Christ Wastes with Hunger

I've been reading a little lately of some other peoples' understanding of our Christian duty toward the poor. Here is a great exhortation by John Chrysostom, who became the bishop of Constantinople in 398 AD.

And how shall God bear you who art entreated by Him, and yet obeyest not; and entreated too in things that advantage you? "For we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ," 2 Corinthians 5:20 says he, "as though God were entreating by us; be ye reconciled unto God." 'And yet, I am His servant,' says he. And what of that? For when thou, the servant, art drunken, while He, the Master, is hungry and has not even necessary food, how shall your name of servant stand you in stead? Nay, this itself will even the more weigh you down, when thou indeed abidest in a three-storied dwelling while He owns not even a decent shelter; when thou [liest] upon soft couches while He has not even a pillow. 'But,' says one, 'I have given.' But you ought not to leave off so doing. For then only will you have an excuse, when you have not what [to give], when you possess nothing; but so long as you have, (though thou have given to ten thousand,) and there be others hungering, there is no excuse for you. But when thou both shuttest up corn and raisest the price, and devisest other unusual tricks of traffic; what hope of salvation shall you have henceforth? You have been bidden to give freely to the hungry, but thou dost not give at a suitable price even. He emptied Himself of so great glory for your sake, but thou dost not count Him deserving even of a loaf; but your dog is fed to fulness while Christ wastes with hunger; and your servant bursts with surfeiting while your Lord and his is in want of necessary food. And how are these the deeds of friends? "Be reconciled unto God," (2 Corinthians 5:20) for these are [the deeds] of enemies and such as are in hostility.