The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus 29:12 Commento

Those who are going to receive the kingdom have given aid to the poor like good, faithful Christians, following the words of the Lord and confidently hoping in his promises. This is how they conducted themselves, because if they had not, their lives that were otherwise suited to holiness would have remained sterile, limiting themselves to abstaining from sins, not violating chastity or abandoning themselves to drunkenness, not stealing or doing anything bad. If they had not added charitable actions, they would remain sterile, only observing the first part of the commandment, “Stay far away from evil,” and not the other part, “and do good.” Thus, when it says, “Come, receive your kingdom,” this call is not motivated by the fact that they have lived in chastity, refrained from stealing, or that they have not taken advantage of the poor, or robbed other people’s possessions or perjured themselves. Rather, it says, “Because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” This fact is recognized as all the more important if the Lord was silent about the rest and only focused on this merit. In an analogous way, when he says to others, “Go into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” he does not introduce any of the other causes that could have been adduced for their sentences because they were adulterers, murderers, liars, sacrilegious, blasphemers, unbelievers; instead he only says, “I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat.” I see that this has made an impression on you and astonishes you; this is truly amazing what he is saying. I will try to sort out for you the meaning and communicate it to you. It is written, “As water extinguishes a blazing fire, so aid given to the poor cancels one’s sins.” And still, “Visit mercy on the heart of the poor, and the same will pray to the Lord for you.” We have already cited the passage, “Listen, my king, and redeem your sins with mercy.” These are some of the many passages from the Word of God that demonstrate the importance of mercy in order to extinguish and to cancel sins. Or, there are also those whom the Lord condemns—or no, rather, those whom he is going to reward with crowns, as we have heard, for their acts of charity, as though he were saying, It would be difficult when weighing and examining carefully your actions to find a reason not to condemn you. Instead, he says, “Enter into the kingdom because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” Therefore, they will be saved, not because they have not sinned but because they have redeemed their sins with their good works.

The rapacity of the one who grasps does not reduce avarice but provokes it. Indeed, it is written, “One who loves money will not be satisfied by money.” Nor does one love God who does not pity the poor, in whom Christ asks us to recognize that he is either helped or neglected. “When you did not do this to one of these least,” he says, “you did not do it to me.” And the apostle John says in his epistle, “If someone sees his brother or sister in need and closes his heart to them, the love of God is not in him.” One falsely says that he loves Christ if he does not love the poor person, if he denies in his actions the love that he professes with his words. Let everyone therefore make an effort to give proof by their actions that they love God, because the love of God will purify them from all sin. Do you want, then, to know to what a great extent alms lighten the weight of sins? Listen to the counsel the prophet Daniel offers to the rich sinner: “Now, O king,” he said, “may my advice please you: redeem your evil actions with alms and your sins with acts of mercy to the poor.” But perhaps you are thinking of keeping for yourself and your children what you do not want to give to the poor? I do not want you to worry yourself so dangerously, since “you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” Our God is powerful enough to give to them and to you. Indeed, everything that you give to the poor as alms you have put to your account and to that of your children. Nothing can be lacking to those whom you have joined to Christ. The one who assures us that he receives through the poor knows how to repay. Give without worries. He is a trustworthy borrower, the one who promises the kingdom of heaven. The divine Scripture says, “Hide your alms in the bosom of the poor person, and he will pray to God for you.” It is as though it said, “Sell your inheritance and acquire a surety, by which you can look with an unveiled face on the judge who is coming, certain of having obtained pardon.” Then in the Gospel it says, “If you want to be perfect, sell what you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.”

Listen to Solomon, who says, “Do something good for yourself; give alms to the poor.” Whoever, then, desires to look out for his own advantage willingly sustains the poor. There is no lack of opportunities by which, every day, you may acquire gain if you pay attention to the needs of the poverty of others. In fact, the Scripture says, “Sins are cleansed by alms and by faith.” Look, this one seeks a meal with a famished mouth. And that one, by his nakedness, says that he lacks even the scantiest of clothing.