ninth sunday of matthew

FAITH

“ A brother questioned Abba Poeman, saying, ‘Give me a word.’ And he said to him, ‘Give me another word.’ The old man replied, ‘As far as you can, do some manual work so as to be able to give alms, for it is written that alms and faith purify from sin.’ The brother said, ‘What is faith?’ The old man said, ‘Faith is to live humbly and to give alms.’”

-The Saying of the Desert Fathers