Philaret lived during the second half of the 8th century. HE WAS A LAYMAN! (huray!). . . .

He was well established, and lived comfortably with his family. Throughout he earned a reputation for his generosity – especially to those in need. Due to theft, he lost most of his wealth. Philaret continued to give generously to those who needed his help, even in the face of criticism from his nervous family.

All was not lost however, and Philaret regained his fortune many times over in a relatively short period of time.

He foresaw the day of his death, and reposed in Constantinople in AD 789.

There are any number of Gospel references that come to mind when thinking about Philaret’s story. But what strikes me is the placement of the feast within the calendar. In five days time we celebrate Nikolashja which commemorates among other things, the generosity of the saint. We are approaching the feast of the Nativity where we commemorate the philanthropy (in the truest sense of the word) and generosity of the Logos: “If the Logos had not dwelt in the womb, [our] flesh would not have taken its place upon the holy throne. If it is an insult to God to enter the womb, which he formed, then it is also an insult to God to minister to humanity. If it was an insult to God to minister to humanity, being rich, he would not have made himself a beggar for us.”

Generostiy is not “just” about giving material relief to someone in need. It is actually more complicated than that. Generosity is about time, talent, and presence. If I am generous with my time with others – it relives their stress, anxiety, loneliness. If I’m generous with my talent for the sake of others – passing the knowledge and skills on to another, for example, it can contribute to their independence, self sufficiency, and personal satisfaction.