Each of us has given alms at least once in our lives on the street, in a temple or on public transport. Some people do it automatically, others think about it and serve it, for example, only to children or the elderly. Some people throw change into their hands, others hand them large bills.
On the one hand, alms are a “plus” in karma. On the other hand, there is a belief that improperly given alms can harm the giver. There is an opinion that by giving to a beggar, we “buy” poverty and illness from him.
As the grandmothers bequeathed
It is believed that the most important thing at the moment of giving alms is a bright and sincere intention. In this case, any action will be correct.
You can often hear from people of the older generation that you need to give alms with your right hand, saying: “Let the hand of the giver not fail. Amen." With the right hand, because the right hand does the right thing.
More modern views are much more prosaic. Today, most often, the argument against alms can be simply banal disgust and fear. People who ask rarely look neat. Many of them are dressed in dirty clothes and have obvious signs of various diseases. We can say that beggars in the modern world are a kind of litmus test of society and its worldview as a whole. The way a passer-by treats the person asking also shows what kind of person he is.
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In addition, there is a belief that alms are not only a way to repay “debts” to the Universe, but also an opportunity to make room for something new.
Orthodox Life
Archpriest Andrei Chizhenko answers.
One man stood on a busy city street and saw his acquaintance, as one can accurately say, a depressed man. He took pity on him and gave him a certain amount of money. An hour and a half later (obviously, by the Providence of God) this man again found himself in the same place. What he saw brought his heart a lot of suffering. The one I knew was completely drunk. He no longer understood what he was doing, he could not walk, he tried to get up, but he kept falling, etc. His forehead was cut. Blood flowed from the wound in a strong stream, such that even puddles formed on the asphalt.
The man realized that, most likely, his acquaintance, who had fallen into disrepute, got drunk for his money. What to do? It was necessary to correct the situation with God's help. He crossed the road, called an ambulance, and then for about two more hours, together with the nurses, he put the drunk man on a stretcher and placed him in the car. He even had to go with him to the hospital in an ambulance, because his friend recognized him and at least obeyed him a little. Every thirty seconds, he grabbed himself off the stretcher, grabbed this man, smearing him with blood, and begged for something.
Finally he was placed in a room and fell asleep. And that man, having thanked the doctors and washed himself, left the hospital, his heart pounding terribly. For several more hours he could not calm down from the ordeal that he had endured.
And my soul was also very, very sad... I wanted to do a good deed, but it came to bloody wounds.
And here begins our conversation about mercy as the actual material and spiritual manifestation of such a virtue as mercy.
What can be said about mercy? Without him we will not be saved. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself speaks about this. And it was these words of the Savior that the Fathers of the Church set for the Gospel reading on the Sunday of the Last Judgment (see Matthew 106, Chapter 25:31–46). That is, the one who fed, clothed, put shoes on the needy, visited prisoners in prisons and cared for the sick in hospitals, he will be a worthy sheep of Christ, a servant of God - fit for the Kingdom of Heaven. Because “Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
But what then to do with the above-mentioned case? The Holy Fathers also, at first glance, say contradictory things.
“Nothing can bring the heart closer to God like alms...” (Reverend Isaac the Syrian).
“Alms have the same power as Holy Baptism: just as the holy font cleanses the sins of people, so alms cleanses the sins of merciful souls” (St. John Chrysostom).
“Do good, and from the fruit of your labors, which God gives you, give to all the poor simply, without any hesitation, to whom you give. Give to everyone because God wants everyone to be given from His gifts. Those who take will give an account to God of why and for what they took. Those who take from need will not be condemned, but those who take in disguise will be judged. The giver will not be guilty, for he fulfilled the service that he received from God, without discerning to whom to give and to whom not to give...” (Herm).
But there are also seemingly diametrically opposed quotes...
“...Let alms sweat in your hand until you know to whom to give” (Teaching of the Lord (transmitted) to the peoples through the 12 Apostles (Didache)).
“It takes experience to distinguish between someone who is truly in need and someone who asks out of covetousness. And whoever gives to someone oppressed by poverty gives to the Lord... and whoever lends money to anyone passing by, throws it to the dog, which bothers him with his recklessness, but does not arouse pity with his poverty” (St. Basil the Great).
“An act of charity done without thoughtful and heartfelt participation in those in need is a body without a soul” (St. Philaret of Moscow).
Do the holy fathers contradict each other here? Of course not. They simply tell us the very method of giving alms, its instrument. Alms must be given without romantic flair, and without passion, and without some kind of “game of Orthodoxy,” and without vanity, and without charming states. Alms must be given soberly, with sobriety, reasoning and love.
Don’t we know that there is a whole “beggarly business” with its own terrible anti-human and anti-Christian laws? Of course have.
Or does it happen that the one asking for money is much richer than the one who gives it to him?
Or that a person has fallen because of his passion and, quite possibly, asks in order to commit a sin and satisfy this passion?
Yes, it's all there. But give it anyway. There is no need to give fabulous sums. Give as much as will not harm you, and the necessary minimum that will not harm him. If he buys a bottle of water, a loaf of bread and a pack of butter with your money, for example, then he will no longer die of hunger, and if you gave in addition to this, then he can also take some alcohol for himself. Otherwise, knowing that you are going to church and you have the opportunity to give alms, buy with this money several loaves of bread and processed cheese, for example, and give to the poor instead of money: whoever takes, will take, and whoever turns away - it’s clear , what he asked for.
If possible, then give the beggar 5-10 hryvnia, do not give 50 or 100, because it could be disastrous for him. Vodka can make you crazy. Large amounts (if, of course, you have such an opportunity) should be targeted. That is, you must know specifically and quite well the person to whom you are giving. A seriously ill child, for the construction of a temple, etc. But the information must be verified. This is especially true in the Internet sphere. Assistance with non-cash payments through Internet sites should also be very careful. Sites are verified. If these are church sites, they should be official.
You need to look at the world with your eyes wide open. Look around, perhaps there is a grandmother living on the staircase next to you, for whom your 200 hryvnia will be a solid help for retirement, or a single mother who will be very grateful to you if you buy her child a pack of diapers.
I was told a story about how they tried to detain a thief in one of the Kyiv supermarkets. It turns out that the goods he stole were several packages of diapers. The poor man did not have enough money to provide for his children. Sad story.
You also need to know that there is a whole category of people who want to crawl on your neck, dangle their legs and for you to carry them through life and solve their problems for them.
Therefore, take a close look at people. Be careful. Give 5-10-20 hryvnia to everyone who asks. This is your sacred duty. This will not make you poorer. But large sums... Look for someone who really needs it. For whom this will not be to destruction, not to satisfy passions, but truly to maintain health and save the soul. When submitting large sums or in general on the situation, you can consult with a clergyman or with people who are authoritative for you and whom you trust.
As Metropolitan Athanasius of Limassol wrote: condemnation is a sin, and reasoning is a gift that is given to us from God. So we will reason with God’s help, but we will reason with a heart filled with love, mercy and a sincere desire to help. By the way, about the life story given at the beginning of the article... This man, some time later, met his friend, whom he brought drunk and bloodied to the hospital. He was clean, sober and upon meeting thanked him for his help. So almsgiving is also a battle that we, Christians, as conductors of Divine grace, wage for human souls.
Refusal to give alms.
In any case, the decision to give alms is a personal matter for everyone. A person has the right to independently manage his money, no matter what amounts are involved. Everyone has their own financial condition, attitude towards money and signs associated with it. You cannot condemn a person for refusing to give alms.
However, you need to remember to treat other people with respect, no matter who they are. You can even refuse a request in different ways. Agree, you can rudely throw out: “God willing” or “Go to work,” or you can simply shake your head negatively or say: “Sorry, I can’t right now.”
The fact that a person is not standing with his hand outstretched does not mean at all that the money in his pocket is not the last. Not everyone can afford to give them to other people. But rudeness in this situation can hardly be justified.
It's good to donate regularly
Venerable Isaac of Optina
In the world , St. Isaac
was a rich merchant. In his family, a certain day of the week was established on which alms were distributed to the poor.
Grandmother of St. Macaria visited prisoners on Saturdays and gave them pies that she baked herself. One day, this virtue later saved his and his grandfather’s lives: in winter, their cart was attacked by a gang of robbers, and one of the robbers persuaded the leader to spare the travelers, recognizing the woman from whose hands he so often accepted alms in prison.
Venerable Macarius of Optina
How to give alms correctly?
For those who believe in omens, it is important to learn how to give alms correctly.
It's difficult to present without judging. Believers claim that there is a universal key to the questions of what is right and what is wrong - this is love. Whatever is done with love is right. When giving alms, you should pray in your soul for the person asking, and think something good about him.
You don’t need to think about whether you are doing well or badly, don’t make distinctions between men and women, old people and young people, don’t pay attention to nationality.
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There is an opinion among clergy that it is not worth giving money to people who drink. It's better to give them food. After all, by giving them money, we encourage their “slippery” path. The same rule applies to children: it is believed that money spoils them.
What is alms
The very essence of alms is a truly human heart, able to empathize and burning with love for every living creature. The alms giver not only selflessly gives something material and spiritual, but also shows great compassion by taking upon himself a small part of the fate of unfortunate people.
The word “alms” in Orthodoxy refers to deeds of Christian love
When weaknesses in the face of passions reign on earth, God teaches us to be saved from sins through alms. Such continuous charity returns to people the blissful mercy of the Lord.
Where can you give alms?
You can give alms if the beggars are:
- At the entrance to “God’s” places: churches, chapels, holy springs (at the entrance).
- At the entrance to the market.
- At public transport stops.
- At the entrance to government buildings.
- If they ask for animal feed (in this case, you can add a little to the person asking).
- At government agencies (for example, the registry office). It is believed that in this case, the person asking takes on the sins of the giver along with the money, giving him in return a happy future, wealth and prosperity.
There are situations when a beggar asks for a small amount, and having received it, asks for more. In this case, it is customary to give first, but say the phrase a second time:
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Examples from the lives of saints
Perhaps the most vivid idea of the importance of charity is given by a story from the life of St. Thomas the Apostle. Distributing the wealth of the Indian king, intended for the construction of an earthly castle, to the poor, he instead built him a palace miraculous in heaven, which was later seen and confirmed by the king’s suddenly deceased brother.
In the life of the Monk Paphnutius of Borovsky there is another story, which also emphasizes the importance of works of mercy. He had a revelation about a deceased man who during his lifetime loved to do good to the poor. This man stood in front of a fiery river, which blocked his path to the heavenly villages. And then the unknown beggars began to lie down in front of him one by one, forming a kind of bridge along which he passed across the river.
Paphnutius Borovsky said that the Lord could have sent angels to this man so that they could carry him, but he did so precisely for the sake of his great “love of poverty.”
You cannot submit:
- For those who sit below ground level (in underground passages). They say that the earth is the border between worlds. By giving alms below her level, you can accidentally give your benefit to the lower world.
- Drunk.
- People sitting at intersections. An intersection, like an underground passage, is considered a place with negative energy.
- People sitting near medical institutions, cemeteries and near sacred trees.
- People holding a sign or a child.
- In addition, you cannot serve on your birthday, christening or on Wednesdays. Wednesday is Mercury day. Mercury is the god of trade. Giving alms these days means failure in business.
- Near bread and dairy stores. You also cannot give change from these products. It is believed that in this way one can share the fate of the person asking.
- It should be given, without touching the person asking, with small and medium coins.
- Coins of even denominations cannot be served.
- You cannot touch the person asking.
- You cannot look the person asking in the eyes.
- Under no circumstances should you expect that your alms will be credited to you somewhere. Even if you do not brag out loud about your action, even the thought of it is a manifestation of pride. You need to serve from the heart. Only in this case will the deed really “count” and have good power for the giver.
In addition to beggars, there are a huge number of living beings on the street who also need help. These are sick people, children deprived of parents, and even animals. Today there are many ways to help those in need.
In any case, in the process of alms, the most important thing is not the signs or the place, but your sincerity and good intentions.
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