Holy Martyrs Plato (286-305) and Roman (305).
Nativity Fast.
1 Timothy 5:1-10. Luke 17:20-25.
Read 1 Timothy 5:1-10
In Paul’s day, widows had it rough, especially if their other male relatives were not around to care for them. Therefore, the early Church took it upon itself to care for these widows who otherwise would have become destitute. In this passage, Paul outlines the criteria required of the widow to warrant the Church’s assistance.
While the urgency for this kind of care of widows is not what it was at the time of the apostles, the criteria that Paul gives are very useful for us in discerning what the authentic Christian life looks like.
For instance, she who “has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day” is an authentic believer. She hopes in God and not in the things of this world or lesser spiritual realities. She offers prayers constantly and does not rely on fickle humanity for her ultimate good. Likewise, “she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives”. This is an important reminder for all of us that if we look to satisfy our bodily lusts and passions above all else, we are already in the valley of death and kingdom of the evil one. We live for ourselves and not for God.
Interestingly, Paul also lists caring for one’s family as necessary for the Christian. This means that someone can attend all of the services in the Church, participate in numerous charitable efforts, donate great amounts of time, talent, and treasure to good causes, but if he does not take care of his family, “he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”. Christian faith demands that we look after our own households first ensuring its health and stability.
Finally, in order for a widow to be eligible for the Church’s assistance, she needs to have shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, cared for the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work. This tells us of necessity to attend to the needs of others—to offer a shelter for travellers, to serve the needs of the Church, support those who are suffering, and be devoted to all manner of good things. This is a high bar for the widows to be eligible for the assistance of the Church and is a high bar for all of us to shoot for, but if we are to be genuinely Christian, we ought to strive for all of this.