For I was hungry, and you gave me food: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in:
All Commentaries on Matthew 25:35 Go To Matthew 25
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
For I was an hungered, &c . . . a stranger, and ye collected Me (Vulg.), i e, into your houses or other hospices. Observe here that Christ puts one sort of good works, by which the Saints will merit the eternal glory decreed to them by Christ in the judgment, instead of every kind of good works. He only speaks of works of mercy, both because they are, as it were, natural and everywhere at hand, and have to do with every one. For there are very many everywhere who are wretched. As also because the common people make most account of these works, since they themselves are less capable of giving themselves to fasting, prayers, and other lofty things. Further, no one can excuse himself from the performance of them; and, as S. Augustine says, they are most profitable for obtaining the grace of God. Hear S. Basil (Conc4 , de Eleemosyn.), "That bread, which thou holdest back, belongs to the hungry; the naked claims that garment which thou art keeping in thy chest. That shoe which is mouldering away at home is his who is shoeless. Thus thou art wronging just as many as thou dost not help with thy goods whilst thou mayest." "Blessed," says David, "is the man that is merciful and lendeth; he guideth his words with discretion" ( Psalm 112:5); or, as S. Chrysostom reads, "he renders his accounts." As much as to say, "He will render a most excellent account of his life; he will plead successfully his cause before the Supreme Judge." "And indeed," says the same S. Chrysostom, "it must needs be that the soul which is rich in mercy can never be overwhelmed with heavy troubles of the mind." And again, "Uselessly will sins accuse him whom the poor man excuses. And he cannot be excused whom the poor man"s hunger accuses. He will witness a terrible day who shall enter into the judgment without the intercession of the poor. He who lends to a poor man makes the Judge Himself his debtor" (S. Peter Chrysolog. Serm40).
Moreover, we cannot doubt that many will be saved or condemned because of other virtues and sins of greater importance. For there are numbers who can scarcely practise works of mercy, as paupers, children, Religious, who do and practise greater things, as chastity, obedience, evangelical poverty, contemplation, conversion of others, on account of which they shall obtain greater rewards from Christ, according to His words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven," &c.
Wherefore it does not appear that Christ will pronounce these words with an audible voice, as He will the sentence itself of salvation or condemnation; but He will reveal them to the heart of each by a sort of spiritual instinct. From this it is plain that the elect are chosen, and have Heaven awarded to them because of their good works. Therefore good works deserve Heaven and heavenly glory. Therefore this glory is given by Christ to the Saints for an inheritance, as it were, as unto sons, and at the same time as a reward, as to those who merit it and are worthy of it. For God does not give the Kingdom to sons whether they be worthy or unworthy, as is often the case among men.
There are six principal corporal works of mercy which Christ here speaks of, viz, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to take in strangers, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick, to comfort and redeem captives, to which may be added a seventh, to bury the dead, which is commanded in Tobit. There are as many spiritual works of mercy, which Christ here would have us understand under the corporal works. They are as much superior to the corporal works as the soul is superior to the body. They are-to correct sinners, to teach the ignorant, to give good advice to the perplexed, to pray to God for the salvation of our neighbours, to comfort the sorrowful, to bear injuries patiently, and to forgive injuries. Concerning these, see Peter Canisius in0pere Catechistico.
Naked, &c. This is what Christ said (ix13), "I will have mercy and not sacrifice." For mercy is a covering, and, as it were, redeems the faults and miseries of the merciful. Hear S. Augustine (Serm33 , de Divers.), "It is written, as water extinguishes fire, so doth alms extinguish sin. Surely to those whom He is about to crown will He attribute alms alone; as though He said, "It were difficult that, if I should examine and weigh you, and most carefully scrutinise your deeds, I should not find something to condemn you; but go ye into My Kingdom, for I was hungry, and ye fed Me. Ye go into My Kingdom, not because ye have not sinned, but because ye have redeemed your sins by alms.""
