money is very scrupulously controlled, there is an audit commission, which is elected by the whole church, and checks where the money goes. And yet, the degree of distrust in God is very high, does not even reach 50%.
- The widow was worried about God's work, so she donated to the temple. We will talk about this in more detail.
- The widow looked more at God, the heavenly than at the earthly. "For we walk by faith, and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5: 7).
CHAPTER 3. WHY DO I HAVE SO MUCH MONEY?
Interestingly, the amount of my money depends on how I believe and how I donate to God's cause? But before answering, I would like to immediately speak about the riches of non-believers. God is patient with them and gives them the opportunity to earn money, because he waits until the last minute for them to repent, because the rich also have an immortal soul and will answer before God for their lives. But with Christians, children of God at Heavenly Father other relationships. God blesses those who bless Him and do not give to those who do not give Him. “In addition, I will say: he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly; but he who sows abundantly, he also reaps abundantly ”(2 Cor. 9: 6). What does it mean to sow, what is it about? As a man sows seeds in the earth to get a harvest, so he sows in God's work in order to get a harvest for the kingdom of God and, do not be surprised, he sows for himself. Christ constantly speaks of blessings to those who sacrifice. And do you think God took care of the widow who gave everything? We recently bought a car, we live at 5 room apartment... Some people are puzzled, where did the pastor's family get the money? There is a version that parents send money from abroad, or sponsors. All we have are God's pure blessings. They didn’t give bribes, they didn’t lie to the state, they didn’t work on Sundays. Christians from the West did not help, their parents did not help and do not help, all their life. No matter how difficult it was, we sacrificed and tried to sacrifice more than tithes to God. At the same time, we had three small children. They robbed twice, did not return the debts and were themselves debtors, but nothing changed in God's principles of our family - the material result is good enough - this, in its purest form, is God's blessing. I want God's blessing on our family to be an inspiration for all Christians, how generous God is when we remain faithful to Him.
One of the richest people on the planet was Rockefeller, and everyone knows about it, but not everyone knows that Rockefeller was a Baptist and paid 10% of the monthly income, which was $ 100 million. His fortune is equal to 318 billion dollars, which makes him to this day the richest person on the planet. This immensely rich man had several principles that are useful for us to learn, especially since God blessed him as a believer. He spent a lot on charity, was a modest man, never responded to criticism and envious gossip. He carried Faith through his whole life and lived for 98 years.
WHY DOES NOT GOD BLESS?
God only blesses as much as we bless others. “In addition, I will say: he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly; but he who sows abundantly, he also reaps abundantly ”(2 Cor. 9: 6). So let's list the reason why God doesn't bless. WHAT BLOCKS OUR FAITH AND HOW DO WE BECOME BELIEVERS - TRUSTING IN GOD IN EVERYTHING? Some people live according to the principle, I will give my life to God, but not money.
- WE DO NOT TRUST CHURCH DONATION. Some Christians believe that if they could give their money into the hands of Christ then they would donate, otherwise we do not trust the church. We do not know where this money will go. In this case, I have a question, but the widow, who donated everything she had, did she donate to the temple? How did they manage the money in the church? You have a 100% guarantee that the priests who were constantly criticized by Christ were disposed correctly and honestly. The treasury was located in the temple. “And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched as the people put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in a lot ”(Mark 12:41). In the end, everyone will answer for themselves. People prefer to give to someone else for good, but are you sure that those people will use their money correctly? In both the Old and New Testaments, Christians donated to the temple, to the church. “On the first day of the week, let each of you lay aside and save as much as his fortune allows, so that he does not collect when I come” (1 Cor. 16: 2) The collection of donations took place in the church.
- 2. I CANNOT SACRIFY WITH MY SALARY, I DO NOT ENOUGH. Why are you sure that the widow had enough? Didn't she have the same thoughts as you? We are all the same people, all sinners. How do we perceive the Bible? We read, believe and therefore apply. For example, the following verse: "May my God supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). “So do not worry and do not say: what do we have? or what to drink? or what to wear? because the pagans are looking for all this, and because your Heavenly Father knows that you have a need for all this "(Matthew 6: 31,32). Do you think when our family donates to us such thoughts do not come to us? Yes, they come to everyone, but only believing people oppose them with the Biblical, God's truths, and those who do not oppose them do not trust God and do not turn to him.
- I FORGOT TO TAKE MONEY. I wonder where the widow got this money from? “Having come, one poor widow put in two mites, which is a codrant” (Mark 12:42) This widow took two mites with her to the temple, which means that she was preparing for this. It's hard to forget what's important to us. If this is a serious service to God, and I remind you that we also serve God with money, then we will not forget. You must decide before God how you will manage your money. Think over what percentage, how much? There are people who receive money not consistently, for example businessmen. Such advice for those who do not receive money regularly - get yourself an envelope for God and each time put there a percentage for the church. We understand that the widow was preparing, because when a person gives everything that he has, it is not done by the way.
- WE CANNOT SACRIFICE WITH TWO Wages... We will donate from one salary, as I know, some families reason. I thought about what it would be like if God blesses half of this family and half not. It's like wearing a nice suit and torn shoes. We want God to bless the whole family and the whole family to be saved, but we donate only from one. The widow shows us how you can donate more than 10% and it's okay, God continues to care.
- I WILL DONATE THEN... The widow donates what she has and gives it at once. Imagine, you are lying on the operating table and crying, Lord, now I really need your help, and God is answering you from heaven: "Yes, somehow later, right now I have no time I am busy with those who donate to me right away." We need God's help and support all the time. Even when our heart is beating and right now every beat is the support of God, but will God wait with donations?
- I have a disbelieving husband, wife, parents... You will not be responsible for the salary of your husband or parents, but what you get is what you will get your treasure from.
We must understand the harsh truth that if everything, including money, belongs to God, it means that the one who does not sacrifice is robbing God: “Is it possible for a person to rob God? And you are robbing Me. You will say: "How are we robbing you?" In tithes and offerings ”(Mal. 3: 8).
HOW GOD BLESS
1) He gives us a good heart by the Holy Spirit, and we close it. "For all put in out of their abundance, but out of her poverty she put in everything that she had, all her food" (Mark 12:44). God blesses those whom He marks as givers to Him, from whom He sees a dedicated heart. We have no doubt that the widow will be blessed by God, including her heart will be filled with spiritual wealth.
2) Develops faith in the giver: "Bring all tithes to the storehouse, so that food may be in My house, and although try Me in this, says the Lord of hosts ..." (Mal.3: 10)
3) Opens heavenly windows. In other words, the giver by his giving opens the heavenly windows of God's blessings together with God: “Bring all the tithes to the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and even though try Me in this, says the Lord of hosts: will I not open the heavenly openings for you and Will I pour out blessings on you to the fullest? " (Mal. 3:10). “Give, and it will be given to you: with good measure, shaken down, compressed and overflowing, they will pour into your bosom; for with what measure you mete, it will be measured to you also ”(Luke 6:38).
4) Protects the sacrificers: “Bring all tithes to the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and although try Me in this, says the Lord of hosts: will I not open the openings of heaven for you and pour out blessings on you to an abundance? 11 I will forbid those who devour for you to consume the fruits of the earth from you, and vine in your field he will not be deprived of his fruit, says the Lord of hosts ”(Mal. 3: 10,11).
FINAL THOUGHTS: God speaks directly about donation, moreover, theologians say that 25% of the biblical texts are somehow connected with money. Well, I hope everyone reading this article will make the right conclusion for themselves and stop stealing from God, listening to the devil's whisper about how we don't have enough money. A Christian who has dedicated his life to God will imitate Christ, who is not just money, but gave his whole life for the sake of our salvation. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He, being rich, became poor for your sake, that you might be enriched by His poverty” (2 Cor. 8: 9).
IF YOU OWN GOD WE WILL REPENT. GOD FORGIVES EVERYTHING and LET'S START A NEW LIFE! Ask those who donate what a joy it is to invest in God's work and to lay up treasures for themselves in heaven, or rather try it yourself.
QUESTIONS: 1) Why is money so important for people? 2) Why is it so difficult to sacrifice to God (for some and sometimes)? 3) what made the widow donate so generously? 4) What mistake are made by those who cannot fully sacrifice, fearing that they themselves do not have enough? 5) Where did tithe come from? 6) Why can Christians donate more than tithes? 7) How does God bless those who donate (give a personal example)?
Our time offers the Christian a responsible and difficult test - the test of wealth and poverty. Remembering how “it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” we often readily decide who - rich or poor - is closer to Christ. We decide, we judge, forgetting that material wealth and social status are not at all evidence of what a person's soul is.
Archbishop John of San Francisco (Shakhovskoy), who survived both comfortable times, "sufficient", as they said before, and years of real poverty, hardship, reflects on how in all trials to preserve the essence of the Christian spirit, true - in Christ - spiritual freedom.
Poverty and wealth
The poor can enrich the rich ... The rich can impoverish the poor ... How differently the world pronounces these words! The unbelievers behind them mean the exploitation of the poor by the rich. Believers in Christ, people living in Christ see in this statement a completely different, much broader and richer plan: the poor materially can elevate and spiritually enrich a more materially rich person with the height and purity of their spirit. And vice versa: a dysfunctional, in a moral sense, a rich man, of course, "impoverishes", spiritually devastates a poor person who comes into contact with him. For everyone is not only “to blame for everyone,” but everyone influences everyone, regardless of their social status. In the world, constantly, invisibly to the eyes of superficial consciousness, waves of moral and spiritual energies of individual people are walking, rolling over each other, being not only for themselves, but for the whole world, factories of good or evil, conductors of the light of Christ or the darkness of the devil.
Material wealth is not in itself harmful (it is morally neutral), and poverty itself is not useful for raising the soul (poverty is also morally neutral). But lust, the deification of wealth is a personal and social poison: when human sacrifices are made to wealth (and an unreasonable rich man sacrifices himself and everyone around him); when the immortal and great human dignity and the goal of human life on earth are forgotten. The lust for wealth is manifested not only among the rich or the richer, but just as often among the poor, envious of a better material condition. The essence of the Christian spirit is freedom from any attachment to perishable wealth, and in Christ, liberated, spiritually free from both egoistic avarice and egoistic envy, can be any person, regardless of their social status.
Poverty that lives with envy and breathes murder is not blessed gospel poverty. This is terrible poverty. Likewise, the humble owner of wealth, who considers himself only a "steward" (see) of this wealth belonging to the Creator, and justly owning it, acquiring a merciful attitude towards the world through him, of course, cannot be numbered among those rich about whom the Savior said, what woe to them. No, to those who are so rich - not grief, but joy, and - eternal joy.
No materiality and no lack of materiality is in itself neither good nor evil. It is only Marxism, following Buddhism (no matter how strange it may seem), raises the material side of being in the category of moral good and moral evil (thus revealing the essentially religious, although negative character their statements). For Christians, evil and good are not in the external, but everything in the world is made good or evil, depending on the inner motives and intentions of a person, for both good and evil are purely internal, spiritual movements that create either hell or heaven within a person. The external world is only the periphery of a person's manifestation, and, of course, if a person is bright, then the periphery of his life will shine.
The Savior called evil not material wealth in itself, but "the hope of wealth", that is. the organization of his life around the idea of material well-being. The Gospel emphasizes in every possible way the fragility and precariousness of such wealth and such hope. This is both a “house built on sand” and a “rich man who celebrates his days with light and does not understand that sudden death awaits him. The Apocalypse says very definitely about such wealth: "You say: I am rich, I have become rich and I have no need for anything, but you do not know that you are unhappy and wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked."(). In the opposite sense of this expression, one could say about some materially poor person, rich in good and bright feelings and selfless deeds, but seeing only his poverty, his earthly insignificance: “You say that you are poor, thin, and destitute, and you have a need for everything, but you do not know that you are rich in Christ, rich in eternity, and this wealth, which gives you eternal bliss, no one can take from you "... Yes, if all people were imbued to the end with this true contemplation reality, how else would their life have gone; how all the terrible misanthropic theories, replacing one another in the world, would scatter and disappear, and one correct, real attitude to the values of the earth would reign. These earthly values, having ceased to be the highest, would become real.
Wealth can be a blessed gift from God. And poverty too. Wealth can be a curse for a person. And poverty too. Poverty becomes damned when it is proletarianized. Wealth is damned when it proletarianizes a poor person. The proletarianization of poverty is the taking away of the blessing from the soul in poverty, the taking away from it of the spiritual paths for acquiring and retaining this blessing. The proletarianization of poverty is also separation, exclusion of the poor, due to his poverty. This proletarization is the introduction of the antichrist spirit into poor people, and it began, of course, not with Karl Marx and not with the leaders of early socialism. Its appearance is a manifestation of sin in general in the world: both in the world of the rich and in the world of the poor. Not only does the poor man proletarianize poverty with his wrong attitude toward poverty, but the rich man — by his wrong attitude toward his wealth and the poverty of others — also proletarianizes poverty and collects stones on his head.
The path of modern Christian consciousness must be a definite ideological and, moreover, pneumatological, spirit-bearing action against the proletarianization of poverty, both on the part of the poor themselves and on the part of the rich. This action should be a sacred struggle for the greatest value of the world - the human soul, and be conducted only through a living human person, through the unity of such human personalities living in Christ and the confirmation of my own example professed foundations of life.
There are not two camps in the world - capitalists and proletarians - that somehow wants to present external consciousness. There are three camps in the world: 1) godless poor, 2) godless rich, and 3) poor and rich (materially) Christians. This is the ethical map of the world. Christians are not divided into “poor” and “rich”, because the poor realize the advantages of their poverty, the rich - the shyness of their wealth and, in any case, its fragility and therefore insignificance. And all remain on their way, carry out their service ... For these still others, it can only be, in the proper sense, “ social problem". For the former, it does not exist and cannot exist, because the principle of struggle and decisive irreconcilability operates there, that is, either war, or purely diplomatic peace that does not have any real power. The third group, of course, is the smallest in the world, for the heavenly honorable belonging to it is not an expression of a verbal and even - we consider it necessary to emphasize - not an ideological, but a spiritually real, concrete Christian faith. Only from this true reality of the spirit can the ideology of social Christian life grow.
A Christian is a worker, regardless of his wealth or poverty. In every social and material position a Christian is a worker in the work of life. In the sweat of his brow he obtains his physical bread and spiritual bread: eternal life in Christ. "He who does not want to work, he does not eat"- says the Apostle Paul (), and his commandment is God's commandment for all Christians. He who has physical bread for himself without effort (for example, having a rent), without struggling with the thorns of the earth, if he is a Christian, does not stay idle, but obtains bread for other people, and thereby acquires spiritual bread for himself and for others. A Christian who owns property is never idle, he is always a “worker” ... If he is not a worker, then he is not a Christian either.
That is why all Christians are in the same camp: rich and poor, noble and insignificant in their earthly position, and it cannot be otherwise. Christians are devoid of both envy and disdain. The highest and the lowest find themselves equal in the plane of eternity, and therefore it is impossible to envy the highest and neglect the lowest. To the extent of his labor and the will of God (without which nothing is done in heaven or on earth), a Christian achieves this or that property position, which is most useful and saving for him.
Let the passions of people who have lost the face of God rage around, let them try to lure a Christian into their one or another human camp, where instead of love, solidarity is solidarity based on the pursuit of lower and often criminal interests ... for the lentil stew of the passing peace. And he does not build his happiness on the suffering of others.
For the Church of Christ, “there are neither rich nor poor” ... It would be more correct to say that they exist, but only in a different plane. The qualities are different riches and poverty in the Church. The “rich” are the poor in spirit, the “poor” are rich in their earthly values. With regard to the rich, the Church has the following custom: they serve Her. For the poor: She serves them. The poor are thus revered as worthy of help, and the rich as worthy of service. Church psychology is the exact opposite of the psychology commonly seen in a world where the poor serve and the rich take their services for granted. It is noteworthy that outside the borders of the earth this law of the Church is implemented: the saints who departed from the earth pray for sinful people living on earth, and thus serve their salvation. Believers living on earth, as richer than departed sinners who have lost earthly time to do good, can help by prayer these latter, serve their salvation.
Just as in this spiritual sense, service is primarily the work of the "rich", so in a purely earthly sense, wealth, power, position are always for the Christian consciousness associated with the principle of service, and not in any way enjoying earthly life (which is a principle not only of paganism, but paganism of the lower, for the higher rose above this principle of Epicureanism).
Property philosophy
1. Only that which belongs to God can belong to man. The world is God's creation, just like man. Nowhere can a person escape from the possession of God. No matter what abyss a person descends, no matter what heights he ascends, everywhere is the possession of God, infinite, boundless, incomprehensible ... Pilate sank into the abyss of betrayal: he is ready to give up the Innocent Sufferer for crucifixion. And - what does he hear from the Wisdom of God? - "You would have ... no power if it had not been given to you from above."(). Combining in Himself and in all His words the fullness of the earthly and the heavenly, the Savior pointed out to Pilate, firstly, to those Caesars from whom he received authority, and also to the Source of all power, all possession.
2. One can close oneself off from God, from the contemplation of the Master. So, for example, he closed himself off from God, hiding in the bushes. - The naive psychology of every sinner. "Adam, where are you?" - "I ... disappeared" ... (). How many years have passed since then, and the sons still think that they can hide from God. And who, where and how can “hide” - in the depths of the bushes of their ideological, branching, tangled bushes of the culture of this century: “private property”, “public property”, “state property”, “communism”, “capitalism”, “socialism "," Freedom "," slavery "," wealth "," poverty "," property "," economic laws ", etc., etc.
3. All complexity must be based on simplicity. If this primary simplicity is not there, complexity will be chaos. If there is basic simplicity, complexity will already be harmony. The complex culture of this century can imagine the harmony of an orchestra, where there are no unnecessary instruments, or at least a whole machine, where there are no unnecessary screws, only in the light of the knowledge of the primary laws of life, put into the world by the Creator.
Only by using this knowledge of absolute laws, it is possible to weigh all human concepts, to determine their real meaning.
4. The world belonged, belongs and will belong only to God, no matter what forces temporarily dominate the world.
Does this really mean that a person does not have any property and cannot be? Vice versa. Human property has its immutable basis in the fact that there is property in general, and there is the Master of everything in general. This means that property can be given if there is its true Owner ... What space, what a deep foundation of all true ownership! In the light of this rationale, it becomes clear why nothing should be stolen, appropriated and - nothing can be "rich", through nothing you can not elevate yourself.
All property belongs to God, just as life belongs to Him. And property is distributed by God in the same way as life.
5. A person is given "talent" - a circle physical life, mental abilities, spiritual capabilities. It is given not for instillation, but for development. The whole circle of human life can be likened to a "strip of earth." A person should not lie on it, but develop it, this God's earth - the life given to him for management, as a pledge better life, a better land. "Faithful in small things and in many ways faithful will" (). And now only "small" is given to a person. No matter how great his "small" is for earthly eyes, no matter how great people call him, it remains very small in comparison with what it is. But even this small thing should be put into circulation for the benefit of the whole world. That is why rich people, creatively using their wealth and living modestly themselves, are true Christians, despite their "great estate."
“Mine is only what I gave,” says St. Maxim the Confessor. Gave it ... to whom? - God, people ... There are people who do not use their wealth. Among them there are those who “hid it for themselves”, buried wealth in the ground, and there are people who gave it to God, who began to consider themselves only called upon to distribute it as justly as possible in the world. This beneficial wealth management is expressed in various ways. Others give it out immediately or gradually. Others retain all the semblance of possession, but in their souls they sincerely give it to God, and their task is only to distribute it correctly. It can also be ordinary economic management, the construction of a good earthly factory or agricultural enterprise. In appearance it will be like "all the deeds of this world", but in its inner content it will already be a small realization of the Kingdom of God ... So, A.S. Khomyakov had land and even peasants attached to him, but in essence he was not the owner of his own lands and people, but a caring father and even their servant. This is the outlook of all Christians who have a fortune: owners, industrialists, manufacturers ... This was also the domain of true Orthodox tsars.
Telling the world: "Greater ... let it be a servant to all "(), the Lord meant a rich person by" big ", no matter what: money, position, talent ... ...
6. Any property of this land is short-term and satiated with sorrows (), for, coming and tying a person to himself, he immediately leaves, leaving in a person bewilderment, pain, grief, death. Leaves emptiness in place of himself and dust in place of man. But as long as there is no emptiness left instead of property, the estate can bear "much fruit"; even a small estate of a poor person, for the widow's mite was a greater value, a greater energy of good than the treasures of the Pharisees ().
7. Man has less property than he thinks. Only "in the minds" of his millionaire has his millions. In fact, they have a millionaire, who, in most cases, is bound by them, forced to a certain way of life, attached to a certain circle of people, forced to have around him seeking, lies, flattery, envy, servility, insincerity, attempts on his life - physical and mental ... Isn't this all slavery, hard labor, increasing as the state increases? Is what money can buy great? Does the number of purchases include the peace of the soul - the highest happiness?
8. If you look from the other side, a person has much more property than he thinks ... Every breath of air that gets into his lungs is his property, and, moreover, much more than a coin lying in his pocket, for it is done by directly supporting him life. Each ray of the sun that has warmed a person is his warmth, which is completely united with him ... And so in everything, in all the smallest manifestations of life, a person is surrounded by property, the gifts of God, pouring out on a person, turning into human life itself. Great and glorious is this law, which makes every man a rich man.
9. In order to enter into the harmony of the upset, but now tuning up world, a person must in conscience (and not with his mind only) acknowledge the power of God over himself, he himself must become the property of God, since the whole world is already this property. Countless myriads of worlds, stars, suns, countless septillions of lives revolve within the limits set by the Creator. Stones, water, air, earth, fire - obey immutable laws into which a person can look, which he is given to "open" ... For what? To teach yourself right life according to these laws. Submission to physical laws is only an image of submission to the spiritual laws of God. As physical nature is revealed in natural science, physics, chemistry, mechanics, cosmography and other sciences, so spiritual nature is revealed in the Gospel. Looking at submission to the God of physical nature, man must learn to submit to God of his spirit.
10. It is natural for a sober, open-minded person to think and see that his earthly "property" is more than a relative phenomenon ... As centuries disappear, so all human property on earth disappears. Like steam in the air, all "rights" to land, to property, to life itself - the rights of individuals, cities and nations - dissolve.
Only the power of God, creating worlds, is indestructible in the entire Universe. Everything else is fragile and destructible. And precisely for this destructible, so that the destructible does not consider people indestructible. In the future century, when "the wheat will be harvested," that is, gathered from all ages are people who have worked righteousness and loved God, there will be no more danger for someone to love the creature more than the Creator, and then again, as in Paradise, the destructible will become indestructible. But no one will deify this eternal indestructible nature. All will see only the glory of God and in the light of Her ineffable see all life and find an eternal renewal of their undying life ...
11. This state on earth is impossible for us, for we always love something or someone more than God. Our heart is "adulterous" in the deepest (religious) sense. That is why the "race" of man is called the Savior (who never spoke in vain) "An adulterous and sinful generation"(). Fallen humanity is tied to transitory values, stuck to the sweets of this world, to its ghostly wealth, to its equally ghostly glory ... If it weren't for worms, rust, moths, locusts, stench, decay, suffering, death - the world would be a living hell ... Some people think just the opposite: if there were no diseases and sorrows on this earth, there would be “paradise”. But - that would be hell. The sinfulness of the earthly flesh is covered with the sorrows of the earth. The blessed salt of suffering protects the human spirit from decay and eternal death. It protects in those people who understand and accept the narrow path of Christ.
That is why we are so blessed "Justified and desired together"(as the psalm says), for the righteous are all the ways of the Lord (). That is why blessed is the Cross of life of every person living on the transitory earth.
12. Highest expression human life there is utter devotion to her God. Man, freeing himself from the pride of life, "From the lust of the eyes and from the lust of the flesh"() (from all "materialism"), becomes more and more "transparent" for God, available for the instillation of the purest Spirit of God. And when a person becomes completely transparent, free from all pride, from all dark addiction to himself and to the world - the property of God, i.e. the whole world will become his property, and he, “having nothing” and even not belonging to himself, according to the word of the apostle, will “have everything” (). will rest in a person and make his life peace and wealth. This transparent harmony of life is the Kingdom of God.
13. The temporal order of life is given to man as a ladder, or a springboard for the transition to eternal life. Only "Faithful in little"(in temporary) will be "Faithful ... in many ways"(in eternal) (). Already here on earth, one must learn eternal life.
Nothing separated from God has eternal life in itself. Whoever does not graft into the Vine of God () will not live. Along the ladder of earthly life, along the springboard of earthly values (starting from them), we pass into the Kingdom of God. But if a person pushed off in the wrong direction from the values of the world (for example, a desperate person, a suicide), he falls into the abyss.
14. The material world is a "staff" for a sick soul, its point of support, the point of application of the primary forces of the spirit, - a staff that helps to go to God, with the ability to use it. Everything in the world is created and everything is allowed for the benefit of man, and of all, even the most difficult and painful manifestations of earthly life (and sometimes most of all just of them), man can create a path for himself to reach the paradise earth.
15. The material world is an infinitely convenient opportunity for salvation in God, for reaching God. But this opportunity is only open to human disinterestedness. For selfishness, the world is one continuous network, bait and destruction.
16. Blessed is property based on love of God and freedom of heart. The property given brings blessings. Abducted - casts down the curse.
There is selfish property and there is unselfish property. Selfish is selfish; unselfish - Eucharistic property. Genuine human possession is hidden only in this Eucharistic property, which goes from God and to God through man. Only this spiritually light property that does not burden the spirit, does not nail to temporary life, does not lead to sin, property can be called "blessed." She is truly blessed, in whatever it is expressed - the possession of talent, ability, thing, earth, person. All this is blessed when - in God. And all this is damned when it obscures God and makes the world a god.
17. Eucharistic property is everything for which people can thank God and - the person through whom they give something. In this gratitude there is not only faith in God, but also recognition of Him as the Master of life. Through this thanksgiving for life and for everything, thanksgiving, reaching its fulfillment and limit in the Eucharist, a person ascends to a new life, to the Kingdom of God. The infinitely small values of this land, salted with thanksgiving to God, become the Eucharistic property of man and remain forever "for him", as something new, large, transferred beyond the gates of eternity.
18. Property is the vehicle of God's and human love. But people often make her a vehicle of hatred for God and for man. It is not property that is to blame here, not the fact of possession, but evil possession or an evil desire for possessions.
19. Man is called to possess () the earth, man must inherit () the earth.