In the Holy Gospel reading of the 1st Sunday in the Holy Great Fast (Matthew 6:19-33), His Grace reads for us the following:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..."

His Grace also shares with us the words of St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory of Nyssa to remind us as we begin the journey of the Holy Great Fast to be wise and give alms as we lay up treasures in heaven.

St. John Chrysostom:
"Buy as much as you can. Do you have one coin? Buy the sky. Not because the sky is cheap, but because the Lord is a lover of mankind. You do not even have one coin? Give a glass of refreshing water. 'The one who offers one glass of refreshing water to one of the least of these for my sake will not lose his reward.' Heaven is a business and an enterprise, and we are negligent.
Give bread and seize paradise.
Give small things and grasp great ones.
Give mortal things and take firm hold of immortal ones.
Give corruptible things and capture incorruptible ones."

St. Gregory of Nyssa:
"the poor are our gateway to the Kingdom." He says, "These poor are the ones who store away the good things that we look upon. They are the gatekeepers of the Kingdom. They open the gates before the merciful and shut them in the face of the cruel ones who do not do good. They are the strongest accusers and the best defenders. They do not accuse and defend with words, but the Lord sees what is done to them. Every action cries out in a loud voice before God, the searcher of hearts."


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