ACC ~ 2 Thessalonians 3 v10

WATCH FOR THOSE WHO TRAFFIC IN CHRIST. ANONYMOUS: Let everyone who comes in the name of the Lord be received, and then, when you have taken stock of him, you will know—for you will have insight—what is right and false. If the person who comes is just passing through, help him as much as you can, but he shall not stay with you more than two or three days—if that is necessary. If he wants to settle in with you, though, and he is a craftsman, let him work and eat. If he has no craft, take care in your insight: no Christian should live with you in idleness. If he is unwilling to do what that calls for, he is using Christ to make a living. Be on your guard against people like this. THE DIDACHE 12.1-5.

LOOK AT THE ANT. ANONYMOUS: Let the young persons of the church endeavor to minister diligently in all essential matters. Mind your business with all suitable seriousness, that so you may always have enough to support yourselves and those who are needy, and not burden the church of God. For we ourselves, besides our attention to the word of the gospel, do not neglect our inferior vocations. For some of us are fishermen, some tentmakers, some farmers, that so we may never be idle. So says Solomon somewhere, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways diligently, and become wiser than she. For she, having neither field, overseer, nor ruler, prepares her food in the summer, and lays up a great store in the harvest. Or else go to the bee, and learn how laborious she is, and how valuable her work is, whose labors both kings and common men make use of for their health. The bee is desirable and glorious, though she be weak in strength, yet by honoring wisdom she is improved”. . . Labor therefore continually; for the blot of the slothful is not to be healed. But “if anyone among you does not work, let not such a one eat” among you. For the Lord our God hates the lazy. For no one of those who are dedicated to God ought to be idle. CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2.63.

THE ANT. CHRYSOSTOM: Therefore also the Scripture has sent the sluggard to the ant, saying, “Go to the ant, you sluggard, emulate his ways, and be wiser than he.” Are you unwilling, he means, to learn from the Scriptures, that it is good to labor, and that he who will not work neither should eat? Learn it from the irrational beasts! We do the same in our families, urging those who have erred—though they be older and considered superior—to observe thoughtful children. We say, “Note how earnest and watchful this child is, though he is younger than you.” In the same way learn from the ant the best exhortation to hard work. Marvel at your Lord, not only because he has made heaven and the sun, but because he has also made the ant. For although the ant is small, it proves the greatness of God’s wisdom. Consider, then, how prudent the ant is. Consider how God has implanted in so small a body such an unceasing desire for work! But while you learn the lesson of hard work from the ant, learn from the bee a lesson of neatness, industry and social concord! For the bee labors more for us than for herself, working every day. This is indeed a thing especially proper for a Christian, not to seek his own welfare, but the welfare of others. As, then, the bee travels across the meadows that she may prepare a banquet for another, so also O man, you do likewise. And if you have accumulated wealth, spend it on others. If you have the ability to teach, do not bury the talent, but bring it out publicly for the sake of those who need it! Or if you have any other advantage, become useful to those who reap the benefit of your labors. HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 12.2.

CHARITY, NOT ANXIETY. AUGUSTINE: In the first place, we must prove that the blessed apostle Paul wished the servants of God to perform manual labor which would merit a great spiritual reward, and to do this without seeking food and clothing from anybody but to procure these commodities for themselves by their own work. Secondly, we must show that those gospel precepts by which some monks justify not only laziness but even arrogance are not contrary to the direction and example of the apostle. Let us examine the statements made by the apostle prior to this one: “If any man will not work, neither let him eat,” and the statements which follow it, so that the meaning which St. Paul intended may be gathered from the setting of the passage. What can be said in reply to this, since, indeed, by his own example he taught what he commanded, lest later someone might be permitted to interpret this with a view to his will and not his charity. For, the Lord had directed that apostle, as preacher of the gospel, as soldier of Christ, as planter of the vineyard, as shepherd of the flock, to live by the Gospel; nevertheless, St. Paul did not accept the payment due him in order to give example to those who wished to exact unmerited compensation. THE WORK OF MONKS 3.4.

REASONABLE THOUGHT OF FOOD AND CLOTHING. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: We read in sacred Scripture, dearly beloved, that a holy understanding should keep those who are concerned about their soul’s salvation, as the divine Word puts it, “Holy understanding shall protect you.” If such holy understanding keeps a soul, that which is unholy not only fails to keep it but even kills it. Perhaps someone says, “Who can always be thinking of God and eternal bliss, since all men must be concerned about food, clothing and the management of their household?” God does not ask us to be free from all anxiety over the present life, for he instructs us through his apostle, “If any man will not work, neither let him eat.” The same apostle repeats the idea with reference to himself when he says, “We worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you.” Since God especially advises reasonable concern for food and clothing, so long as avarice and ambition. . . are not linked with it, an ordinary action or thought can be most rightly considered holy. The only provision is that those preoccupations should not be so excessive that they do not allow us to have time for God, according to the words, “The burdens of the world have made them miserable.” SERMONS 45.1.

A CAUTION ON INTRUSIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE NEEDY. CHRYSOSTOM: I do not say these things haphazardly now, but rather because many are often overly intrusive in their investigation of the needy. They examine their lineage, life, habits, vocation and the vigor of their body. They make complaints and demand immense public scrutiny for their health. For this precise reason, many of the poor simulate physical disabilities, so that by dramatizing their misfortunes they may deflect our cruelty and inhumanity. And although when it is summertime, it is terrible to make these complaints, it is not quite so dreadful. However, during the frost and the cold, for someone to become such a savage and inhuman judge and not impart any forgiveness to the unemployed, does this not involve extreme cruelty? “Therefore, what did Paul ordain by law,” they say, “when he said to the Thessalonians, ‘If any one does not wish to work, neither let him eat’?” So that you, too, may also hear these things, you should discuss the words of Paul not only with the poor individual but even with yourself. For the laws of Paul are laid down not only for the poor but also for all. Let me say something burdensome and grievous. I know that you will grow angry. Nevertheless, I will say it; for I do not say it to strike you but to correct you. We criticize them for their laziness, something which is worthy of forgiveness for the most part. However, we too often do things which are even more grievous than any laziness. … Therefore, when you say, “What then shall we say to Paul?” converse with yourself, too, and say these things not only to the poor. Read not only the threat of punishment but also Paul’s admonition to forgiveness, for the one who said, “If anyone does not wish to work, neither let him eat,” added, “And you, brothers, do not lose heart in doing good.” ON REPENTANCE AND ALMSGIVING 10.6.23-24.

2 Thess