Luke xxi. 3. "Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all." … The rich indeed may give much, and reserve much for themselves. The poor, who gives all, reserves nothing to himself, but faith in God's providence. Shut my heart, O Jesus, against the love of worldly riches!
Rom. xv. 25. "But now I go to Jerusalem, to minister (that is, to carry alms,) unto the Saints." So great an Apostle is not at all afraid that he should debase his character in carrying of alms.… God often spares the rich for the sake of the poor. To the poor, therefore, the rich stand indebted. A rich man, if a good man, is more afraid of not finding fit persons to receive his alms, than a poor man is of not finding persons to bestow alms upon him.…
John xii. 6. "This Judas said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare (the money) which was put therein." Our Lord trusts a thief with the little money that He had for His own, or His disciples' necessities, and for the poor, because he values it not much. My Saviour! Thou who hast entrusted me with the revenues of the poor, make me a faithful steward; let me not be proud of the trust, since Judas himself had once the same office; but let me dread being unfaithful, lest I draw upon me his cursed fate and end.…
We should always have enough for the poor, if we would but moderate our vanity, and live according to the spirit of the Gospel.…
Prov. xiv. 31. xvii. 5. "He that mocketh, and he that oppresseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker;" as if He did not order what is best for all His creatures.…
Cor. xiii. 3. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." … My God, pour into my heart this most excellent gift, the very bond of peace and of all virtue! …
The Apostles and their successors are the proper trustees for the charity of Christ.…
The more a man gives to the poor, the more he receives from God. The increase is like that of the five loaves and two fishes, which produced twelve baskets of fragments, after five thousand were filled.…
