A monk of the Thebaid received from God the grace of ministry, to serve the poor as they had need. In a village once, he happened to be holding a love-feast. A woman dressed in rags came up to him to receive her share. When he saw the rags, he meant to take a great handful, so as to give her a big helping: but his hand was kept nearly shut, and he only took a little.Another, well-dressed woman, came up and, seeing her clothes, he meant to take a little handful for her but his hand was opened, and he took a big helping.
So, he asked about the women, and found that the well-dressed woman had been a lady who had sunk to poverty and still dressed well because she felt that she had a standard to maintain for her family. But, the other had put on rags so that she would receive more.
~~Photograph by Weegee
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