Sermon 350B
Sermon 350/B
SERMON ON ALMSGIVING
What you do with a beggar, God does with you. Interest with God. A rich beggar.
Rich and poor, he says, met each other on the way; and the creator of both is the Lord. As it is written, brothers, the rich and the poor met each other on the way. On what way if not in this life? Behold, rich man, you can be relieved of your burdens by giving to the poor what you have acquired through labors. Give something to the one who does not have, because you yourself also do not have anything. For do you have eternal life? Therefore, give from what you have, so that you may receive what you do not have. The beggar knocks on your door, and you also knock on the door of your Lord. God does with His beggar what you do with yours. Therefore, give and it will be given to you, but if you do not wish, it is up to you. For the poor man cries out and says to you: you are to be handed over to consuming fire and flames. I do not know whether the pride of the rich can respond to these words of the poor. The Lord says, "Give to everyone who asks of you." If to everyone, how much more to the needy and miserable, whose leanness and pallor beg, whose silent tongue, filthiness, and groaning ask for alms. Therefore, listen to me, rich man, and let my advice please you. Redeem your sins with alms. Do not cling to gold; you left the womb of your mother naked, you will return naked to the earth. And if you will return naked to the earth, for whom are you gathering above the earth? I believe, if you could carry anything with you, you would have swallowed up living men. Behold, you will depart naked; why do you not give away the money you have gathered either well or badly? Promise, as you are wonderful, make the inflations of most wonderful things, so that you may reach the kingdom of heaven. For if you gave ten shillings to any man, for which he would later return three hundred, how much would you rejoice, how much joy of the spirit would you exalt. If therefore you rejoice in usury, lend to your God. Give to your Lord from His own, for He will return to you with much increased interest. Do you wish to know how much more He will return to you? For a morsel, for a coin, for a tunic you will receive eternal life, the kingdom of heaven, endless blessedness. Weigh eternal life against your morsel, everlasting riches. There is no comparison. Give the earth, and you will receive Him who made heaven and earth; for He is indeed our reward, without whom the rich man begs and with whom the poor man is abundantly rich. For what does the rich man have if he does not have God? What does the poor man not have if he has God? Therefore, brothers, just as a watchman in the people saying and urging you, I free myself, I strip myself, I fulfill my duty. There is one who will seek and examine your work. Behold, you have groaned. Therefore, you are now ready to give alms. Thanks be to God. The Lord is able, who has given you the understanding to give the fruit of alms.