Heaven and earth and sea and sun and stars were made for his sake.
Consider well then, the dignity and worth of the man you save. Do not think lightly of the care you show to him. Even if a man gives away more money than you can count, he does not do as great a thing as the man who saves a soul, leads it from its error, and takes it by the hand along the road to godliness.
takes away the poor man's hunger.
The man who sets a judaizing Christian straight, wins a victory over godlessness.
The first man gave consolation to the poor.
the second put a stop to reckless transgression.
The first freed the body from pain...
the other snatched a soul from the fires of hell.
I showed you the treasure.
Do not forsake the profit.
You cannot dare put the blame on your poverty, or excuse yourself because you are indigent. The only expense is one of phrases, the only cost is one of words. Therefore, let us not shrink back from the task, but with all the zeal and desire we possess, let us go hunting for our brothers.
Even though they be unwilling, let us drag them into our own houses, let us sit down with them at table, and put a meal before them. Let us do this, so that after they have broken their fast before our eyes, after they have given us a full and sufficient guarantee of their conversion and return to better ways, they may help both themselves and us to a share in eternal blessings through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end.
Amen.
~chrysostomus~
against the jews
homily 6
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