How can Chrysostom's ideas on poverty apply today?
Hear the Apostle: 'If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” yet you give them nothing, what good is that?' (James 2:15-16). This perennial truth remains. For what purpose do we live in abundance if not to succor those in need? The vast disparities that exist, whether in cities or among nations, present a profound challenge to the Christian conscience. We must labor, we must strive, to ensure that our possessions are not hoarded but used as instruments of charity, reflecting God's boundless mercy. The devil laughs when we profess faith but neglect our brethren.
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