But as to what is within, give alms

16 OCTOBER (Lk 11,37-41)

Tobi is a teacher in almsgiving training. This man sees almsgiving as the beginning, the spring, and the source of true salvation. He is a true precursor of the Gospel. Does not the Gospel perhaps teach that eternal salvation is the fruit of our almsgiving?

During Shalmaneser’s reign I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people (Tb 1, 16). “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 (Tb 4, 7). 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 (Tb 4, 8). Almsgiving frees one from death, and keeps one from going into the dark abode (Tb 4, 10). Alms are a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who give them (Tb 4, 11). “Give to the hungry some of your bread, and to the naked some of your clothing. Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and do not begrudge the alms you give (Tb 4, 16). Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold (Tb 12, 8). for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life (Tb 12, 9). He was sixty-two years old when he lost his eyesight, and after he recovered it he lived in prosperity, giving alms and continually blessing God and praising the divine Majesty (Tb 14, 2). “Now, children, I give you this command: serve God faithfully and do what is right before him; you must tell your children to do what is upright and to give alms, to be mindful of God and at all times to bless his name sincerely and with all their strength (Tb 14, 8). Think, my son, of all that Nadab did to Ahiqar, the very one who brought him up: Ahiqar went down alive into the earth! Yet God made Nadab’s disgraceful crime rebound against him. Ahiqar came out again into the light, but Nadab went into the everlasting darkness, for he had tried to kill Ahiqar. Because Ahiqar had given alms to me, he escaped from the deadly trap Nadab had set for him. But Nadab himself fell into the deadly trap, and it destroyed him (Tb 14, 10). So, my children, note well what almsgiving does, and also what wickedness does – it kills! But now my spirit is about to leave me.” They placed him on his bed and he died; and he received an honorable burial (Tb 14, 11). Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins (Sir 3, 29). Store up almsgiving in your treasure house, and it will save you from every evil (Sir 29, 12). In works of charity one offers fine flour, and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise (Sir 35, 2).

However, we are not dealing with occasional and sporadic almsgiving. On the contrary, it is a matter of a true lifestyle, of a form of being, and of the essence of our person. Our person must be transformed in its deepest essence, in its very nature as alms. It must be a gift of love for others. This is almsgiving the Lord teaches and wants us to practice every day of our lives.

After he had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.

Jesus sees a world of appearances, empty rituals, death, relationships of convenience and opportunity. He sees a man who cleans the hands before taking food, but who with skill and guile keeps his heart unclean, full of robbery and wickedness. Certainly this is not the religion of his Father. This is the religion of the devil. How does one go about passing from the religion of the devil to the religion of the true God? For Jesus the way is one: almsgiving. When a man lives in search of himself, he belongs to the religion of the devil: selfish, arrogant and envious. On the contrary, when he changes his nature as alms, good works, infinite charity, constant attention to his brothers, he is definitely of the religion of his Father. This shift in transformation from the nature of selfishness to a nature of selflessness, from a nature for himself to a nature for others is essential for those who want to belong to the religion of the true God. Without this step, whatever you do, you remain of the religion of the devil.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints transform us in our nature.