St. Basil and the Poor

For those of you who do the Liturgy of the Hours, yesterday was the memorial of St. Martha. I did the first reading (from II Cor. 9:1-15) and I was so interested in the topic that I went ahead and did the regular second reading (that you normally skip this day, and don't worry I did the real second reading later). Anyway, I just wanted to share a little excerpt from this sermon by St. Basil because I found it so interesting and so up to date with our modern culture. He's talking about giving money to the poor and helping them. Before he gets to this point, he makes the note that we waste our money on theatrical performances, boxing contests, mimes, and fights between men and beasts - you can make the modern application. He has this to say:

But you are now ill-humored and unapproachable; you avoid meeting people, in case you might be forced to loosen your purse-strings even a little. You can only say one thing "I have nothing to give you, I am only a poor man." A poor man you certainly are, and destitute of all real riches; you are poor in love, generosity, faith in God, and hope of eternal happiness.

Think about this the next time you cross the street to avoid a homeless person (which I'm guilty of many times) or spend 10 dollars to see a movie when someone is starving to death down the street.