Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7)ZZXFHL5QX
Charity is a tradition that dates back to the Old Testament. It was in the Christian era that it became a church. The book of Acts describes how the first Christians sold houses and wealth and brought money to the feet of the apostles, and then the funds were distributed among the needy. In Jerusalem, the tradition of shared meals was introduced, and when famine began in Judea, Christians from Hellenic settlements raised funds to help the starving. This is stated in Acts 29.
Therefore, along with Christianity, the traditions of charity came to Russia. At monasteries and churches worked kitchens that fed pilgrims and beggars. Princes, merchants and common people donated to temples and helped the poor. Unfortunately, this tradition was interrupted in the 20th century, when the Church received an official ban on charitable activities. This was a difficult test, because for the Orthodox individual, and for the Church as a whole, serving people is the covenant of Christ. During the Soviet era, good deeds were done in secret, but now people have the opportunity to openly proclaim the love of Christ through charity. Today in Russia there are more than 300 societies of Orthodox sisters of mercy, 800 large volunteer groups and without counting small ones. Every year there are more than a hundred new social projects. Everyone sacrifices what they can. Who is money, who is time, who is the product of their labor. “Faith without works is dead,” said the apostle. Thousands of volunteers keep the fire of living faith alive daily and hourly.
MercyZZXXFHL6QXZ…So be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 6:36)ZXQHL11QX
Preference of spiritual goods to earthly
«God is able to enrich you with all grace, so that you, always and in everything having contentment, be rich in every good deed, as it is written: he squandered, distributed to the poor; his truth is in the 8ZXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Love for the Neighbor ZXXQFHL25QXZZXQFHL26QXXZ If we love each other, God dwells in us and His love is perfect in us (ZXQHL27QXZXXFHL28QXXZ1 Jn 4. 12ZXQFHL29QZZZXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX).
Service of the Lord
. .Truly I tell you: since you did it to one of these My younger brothers, then
did it to Me» (ZXQHL37QXZXFHL38QXZMf 25. 40ZXQHL39QXFHL39QXFHL40QXZ) «ZXFHL42QXXXXFHL43FHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Orthodox charity involves care not only about the material, but also about the spiritual. The Holy Fathers refer to spiritual charity as helping to realize sin and find the way to salvation. One of the ways of such charity is pilgrimage trips to holy places. Staying in the company of believers and priests, the opportunity to learn more about Orthodoxy, prayer places of veneration, all this helps the spiritual growth of pilgrims. Evangelization takes many forms, and Orthodox pilgrimage is one of them.
Charity brings us closer to Christ, helps us express love for the Lord through good deeds. Isn’t that the best investment in the soul?
Charity Foundation Holy Land
ZZZXXQFHL71QXZZXQFHL72QXXZInvestment in the Soul!ZXQFHL73QXXXFHL74QXZZZXXFHL75QXZZZXXFHL76QXXXXXXX
