October: Day 24: Teaching 1: Venerable Arethas the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

October: Day 24: Teaching 1:
Venerable Arethas the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

(On the Attitude Towards Wealth)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Arethas, whose memory is celebrated today, labored in the Kiev Caves Monastery. At first he was possessed by the sin of stinginess. Having a lot of money, he not only did not give alms, but even denied himself in extreme needs. Once thieves stole money from Arethas, and he almost took his own life. But the Lord Himself, during his illness, enlightened him with a vision. Venerable Arethas told about this vision: “When I was lying sick, angels came to me in my cell and demons behind them. The demons said that I did not glorify, but blasphemed God for the loss of money, and therefore should belong to them. Then the angels turned to me and said: 'If you had thanked God for the property stolen from you, then it would have been counted as alms to you, as it once was to Job, because patiently enduring a loss is equivalent to the voluntary giving of alms.' When the angels told me this, I repented, saying: 'Lord have mercy! That which I lost was yours, and I do not regret it.'" After that, Arethas completely changed, so that everyone was amazed at his change, and he became a recluse. He died in seclusion around 1220. His incorruptible relics rest in the Kiev Caves Monastery.

II. On the day of Venerable Arethas the Recluse of the Kiev Caves, who once suffered from stinginess, i.e., an incorrect attitude toward wealth, from which he was soon cured with the help of God's grace, it will be appropriate to talk about the incorrect attitude toward wealth of many Christians of our time.

All the rich people in the world can be divided into three categories.

a) Some of the rich become so addicted to wealth that there is no room left in their hearts for love of God and neighbor. Such people do not place their strength in God, but "trust in the abundance of their riches" (Psalm 49:6). A lover of wealth does not stop at any means to accumulate wealth: he resorts to deception, theft, robbery, bribery, usury, sacrilege, extortion, forgery and murder. For one who is passionately attached to wealth, it becomes an idol, to which he sacrifices the virginal purity of the body, and peace of heart, and the eternal salvation of the soul, and the well-being of his family, and the well-being of his neighbor, and fidelity and devotion to God. "The love of money is the root of all evil, to which some having given themselves over have strayed from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim. 6:10), the Apostle teaches. The Apostle Paul says: "Know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (Eph. 5:5).

b) Others among the rich, although they do not show excessive attachment to wealth, still find pleasure in the possession of great wealth; although they fear God, keep His law, do not touch what belongs to others, and even give to others a little of their own, but they do not wish to part with their property at all. Such was the rich young man mentioned in the Gospel: he did not listen to the advice of the Savior to sell his property and distribute it to the poor, although he wished to achieve the highest moral perfection and receive treasure in heaven. It should be noted, however, that the words of Jesus Christ about the sale and distribution of property do not contain a commandment obligatory for everyone, but advice to those seeking spiritual perfection. Venerable Abba Dorotheos says: "Behold, the Lord did not say to sell your property in the form of a command, but in the form of advice, because the expression 'if you want' does not mean an order, but advice."

The Lord Christ said of rich people of this kind that it is difficult, but not impossible for them to enter the kingdom of God. This difficulty consists in the fact that in the pursuit of profit it is difficult for them to keep themselves from untruth, just as it is difficult for someone walking among thorns not to prick their hands or feet. "Those who desire to get rich fall into temptation and into many foolish and harmful lusts that plunge people into disasters and destruction" (1 Tim. 6:9), teaches the Apostle Paul. It is difficult for them, with the desire to accumulate more wealth, to protect themselves from an addiction to wealth, which can easily extinguish the love of God in their hearts. The Savior, explaining His parable about the seed that fell among thorns, says: "And the seed that fell among thorns are those who hear the word of God, but, going away, are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life and do not bear fruit" (Luke 8:14). For this reason, the wise Solomon asked God not to give him great wealth, saying: "Do not give me wealth, lest, being full, I deny You" (Prov. 30:8, 9).

c) Finally, there are such rich people for whom it is not only possible, but also very convenient to be saved. These are those of the rich who have no passion for wealth. God gives them wealth, they thank the Benefactor for it, using prudence and labor with prayer on their part. He takes it away, they do not complain and surrender to the will of God, knowing that the Lord will not abandon them (Heb. 13:3); having food and clothing, they are content with that (1 Tim. 6:8). Having lost wealth, they usually say: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; as it pleased the Lord, so it happened; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:26). They strive to use the wealth they have received not only for their own pleasure, not to satisfy all their whims, not to support their own arrogance, but for the glory of God and the good of their neighbors, for the construction and decoration of the Lord's temples and monastic monasteries, for the construction of almshouses, hospitals and shelters for the crippled, sick and homeless, for the opening of canteens for helpless widows, orphans and the starving, for supplying schools with educational supplies for the enlightenment of the ignorant people, for the ransom of those imprisoned for debts and arrears and similar benefactions. With such a prudent use of the wealth given to them, does not the rich receive the same greeting from the Lord as a faithful and good servant: "You have been faithful in a few things, I will make you ruler over many things, enter into the joy of your Lord." Such chosen ones are rare, but they still exist. Among such chosen ones are the Old Testament forefather Abraham, the patriarch Jacob, the long-suffering Job and King David. The forefather Abraham was known as the richest of his kind, but during his lifetime he was honored to receive the Lord Himself with two angels into his tent and was honored with the title of "friend of God." The patriarch Jacob, despite the fact that he owned a lot of cattle and had many slaves, both male and female, was beloved by God. Job turned out to be more righteous than other people in the eyes of God, although there was an extraordinary abundance of everything in his house. King David was not prevented from entering heaven by his royal greatness and possession of all the treasures of the land of Israel.

III. So, Christian brethren, if anyone finds wealth an obstacle to practicing good works, to moral self-improvement, let him try to act according to the advice of the Savior given to the rich young man; for a person who finds wealth an obstacle to moral improvement, it is better to endure here all the hardships of poverty, if only after death to inherit the kingdom of heaven; it is better to renounce temporary pleasures and possible enjoyments, than to be cast into the fiery Gehenna in eternity.

And if someone does not feel an attachment to wealth, is indifferent to its possession, let him use wealth for the convenience of life: from his surplus he gives to the distressed and needy neighbors, donates for the construction of the temples of the Lord, almshouses, hospitals, schools and other godly institutions; looks at property, not as his own, but as God's good gift; considers himself not the owner of the wealth given to him by God, but only the steward and manager of wealth. For one who correctly looks at wealth and uses it wisely, it is not only not impossible, but also convenient to enter the kingdom of God.

Whoever has become madly addicted to wealth, works for it as an idol, places all his hope in it, and does not disdain any means, legal or illegal, honest or dishonest, to acquire it, will see the fulfillment of Christ's words: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Amen.

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.