For alms does deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life:
Read Chapter 12
Gaudentius of Brescia
AD 410
Perhaps some rich person might object, “Therefore it must have been with malice that God gave us wealth, if because of it the rich are tormented.” Such people, in fact, advance the wrong-headed idea that God wants to see human beings make mistakes and therefore provides not only the mode of sin but also the reason for it. Not out of malice but out of providence has God made you rich. He intended that through your works of mercy you would again find medicine to treat the wounds of your sins. “Certainly alms freely given preserve one from death and purify from every sin.” The rich man was not tormented because he was rich but because Lazarus suffered hunger while he banqueted. Although holy Abraham had been a rich man, he was a servant of the poor and indigent. Also, holy Job possessed the kingdom of Arabia, but, as it is written, no one was deprived, no poor person left his house empty-handed. And then, when he came to find himself in pain, he was excoriated by his wife for his works of...
It is written that fasting with almsgiving is a good thing. It was necessary to do both, to mitigate the Lord’s indignation. Perhaps you cannot fast, and you cannot because you do not want to—at least give food to someone who is hungry. You who cannot stand to fast for three hours past the usual hour can certainly understand what someone would suffer who unwillingly goes hungry because of his poverty. Your cruelty forces him to fast, you who, fattened by sumptuous banquets, do not think to relieve the poor person’s hunger with even a little food. You point to the possibility of famine, you pretend to be in need, you complain of unfavorable circumstances. You beg more shamefully than that poor person—indeed, you behave toward God like an ingrate with your false complaining. But what if there was a famine? Would you perhaps be the only one to feel it, and not that poor person? How is it that every day you lay out new silver, beautify your houses with marble, buy silk garments, trade neck...
