Za 7,9 Mt 18, 33 Cl 3, 12 12 you shall be forgiven.-Give, shall be measured to you good measure and pressed God is not unjust, that He He 6, 10 31.-WORKS OF MERCY: HOSPITALITY. Thus saith the Lord of proud, and be not faint- ment, and show ye mercy Recover thy neighbour ac- Eci 29, 26 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 (2) 4000 in the desert. 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 Eci 4,7 ceived their reward. But Make thyself affable to the Every one as he hath de-away thy face from the 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- 35.-WHEN ALMS SHOULD BE GIVEN, AND HOW OFTEN. Do good to thy friend and if both together, it shall ing to thy ability stretch out In doing good let us not Ga 6,9-10 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. 37.-SPECIAL BLESSINGS OF ALMSGIVING IN SOUL 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 Ps 40, 1-3 Blessed is he that under- -Better than the shield of 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- 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 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 city, which worketh through spiseth his entreaty shall 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 old, a treasure in Heaven As in all things you abound 2 C 8, 7-9 self also. |