March: Day 2: Teaching 1: Saint Arsenius, Bishop of Tver

 

March: Day 2: Teaching 1:
Saint Arsenius, Bishop of Tver
 
(A Lesson in Philanthropy)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Arsenius, commemorated today by the Church, lived in the fourteenth century and was a native of Tver and the son of pious, rich and noble parents, who had received an excellent education. After the death of his parents, he remained the owner of great wealth, but took nothing of it for himself, but used it all to help the poor. Arsenius' relatives reproached him for his insane, in their opinion, extravagance, which had ruined all of his father's property, and also persuaded Arsenius to marry; but Arsenius decided to completely renounce the world and retired to the Kiev Caves Lavra, where he took monastic vows. The brethren loved him for his constant labors and righteous life. Soon Metropolitan Cyprian, who was then living in Kiev, learned of him and ordained him a Hierodeacon, and in 1390, when he went to Moscow, he took him with him and soon ordained him Bishop of Tver. Here Arsenius spent twenty years, constantly teaching his flock with word and example of life. Meek and indulgent by nature, the Saint never left anyone with hostility or anger, and never let anyone go without consolation and help. He took no small part in reconciling quarreling princes and thus rendered great benefit to the flock and the Church. Through the labors of Saint Arsenius, many churches arose in the Tver region. In order to constantly maintain in himself the thought of death, he prepared a coffin for himself from a large stone and hewed it himself. The death of the Saint followed on March 2, 1409, and in 1483 the relics of Saint Arsenius was discovered to be incorruptible.

II. Venerable Arsenius, who gave away all his property to the poor, gives us a wonderful lesson in philanthropy.

Looking at the state of our neighbors, what do we see, brethren? Only the happy and prosperous? On the contrary, we meet the unfortunate and ill-fated. Here are the poor, without daily food, covered in rags and without shelter. Here is a wretched widow, from whom children expect bread, but who can satisfy them only with tears. Here are orphans who do not see their father and mother. Here are homeless old people, burdened with infirmities or suffering from incurable diseases or crippled.

a) What then? Is there any comfort for the poor and suffering? Is there any benefactor and guardian for them? It is, brethren, God, who is the common Father (Matt. 6:32) of the rich and the poor, the happy and the unfortunate. He also especially calls Himself the Father of the orphans (Ps. 68:7). What then can one not expect from this Father? His is the whole earth and the fullness thereof (Ps. 23:1). His are all the treasures of the earth and all the blessings. Will He not satisfy the hungry, clothe the naked, help the afflicted? Truly, "the Lord gives food to the hungry; the Lord loosens the bound; the Lord makes wise the blind; the Lord raises up those who are cast down; the Lord preserves the strangers; He will receive the orphan and the widow" (Ps. 145:7, 8, 9).

b) But this great work of paternal care for the poor, the Lord our God grants to us, too, brethren! "Be," He says to each of us, "like a father to the orphans" (Sir. 4:10). What a sacred duty to be a father to orphans, a guardian of the poor and a comforter of the suffering! Are they not our brethren? Do they not have the same feelings, desires and needs as we do? Do they not have the same right as we have to all the gifts sent down to us from the Heavenly Father? Does not the Almighty Provider generously shower some of us with blessings so that they may give of their surplus to others, the poor and needy? Therefore, brethren, we must be fathers to orphans and protectors of the poor. We must provide for the poor, give what is needed to those in need. "You shall open your hand wide to your brother" (Deut. 15:11), says God in the ancient law. "Give to him that asks of you" (Luke 6:30), Christ also commands us. We must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give rest to the homeless. "Share your bread with the hungry, and bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, you cover him" (Is. 58:7), says God. To what extent should one give of one's substance and alms? "Whatever you have left over, give away as alms" (Tob. 4:16), says the pious Tobit, and Saint John the Baptist preaches thus: "He that has two garments, let him give to him that hath none; and he that has meat, let him do likewise" (Luke 3:11). We must not despise poor widows, and give care for orphans. "Do not hurt any widows and orphans" (Ex. 22:22), says God. We must feed and comfort the aged, the infirm, the crippled, and all those in distress and suffering. "When you make a feast," says Christ, "call the poor, the feeble, the lame, and the blind" (Luke 14:13). Thus did Righteous Job, who says of himself: "I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame; I was a father to the feeble" (Job 29:15, 16).

c) And what a multitude of divine blessings and bounties the word of God promises us for caring for the poor and suffering. "The blessing of the Lord is on the head of him who gives" (Prov. 11:26), says the wise Solomon. "Blessed is he who considers the poor and needy: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day" (Ps. 40:2), says the Psalmist. "Alms delivers from death, and does not forsake one to go into darkness" (Tob. 4:10), says the pious Tobit. "He who has mercy on the poor gives in return to God" (Prov. 19:17), says the wise Solomon again. "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me" (Matthew 25:34, 40), the Lord will say at the future Dread Judgment to those who looked after the poor and unfortunate.

III. Let us, brethren, do good to those in need, in order to receive a reward in heaven, which is incomparably more precious than all earthly treasures. Amen. 

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