Ep. 151: Fasting and Alms Giving

In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy

Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting

mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world

and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and

enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge.

Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be

obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at

every hour. O You who enlightens the

rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my

Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and

divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son

and Holy Spirit, forever. The celebration of the

triumphant entrance of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ into

Jerusalem Sunday of the Hosannas.

Hosanna is a word for praise or to save.

To save Hosanna save as we need this celebration and entering

the Passion Week of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, where

we will have services to remember the passion and to to

know what it was and why it was that Jesus truly died for us.

And why did he enter Jerusalem. Why is this event a feast in the

church and why is it celebrated as a feast in the church?

And we'll talk about that as we come to those events, but as we.

Are in the. Period of Lent fasting We have

two weeks to go and we have been concentrating on our fast we.

We ascertained from the. Previous 4 episodes, the past

four episodes that fasting is biblical and we have the, the

food aspect of fasting. And we, we spoke about fasting

being abstinence with food because when God commanded Adam

and Eve in Genesis chapter 3, he said do not eat from this food.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

Not just do not eat the fruit, but you can have a little bit of

the leaves or you know, from the bark or what have you.

No, no, do not eat. And Jesus didn't eat.

And we had some tips on fasting, how we can fast and how the

church according to churches teachings and tradition and

cannons, how we fast. You know, one way was to wake up

in the morning and abstain from food and drink until evening

prayers and then you break your abstinence.

And we have all these archived in the programs.

And we also. Spoke about last program was

about that. We know we when.

You can't fast. Some people just can't do it

because of ailments. Because of the sickness.

But some people just can't do it and we had a look at some of

Saint John Chrysostoms comments and where he says therefore who

he who eats and cannot fast. Let him display richer arms

giving. Let him pray more.

Let him have a more intense desire to hear divine words.

In this our somatic illness is. Not a.

Hindrance. You know your illness and your.

Weakness and and ability to inability.

To fast to stop, you know, abstain from food.

This will not hinder your your reading of the scriptures and

you know, praying more. Let him become reconciled with

his enemies. Let him distance.

Him so his soul from every. Resentment, anger, bitterness,

so they you know for. Those who who just.

Can't fast and and the reason why Saint John Chrysostom writes

is not that that's OK. You don't need to fast no no.

No through. These deeds through these.

Acts. You will grow stronger in the

Spirit, and you will grow stronger in your ability to

offer the fast according to the Scriptures, according to how the

Church is teaching. This episode.

I want to concentrate on what Saint John Chrysostom writes and

says. Let him display richer.

Almsgiving Almsgiving in in Mark chapter. 25 verses 35 to 36

Christ commands or teachers that for I was hungry and you gave me

food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.

I was a. Stranger.

And you took me in. I was.

Naked and you clothed. Me, I was sick.

And you took care of me. When and how?

In verse 40, Matthew chapter 25 verse 40, Jesus says it clearly.

Matthew 25:40

As much as you have. Done to one of these little

brothers. You have done that to me.

Now these must be fulfilled. At all times, not only during.

Lent do we increase? Our arms giving and our prayer

and our scripture reading, No. Our episode, we had an episode.

We spoke. About this and I.

Think it was titled. Not only during Lent.

This is last year, but Lent is a great.

Time to start. You know.

As we are more focused and more, you know, not so much content,

but more focused on our spiritual walk, on our spiritual

deeds, on our spiritual. Thoughts, feelings and emotions.

It's a good place to start and then to continue.

The Holy. Scriptures.

The Church. Fathers, the Divine.

Liturgy speaks lengthly about the charity and almsgiving.

Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament and in the.

Church fathers, Church homilies and the the.

Teachings of the in the. Liturgies you know about giving.

Alms in in our. Prayers we are always encouraged

to help those who are in need. Proverbs chapter 19 verse 17.

Proverbs 19:17

He that follows the Lord God, there's a reason I'm stopping.

He that follows the Lord God, No, I'm not reading it wrong.

If you're following in your Bible, I'm not reading wrong and

your Bible is translated incorrectly and we're going to

prove that. He had he.

That follows the Lord. God shows mercy.

Upon the poor, and he is rewarded according to his works.

Note follows and not. Lends to the Lord as some

versions you know have been written.

He he, he lends whoever helps the port lends to the Lord.

What lend like the Lord? Owns me.

He owes me something. The Lord is indebted.

How can God be indebted? To you and I man, who is.

Here today and not tomorrow, like the grass in the field.

He's like a, you know, a mist a. Worm.

How can God be indebted to us? You know, I think this is a

translation in intentional mistranslation so that we can

hit the pockets of the faithful just right, like the.

Preacher, who stands and. Asks for his congregations tax.

Returns so that he can make sure they are giving 10%.

Let's not go there. Let's not go there.

But you know what's more annoying?

Oh yeah, But they're preaching Jesus Christ.

That's not the Jesus that I know.

Jesus. Hasn't asked me to ask for

people's tax returns. No, no, no.

How can God be indebted to us, beloved?

Romans 11/30. 5. Who has first given to him?

That is God, and then he received from God?

Who can claim I gave to God and. He gave to me no.

Christ sets it straight. In Luke chapter 17.

Luke 17 · chapter mention

Verse 10 See also you whenever you have done all those things

that were commanded to you. Proverbs 19 to help.

The poor. To help the needy.

This is a commandment. This is a commandment from the

Scriptures, from the church fathers, from the church

teachings. Whenever you have done all those

things that were commanded to you, you shall say we are

unprofitable. Service, not God owes me no God.

I have a debt on God. No, that's blasphemy, because we

have done that which we were obliged.

To do, Jesus says. So followers of Jesus, those.

Who follow Jesus. To to confirm and.

To, to, to. Claim rightly that you follow

Jesus is by showing. One of many ways is by showing

Jesus that you are fulfilling his commandments, which.

Means you love him. And you are helping.

The poor. So again, take out your Bibles.

Go to Proverbs. I'm sorry.

Go to Proverbs. Where was it?

Proverbs 16 I'm sorry Go to Proverbs 1617, sorry Proverbs

1917 and where it says he who helps.

I'm not sure how it's worded lends to the Lord.

Cross that out with a pencil, a lead pencil, not with a.

Biro. Hot car with a lead pencil,

cross out lens to the Lord and write He Who.

Follows the Lord God shows. Mercy upon the poor.

God does not owe us. God is not indebted.

To us, beloved. So followers of Jesus do this

How? We'll talk about that. 2nd

Corinthians 9, Six to seven. Whoever sows sparingly also

reaps sparingly. And whoever sows with the bounty

shall reap with bounty. Nothing but 10% there is it.

Bounty. You have more, you pay more, you

don't have more. That's OK.

See, this is not a burden Saint Paul puts on the congregation in

Corinth, No. Let me read it again.

Whoever sows sparingly, that is, wants to fool God, has plenty,

but doesn't want to give in in bounty will reap.

Sparingly as well. And whoever sows in bounty shall

reap with bounty. But here it is every man

according to what he is in his mind and not according to grief

or of compulsion, where you have to show your tax return.

No, no, no, not of grief, of compulsion.

For God loves the joyful giver, not the giver that has been

pressured by his so-called preacher super apostle that you

must give 10%. No, you can give more and you

can give according what you put in your heart.

But God cannot be mocked. Keeping that in mind.

So charity. Charity is from the Scriptures,

from the teachings of the Church.

Why? Why charity must be a part of

our life, in particular in during Lent.

Because that's where we start. And we can continue.

Well, charity beloved. Is an act of love.

Charity is an act of mercy. Charity is an act of compassion

and from God is an act of grace. That means God has did it.

God has done it. God has taught us.

That's why I didn't say charity. He is an act of grace from us.

No, no, no, we haven't done it. God has done it.

That's why grace is befitting for the Lord.

God is great. Grace is befitting for the Lord.

So charity is an act of love, mercy and compassion.

These were the cause of God giving his son to us.

John 316 for God so love. There is another mistranslation.

He's another misunderstanding for God so loved, loved the word

in this the world in this way, so much that he would give up

his son, the only one loved not was so angry and wrathful and

had to take his anger out, had to punish someone.

That's why he turned his face away from the Lord.

We've spoken about that. No, no, no, it was love.

You see on the cross, you see love.

You see the love of God. And you see the.

Victory of Jesus Christ, praise and glory be, glory be to his

name. So for God.

So love the world. That why that's why he did what

he did through his son for you and I an act of charity and not

to act of goodness, an act of love.

He loved the. World.

World beloved. It was an act of love by which

God demonstrates His love for us because of His love and

compassion. This is his demonstration of His

love because if. We were.

Sinners Christ died in our place.

Romans 5/8 It was because of love that this deed of charity

let's. Say.

Goodness came from God. It was an act of love from God

that he has called us and also has made us children. 1 John 31.

And Saint Paul writes that it is because of the Spirit that we

have received through God's loving his Son, that Holy Spirit

grants us the, the, the confidence to call the Father,

our Father Baban, not the Father.

That's why Jesus teaches when you pray, you don't say the

Father in heaven, you say our Father in heaven.

And if our Muslim friends have an issue with that, you're

absolutely right. My dear beloved Muslim friend,

no, you can't call the Father your Father because you can only

call the Father your Father is when you believe in his Son, our

Lord Jesus Christ and the Jewish friends.

When you believe in His Son, our Lord and Jesus Christ, and you

are baptized in his baptism, and you've been clothed with him,

that the Son of God, the Son of God, then you can confidently

call the Father your Father. That's from Galatians 3/26/27.

And it is this same love, beloved, that Christ

demonstrated and requested from his disciples after washing

their feet. We're going to do this on the

Thursday of Passover, April 2nd. He says in John 1315 he's

talking about service. If I have given you this example

washing of the feet that you also should do the.

Same way. As I have done to you, so God

loved us. God did what he did through His

Son. We are indebted to the Lord.

To do. As his son taught us, no, not

that we will put God in debt has to say that.

And you know, to my shame, I used to think when I read that,

you know, it never felt, it didn't sit right.

How can God be in there? How can God own owe me, not owe

me, owe me? Glory be to Christ.

For the shut the. Version in the Aramaic

languages. Oh my God.

No, no, no, it's not. We lend to the Lord.

We don't lend anything to the Lord.

It's his anyway. It's not mine for me to lend,

it's God's. And again, it is the same love

that Christ had demanded in order to.

Be known as his followers, true followers, and to be.

Perceived as his followers. And to his disciples he says, To

know that you are my disciples. John, 1335.

Every. Person will know by this that

you are my disciples. Or my.

Followers or my adherents? If you shall have love, 1.

To another and and this is how we portray our love and the

apostle. Paul writes that because the

apostles and the disciples and all the scripture characters

showed and portrayed that. Love of Jesus Christ, he then.

Instructs us to imitate him. 1 Corinthians 11/1.

Because he imitates Christ. So how do we do this?

How do I do my deeds of charity? Looking at Matthew chapter 25.

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

Looking at Jesus being. Served, he's told.

Us. This is Jesus.

Telling you and I. You know, each time you do

something in the name of Jesus, you're doing it for Jesus.

So when you're doing something for someone because Jesus has

commanded you, Jesus has done it, you're doing it for Jesus

Christ. That's what he said.

He said if you do for these little ones, you're doing it for

me. So when you visit someone in

hospital, when I visit someone in hospital, there are two

Christ's there. There's one in bed, the sick,

and there is the foolish, weak, unworthy servant, which is

myself representing Jesus Christ, the soul of Jesus

Christ, the icon of. Jesus Christ, So how do we do?

When someone is hungry, well, physically we need to feed them.

Go out these part. Next two coming weeks.

A week. And 1/2.

Your charitable deeds, not only during Lent, go out.

There are plenty of homeless. People on the streets here in

Turlock. Plenty in LA, plenty in San

Francisco. Plenty.

There's plenty of people. That have pitched their tents

and they live outside, you know, go and buy them food.

Hello, how are you? Have you had anything?

To eat. Have you had breakfast?

Or would you like me to get you? Would you like me to get me some

breakfast? Would you like me to get you

some lunch? OK.

You don't have time to go back and forth.

OK, here's a gift voucher from. McDonald's from.

In and out from what? There's a gift.

There's a $20.00 gift card, you know.

Go and have a. Meal and.

Praise the Lord Jesus. Christ physically, spiritually

as well if the man is spiritually hungering for love

and mercy. For the word of God.

Maybe to know about Jesus Christ, to be given some

comfort, sit down and talk to that person.

You know, there are many times where you go to these people

that are on the streets and you want to feel and say no thank

you, I've had something to eat. You know.

Would you like something? No, I don't need.

Anything. Thank you.

Would you like me to talk to you?

Sure. You know, sit down, let's have a

chat. Like what happened?

How did how did life end up in this situation for you?

You know, just. Listen to these people.

Physically and spiritually, when they're thirsting.

Thirsting for love, for compassion, thirsting for

someone just to listen. To them, some people.

Just want to vent and and tell people you know and there are

times where they preach the Lord Jesus Christ.

A life experience I had myself saw someone in the street

homeless shaggy looking, spoke to my wife.

Let's go and help. This person hi.

You know, rather they. Take.

This as a little, you know, a little gift.

I said no I don't want this, but what would?

You like me to pray for you? For what?

Would you like me to pray for? You put me to shame, right?

So they're not always wanting food and help.

No, sometimes they just want that.

Companionship, right? Taking in strangers.

Okay, you don't. Want to take him into okay, you

see someone streaming, sleeping on the streets, go up to that

person and say. Hey, brother.

Hey, sister. I want to.

I want to put you in a hotel or in a motel for a few days.

I want you. To have a shower.

I want you to sleep in a bed. I'll get some food for you.

I'll get some hygienic. What do they call them?

You know, the soap something. They call them something.

Yeah. You know, and have a shower.

Sorry. Care packages, Yeah, and you

know I'm going. To do this and.

God bless You, Beautiful. He is not going to say no.

Why didn't you put this? That's you know you and I think

this way. Christ thinks another way.

His thoughts are on our thoughts.

God's not thoughts are not our. Thoughts.

OK. Take a stranger and and put them

up in a hotel for a a few days or a week.

Clothing, you know, there's I'm going to take you to the, you

know, to the to target whatever. And you know, what clothes do

you need? Just go and buy some clothes and

what you need and I'll, I'll take care of you in the name of

Jesus Christ. Why?

Because I loved you. Because Jesus loved me.

Jesus did this. For me when I was.

Dead and in sin, he died for me. I want to share that love with

you. Take care of the sick.

You know when you. Visit hospitals and you, you,

you, you see these people. Sometimes you see people that

are. Sick on the streets you take

care of? Them, you know they.

They have scabs, they have wounds.

Take them to a physician, take them somewhere they can be taken

care of. You know he'll just like the the

the Good Samaritan took them to. The to the.

The inn, which is the the hospital, which is the church,

take them to the church. You know.

Tell them that. Hey, we have soup kitchens.

We have, we, we have all these programs.

There's all these. Programs don't worry about

whether they're going or not. It's not up to you to to sit

there and and and. Try to, you know, work out.

Why this person has ended up that way?

Prison, Jesus said. I was in prison.

You came and. Visited me.

It's difficult. We had prison ministries in

Australia, in Sydney. I think it's still going.

It was a little bit more easy, more accessible, although

nothing was promised. Like there were times where

you'd front up to the to the jail, to the prison.

They'd say no, no, it's a. Lockdown.

Go home, you know you've. Driven 40 minutes, Go home.

You can't see them. Father, but sometimes go and sit

there and just talk to them. Don't don't go in there and

promise them what you're going to do.

You're not an attorney right when they say to you.

I remember when I visited. A brother of mine who.

I think served 30 somewhat. Years and he's out now and.

Thank the Lord and the first question he asked.

Was said is God. Going to forgive.

Me, I said of. Course, God will forgive you.

Society may not. Forgive you.

You can even pay your debt to society it.

Still may not forgive you. But God will forgive you what I

need to do. Well, you have 30 years to think

about it. You have 30 years to talk to God

and to learn about God and to cast all your cares on God.

You have 30 years to. To sit down and pinpoint.

What happened? Where did I go wrong?

Why am I here? And then after that.

Once you've discovered, come back to the Lord.

Get on your knees. In your cell, in your dorm,

whatever it's called, say Lord. I have seen in heaven and earth

before you. I'm not worthy to be called your

child. Just accept me as a servant.

And when you do leave the prison, the Church is there for

you to absolve you, to minister the Holy Eucharist to you, to

put the. Ring on you to.

Clothe you again with a new garment and the.

Fattened calf. That is always slaughtered.

Every Sunday. To invite you to partake in

that. Spiritual.

Feast for your absolute, for the absolvement of your sins.

Sometimes that's all you need to.

Do too. They don't always need to be fed

and and dressed. So do these acts and then any

other way between you and your God, any other way go out there

and and do. These charitable deeds help the

poor because the church is saying and not the Church, the

Scriptures and the church. And sometimes, sometimes we.

Have the Zero Relief Fund. You have all these relief funds

that reach out to people that are in hunger.

Go and do that. Go and help these people.

Go and give to these organizations which are out

there. Mission work.

The NEC. National.

Executive Committee of the Asian Church of the East.

It's the North America committee.

We're embarking. We want to embark on mission

work for our youth. Enough of just taking care of

ourselves and and enjoying ourselves and you know.

Being in good. Health and and and good standing

for ourselves. No, no, no, we need to go out

and and try to go and help those people that are around the

world. It takes a lot.

It's not. It's easier said than done.

I know. I totally understand, but hey,

if you don't start, you can't. You don't know whether.

It's doable or? Not and I believe that through

Christ when you pray and. Especially during Lent when you.

Pray and ask the Lord to lead and to open the doors.

He will open those doors because you are going to do it for the

glory of His name and you're doing it for Jesus Christ.

So go out and do your charitable deeds tomorrow, next week,

Passion Week. Every day, every week.

Do something every week. There is, I'm sure, God.

Places a Lazarus in front of your.

Door. Your door doesn't.

Mean at the front porch? No, while you're driving.

While you're walking. There's always a Lazarus there.

Are we going? To be the rich man and look at.

That person just walk away or. Are we going to?

According to what's in our heart and what we want to do, sit

there and are we going to try to help that person in the name of

the Lord Jesus Christ? Say a pray Lord, I'm doing this.

And I know why when I do this. I've done it for you and.

What it is? What did Saint Paul write that?

If you do it in bounty, you'll reap in bounty.

And that proves that. You are a true follower of Jesus

Christ along with many more other deeds that we need to do

which are the reflection. Of our faith.

In Him praise and glory be to His name, now and at all times

and forever. Amen.

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Until next time, God bless you all.