Za 7,9

Mt 18, 33

Cl 3, 12

12

you shall be forgiven.-Give, shall be measured to you
and it shall be given to you: again.

good measure and pressed God is not unjust, that He He 6, 10
down and shaken together should forget your work, and
and running over shall they the love you have shown in
give into your bosom. For His Name, you who have
with the same measure that ministered and do minister
you shall mete withal it to the Saints.

31.-WORKS OF MERCY: HOSPITALITY.

Thus saith the Lord of proud, and be not faint-
Hosts: Judge ye true judg-hearted in thy soul.

ment, and show ye mercy Recover thy neighbour ac- Eci 29, 26
and compassion every man cording to thy power, and
take heed to thyself that

to his brother.

Put ye on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience. Pv 24, 11- Deliver them that are led to death, and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver. If thou say: I have not strength enough, He that seeth into the heart, He understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the Keeper of thy soul, and He shall render to a man according to his works.

Eci 17, 37

He 13, 3

Eci 7, 39

Eci 7, 38

Evi 4,9

Restrain not grace from the dead.

Remember them that are in bands, as if you were bound with them; and them that labour, as being yourselves also in the body.

Be not slow to visit the sick; for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.

Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn. Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the

(1) Jesus entertains 5000 Mt 14, 14
in the desert.

(2) 4000 in the desert.
His disciples on the
shores of the Lake

of Galilee.

Mt 15, 32

Jn 21, 12

3 K 17, 10

4K 4,8

Os 6, 4

Ja 2, 13

32.-PUNISHMENTS OF THOSE WHO SHOW NOT MERCY.

What shall I do to thee, O the earth, because he rememEphraim? what shall I do bered not to show mercy;to thee, O Juda? Your mercy But persecuted the poor man, is as a morning cloud, and as and the beggar, and the brothe dew that goeth away in ken in heart, to put him to the morning.

death.

34

Judgment without mercy Shouldst not thou then Mt 18, 33to him that hath not done have had compassion on thy mercy. And mercy exalteth fellow-servant, even as I had itself above judgment. compassion on thee?-And Ps 108, 15- May they be before the his lord being angry delivered Lord continually, and let the him to the torturers until memory of them perish from he paid all the debt.

16

Eci 4, 1

Eci 4,8

He 13, 15

Ga 5, 13

2C9,6

33.-ALMSGIVING RECOMMENDED.

Son, defraud not the poor he that soweth in blessings of alms, and turn not away shall also reap in blessings. thy eyes from the poor. According to thy ability be To 4,8-9 Bow down thy ear cheerful- merciful.-If thou have much, ly to the poor, and pay what give abundantly; if thou have thou owest, and answer peace- little, take care even so to able words with mildness. bestow willingly a little. Do not forget to do good Amen I say to you, this Mk 12, 43and to impart; for by such poor widow hath cast in sacrifices God's favour is ob- more than all they who have tained. cast into the treasury.-For By charity serve one all they did cast in of their another. abundance; but she of her He who soweth sparingly want cast in all she had, even shall also reap sparingly; and her whole living.

34.

To 4,7

TO WHOM ALMS SHOULD BE GIVEN, AND HOW

OFTEN.

44

Give alms out of thy sub- Eat thy bread with the To 4, 17 stance, and turn not away hungry and the needy, and thy face from any poor per- with thy garments cover the son; for so it shall come to naked. pass that the face of the

When thou dost an alms- Mt 6, 2-4

Lord shall not be turned deed, sound not a trumpet

from thee.

before thee, as the hypocrites

2C9,7

do in the synagogues and in with a justified man.-A fool
the streets, that they may be will upbraid bitterly, and a
honoured by men. Amen I gift of one ill taught consum-
say to you, they have re-eth the eyes.

Eci 4,7

ceived their reward. But Make thyself affable to the
when thou dost alms, let not congregation of the poor.
thy left hand know what thy Afflict not the heart of the Eci 4, 3-4
right hand doth, That_thy needy, and defer not to give
alms may be in secret; and thy to him that is in distress.-
Father, Who seeth in secret, Reject not the petition of
will repay thee.
the afflicted, and turn not

Every one as he hath de-away thy face from the
termined in his heart, [let needy.

him give] not with sadness Say not to thy friend: Go Pv 3,28 or of necessity: for God and come again, and to-morloveth a cheerful giver. row I will give to thee, when Eci 18, 15- My son, in thy good deeds thou canst give at present.

18

Eci 14, 13, 17

Ecl 11,6

12

make no complaint: and As your mind is forward to 2 C8,11-
when thou givest anything, be willing, so it may be also
add not grief by an evil word. to perform out of that which
-Shall not the dew assuage you have.-For if the will be
the heat? so also the good forward, it is accepted ac-
word is better than the gift. cording to that which a man
-So is not a word better hath, not according to that
than a gift? but both are which he hath not.

35.-WHEN ALMS SHOULD BE GIVEN, AND HOW

OFTEN.

Do good to thy friend and if both together, it shall
before thou die, and accord-be the better.

ing to thy ability stretch out In doing good let us not Ga 6,9-10
thy hand, and give to the fail; for in due time we
poor. Before thy death work shall reap, not failing.-
justice; for in hell there is Therefore whilst we have
no finding food.
time let us work good to all
In the morning sow thy men, but especially to those
seed, and in the evening let who are of the household of
not thy hand cease; for thou the Faith.
knowest not which may

But you, brethren, be not 2 T3, 13

rather spring up, this or that: weary in well-doing.

36.-FRUITS OF ALMSGIVING.

Eci 31, 28 The lips of many shall of his bread he hath given to bless him that is liberal of the poor.

Pv 22, 9

his bread, and the testimony Let my counsel be accept- Da 4, 24 of his truth is faithful. able to thee, and redeem

He that is inclined to thou thy sins with alms, and mercy shall be blessed; for thy iniquities with works of

2 C8, 14

Pv 14, 21

mercy to the poor: perhaps the poor shall be blessed.
He will forgive thy offences. Whosoever shall give to Mt 10, 42
In this present time let drink to one of these little
your abundance supply their ones a cup of cold water only,
want, that their abundance in the name of a disciple,
also may supply your want. amen I say to you, he shall
He that showeth mercy to not lose his reward.

37.-SPECIAL BLESSINGS OF ALMSGIVING IN SOUL
AND BODY.

17

Eci 40, 17 Grace is like a paradise Help the poor because of Eci 29,12in blessings, and mercy re- the commandment: and send maineth for ever. him not away empty-handed Do good to the just, and because of his poverty. thou shalt find great recom- Lose thy money for thy bropense and if not of him, ther and thy friend, and hide assuredly of the Lord. it not under a stone to be

Ecl 12, 2

Eci 3, 3334

Water quencheth a flaming lost.-Place thy treasures in
fire, and alms resisteth sins: the Commandments of the
-And God provideth for him Most High, and it shall bring
that showeth favour. He thee more profit than gold.—
remembereth him afterwards, Shut up alms in the heart of
and in the time of his fall he the poor, and it shall obtain
shall find a sure stay.
help for thee against all evil.

Ps 40, 1-3 Blessed is he that under- -Better than the shield of
standeth concerning the needy the mighty, and better than
and the poor: the Lord will the spear;-It shall fight for
deliver him in the evil day. thee against thy enemy.
-The Lord preserve him Prayer is good with fasting To 12, 8-9
and give him life, and make and alms, more than to lay
him blessed upon earth, and up treasures of gold;-For
deliver him not up to the alms delivereth from death:
will of his enemies.-The and the same is that which
Lord help him on his bed of purgeth away sins, and mak-
sorrow; Thou hast turned eth to find mercy and Life
all his couch in his sickness. Everlasting.

Lu 11,41

Pv 16, 6

Pv 13, 8

38.-ALMS CANCEL SIN, AND REMIT THE PENALTY

OF SIN.

Give alms: and behold all poor beareth not reprehen-
things are clean unto you. sion.
By mercy and truth ini-
quity is redeemed: and by
the fear of the Lord men de-
part from evil.

The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but he that is

17

The relieving of thy father Eci 3, 15shall not be forgotten;-For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of

2 C 9, 6

2 C 9, 10

11

Pv 3, 9-10

Ap 2, 19

Lu 12, 33

Lu 16, 9

Pv 3, 27

Pv 5, 16

affliction thou shalt be remem- Stretch out thy hand to Eci7, 36
bered: and thy sins shall the poor, that thy expiation
melt away as the ice in the and thy blessing may be per-
fair warm weather.

fected.

39.-ALMS BRING RICHES AND HONOURS TO THE

GIVER.

He who soweth in blessings) Some distribute their own Pv 11, 24shall also reap blessings. goods, and grow richer; 25 He that ministereth seed others take away what is not to the sower will both give their own, and are always in you bread to eat, and will want.-The soul which blessmultiply your seed, and in- eth shall be made fat; and crease the growth of your he that inebriateth shall be fruits of justice. That being inebriated also himself.

enriched in all things, you He that giveth to the poor Pv 28, 27
may abound unto all simpli- shall not want; he that de-

city, which worketh through spiseth his entreaty shall
us thanksgiving to God.

suffer indigence.

Honour the Lord with thy These were men of mercy, Eci 44, 10 substance, and give Him the whose godly deeds have not first of all thy fruits:-And failed. thy barns shall be filled with He that oppresseth the Pv 14, 31 abundance, and thy presses poor upbraideth his Maker; shall run over with wine. but he that hath pity on the I know thy charity. poor honoureth Him.

40.-EXHORTATIONS TO ALMSGIVING.

Sell what you possess, and Let not thy hand be stretch- Eci 4, 36
give alms; make to your-ed out to receive, and shut
selves bags which grow not when thou shouldst give.

old, a treasure in Heaven As in all things you abound 2 C 8, 7-9
that faileth not, where no in faith, and the Word, and
thief approacheth, nor moth knowledge, and all careful-
corrupteth.
ness: moreover also in your
Make unto you friends of charity towards us, so in this
the mammon of iniquity, grace may you also abound.
that when you shall fail they-I speak not as cominand-
may receive you into ever-ing, but by the carefulness
lasting dwellings.
of others, approving also the
Do not withhold him from good disposition of your
doing good who is able: if charity.-For you know the
thou art able, do good thy-grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that being rich He
Let thy fountains be con- became poor, for your sakes;
veyed abroad, and in the that through His poverty you
streets divide thy waters. might be rich.

self also.