BUT IS NOT RICH IN WHAT MATTERS TO GOD

Eph 2,1-10; Ps 99; Lk 12,13-21
22 OCTOBER

There is only one way to be enriched before God: transforming the riches of the earth into almsgiving. Almsgiving for the Lord is “his divine bank”. Whoever puts his money in it, not only receives an eternal interest, which is the divine life he will have as a gift, in addition the money of almsgiving is always available to those who have put it in a quantity multiplied to the infinite. The teaching of Scripture, both of the Old Testament and of the New, is one voice. Almsgiving is the only useful investment for man. All the banks of this world can fail and do fail. Almsgiving never fails.

Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. He who does a kindness is remembered afterward; when he falls, he finds a support (Sir 3,29-30). Be not impatient in prayers, and neglect not the giving of alms (Sir 7, 10). No good comes to him who gives comfort to the wicked, nor is it an act of mercy that he does (Sir 12, 3). To a poor man, however, be generous; keep him not waiting for your alms (Sir 29, 8). To a poor man, however, be generous; keep him not waiting for your alms; Because of the precept, help the needy, and in their want, do not send them away empty-handed. Spend your money for your brother and friend, and hide it not under a stone to perish; Dispose of your treasure as the Most High commands, for that will profit you more than the gold. Store up almsgiving in your treasure house, and it will save you from every evil; Better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear it will fight for you against the foe (Sir 29,8-13). In works of charity one offers fine flour, and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise (Sir 35, 2).

“Through all your days, my son, keep the Lord in mind, and suppress every desire to sin or to break his commandments. Perform good works all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wrongdoing. For if you are steadfast in your service, your good works will bring success, not only to you, but also to all those who live uprightly. “Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, and God’s face will not be turned away from you. Son, give alms in proportion to what you own. If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, distribute even some of that. But do not hesitate to give alms; you will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity. Almsgiving frees one from death, and keeps one from going into the dark abode. Alms are a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who give them (Tb 4,5-11).

Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life (1Tm 6.17-18)

Man’s body needs little things. What is given it more it is poison for it. Furthermore, man is not just a body. Even the soul must be nourished. It nourishes and grows with almsgiving, charity and works of mercy. Without alms, the soul dies. A soulless body abandons itself to all debauchery and impurity, every vice and lust. These vices squander all good fortune. Vice is the father of misery.

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Whoever does not enrich himself before God has no right to enter into eternal joy.

Mirror of Virtues, Angels, Saints, make us be enriched before God with our almsgiving.