The Chasm

Χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται μεταξὺ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦ πλουσίου τιμωρουμένου, ὁ Αβραὰμ ἀπεκρίνατο, τὴν τῶν δικαίων πρὸς τοὺς πταίοντας διαφορὰν ἐνδεικνύμενος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, φιλόξενος ἥν καὶ φιλόπτωχος, τοὺς μακρὰν ἀπῳκισμένους δεχόμενος· ὁ δὲ πρὸ τῆς θύρας ἡλκωμένον, ἀνιλεως ἐκτρεπόμενος. Ὡωπερ οὖν ἐναντίαι αἱ προθέσεις, οὕτως ἀμιγὴς ἡ μετάστασις· τῶν μὲν, τὴν ἄνεσιν· τῶν δὲ, τὴν κόλασιν δεξαμένων. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΟΒ', Ἀρχοντιῳ Source: Migne PG 78.296a-b

A great chasm is fixed between the rich man in torment and himself, Abraham replied, 1 showing here the difference between the righteous and those who err. For he was a lover of guests and the poor, receiving them from afar, 2 and the other man mistreated those at his door, mercilessly turning away. And as they had opposed characters so they are removed to different places, the one to peace, the other receiving a place of punishment. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 172, to Archontius 1 Lk 16.26 2 Gen 18.1-8

A Bishop And A King Save A Town

Desideratus autem Viredunensis episcopus, cui Theudoricus rex multas inrogavit iniurias, cum post multa exitia, damna atque erumnas ad libertatem propriam, Domino iubente, redisset et episcopatum, ut diximus, apud Viredunensim urbem potiretur, videns habitatoris eius valde pauperes atque distitutus, dolebat super eos; et cum ipse per Theudoricum de rebus suis remansisset extraneus nec haberet de proprio, qualiter eos consolaretur, bonitatem et clementiam circa omnes Theudoberthi regis cernens, misit ad eum legationem, dicens: 'Fama bonitatis tuae in universam terram vulgatur, cum tanta sit tua largitas, ut etiam non petentibus opem praestis. Rogo, si pietas tua habet aliquid de pecunia, nobis commodis, qua cives nostros relevare valeamus; cumque hi negutium exercentes responsum in civitate nostra, sicut reliquae habent, praestiterint, pecuniam tuam cum usuris legitimis reddimus'. Tunc ille pietate commotus, septim ei milia aureorum pristitit, qua ille accipiens per cives suos erogavit. At illi negutia exercentes divites per hoc effecti sunt et usque hodie magni habentur. Cumque antedictus episcopus debitam pecuniam obtulisset regi, respondit rex: 'Non habeo necessarium hoc recipere; illud mihi sufficit, si dispensatione tua pauperes, qui oppraemebantur inopia, per tuam suggestionem vel per meam largitatem sunt relevati'. Sanctus Gregorius Turonensis, Historia Francorum Lib. 3, Cap. 34

Desideratus the bishop of Verdun, on whom king Theodoric had inflicted many wrongs, after many pains and loses and troubles, was restored to his liberty at the Lord's command, and the office of bishop, as we have said, at the city of Verdun, and seeing its inhabitants very poor and destitute he lamented over them, and since he was left without his own property on account of Theodoric, and had nothing of his own with which to comfort them, aware of the goodness and kindness to all of king Theodobert, he sent a legation to him saying: ' The fame of your goodness is found over all the earth, since your generosity is such that you give wealth even to those who do not ask. I beseech that if your piety has any money, that you give it to us that we might be able to relieve our fellow­ citizens; and when those in charge of business secure a return in our city such as the rest have, we will repay your money with lawful interest.' Then Theodobert, stirred with pity, handed over seven thousand gold pieces, which the bishop received and distributed among his fellow ­citizens. And they who were engaged in business were made rich through this, and they retain their greatness to the present day. And when the bishop spoken of came to repay the debt due to the king, the king answered: "I have no need to take this; it is enough for me if by your care the poor men who were suffering poverty have been relieved because of your suggestion and my generosity.' St Gregory of Tours, from the History of the Franks, Bk. 3, Ch. 34

A Gift And A Loan

Ἀκούετε, οἱ πλοὺσιοι, ὁποῖα συμβουλεύομεν τοῖς πτωχοῖς διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀπανθρωπίαν· ἐκαρτερεῖν μᾶλλον τοῖς δεινοῖς, ἢ τὰς ἐκ τῶν τὸκων συμφορὰς ὑποδέχεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ ἐπείθεσθε τῷ Κυριῳ, τίς χρεία τῶν λόγων τούτων; Τίς δέ ἐστιν ἡ συμβουλὴ τοῦ Δεσπότου; Δανείζετε παρ’ ὦν οὐκ ἐλπίζετε ἀπολαβεῖν. Καὶ ποῖον, φησὶ, τοῦτο δάνεισμα, ὦ τῆς ἀποδόσεως ἐλπὶς οὐ συνέζευκται; Νόησον τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ῥητοῦ, καὶ θαυμάσεις τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ νομοθετου. Ὅταν πτωχῷ παρέχειν μέλλυς διὰ τὸν Κύριον, τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ δῶρόν ἐστι καὶ δάνεισμα· δῶρόν μὲν διὰ τὴν ἀνελμιστίαν τῆς ἀπολήψεως, δάνεισμα δὲ διὰ τὴν μεγαλοδωρεὰν τοῦ Δεσπότου τοῦ ἀποτιννύντος ὑπερ αὐτοῦ, ὃς, μικρὰ λαβὼν διὰ τοῦ πένητος, μεγάλα ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποδώσει. Ὁ γάρ ἐλεῶν πτωχόν δανείζει Θεῷ. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμός ΙΔ' Source: Migne PG 29.277c

Listen, O rich folk, to the counsel we give to the poor on account of your inhumanity: it is better for you to persevere in wretchedness than to welcome the sufferings of usury. But if you are obedient to the Lord, what need of these words? What is the counsel of the Master? Give to those from whom you do not hope to receive. 1 'And what sort of loan is it,' you may say, 'to which no hope of return attached?' Consider the power of the statement and you will wonder at the kindness of the lawmaker. Whenever you intend to provide for a poor man for the Lord's sake, the same thing is a gift and a loan; a gift because repayment is not sought, but a loan because of the great gift of the Master who pays in his place, He who, receiving a little thing through a needy man, will give great things for it. 'For he who has pity on the poor man, lends to God.' 2 Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 14 1 Lk 6.34-35 2 Prov 19.17