Matthew 5:42-48
There are various commandments in the Gospel. Some are common with other religions and with those customs that have become universal. As for others, even those who consider themselves believers are at a loss to understand them. So, today we hear: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Worldly “common sense” immediately has questions: Do we give to anyone who asks for it? And what if he’s asking for vodka? Will he give it back in a time manner? Won’t my kindness corrupt him?
The history of the Church gives amazing examples. Philaret the Merciful, steadily fulfilling this commandment, at first completely ruined his family. Neither rebukes nor complaints stopped him, because he firmly understood that to fulfill God’s commandment was the best expression of caring for his family. And that is how it turned out: The Lord glorified him and enriched his family. Most importantly, everyone’s faith in God’s unceasing Providence increased.
There was also such a patriarch, John the Merciful. As he walked through the city, his servant carried a bag of money, and according to John’s word, he gave to those who asked. A beggar approached. John ordered to give. The petitioner ran around the block and came up again. John told him to give again. But he ran around a third time as well. The servant could not endure it. “Vladyka!” he said, “this is the third time this insolent man has come up.” Then the holy man said, “Give him double; is it not my Christ who is testing me?” That’s how you can fulfill this commandment.
And then the Lord commands something that does not fit into worldly “common sense” at all: Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. What man can love those who want to drive him of the world? Only he who, while still here, has already established his dwelling in heaven, who with his heart is already there, where Christ is at the right hand of God. There are many such examples in the history of the Church. Here is an old monk dying. His close ones are gathered around him, and he asks them to call his neighbor who constantly did evil to him. He comes, and the monk begins to kiss his hands, saying: “Brethren! With these hands I now enter the Kingdom of heaven!”
The famous Athonite ascetic St. Silouan said that the main thing that distinguishes an Orthodox Christian from any other who calls himself a Christian is the attitude towards enemies: Do you love them?
An Orthodox is one who rightly glorifies God, whose life glorifies God so much that people around him also begin to believe and praise Him. If you can see the mighty hand of the Heavenly Master behind the weak beggar’s hand, then people will see it too. And if in your tormentors and enemies you see unhappy people who ruin only themselves, and bring you closer to eternal bliss, then looking at people like you, everyone will wholeheartedly exclaim, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is being proclaimed throughout the world.”
