Commentaria in Deuteronomium
The third, which Chrysostom gives in the same place: “God,” he says, “exacts gratitude from us, not that he has need of ours, but that whatever gain there is may return again to us, and that we may make ourselves worthy of greater aids.”
The fourth is found in the same place in Chrysostom. “Nothing,” he says, “is holier than this tongue, which in adversity gives thanks to God. Surely it is not inferior to the tongue of the Martyrs: both are crowned alike.” So holy Job, in so many adversities, says: “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
An incitement to this gratitude is the consideration of the countless benefits of God, which God has conferred on each, both by himself and through Christ, both in general and in particular; which surely demand that with a thousand minds, with a thousand voices (if that could be) we should praise him.
Verse 12. WHEN THOU HAST MADE AN END OF TITHING ALL THY FRUITS, IN THE THIRD YEAR OF TITHES, THOU SHALT GIVE TO THE LEVITE, AND THE STRANGER, AND THE FATHERLESS, AND THE WIDOW.—Here God prescribes the tithes which every third year were to be set apart and given to the poor. Wherefore note: every third year threefold tithes were prepared and given by the Jews. For first, there were prepared the tithes which were given to the Levites. Second, the tithes for the journey, and for the oblations to be made thrice a year at Jerusalem in the temple. Third were the tithes which were to be given to the poor, of which he here treats; which, because they were the last, therefore he says: “When thou hast made an end of tithing.” Therefore, the two former tithes having been paid, thirdly the fruits of individuals were to be tithed, and the third tithes were to be set apart for the use of the poor. Hence this third year is called the year of tithes, because in it all these three tithes were paid; but in the other years only the two former were paid. So Abulensis.
THAT THEY MAY EAT WITHIN THY GATES.—Each, then, nourished the poor of his own cities with these third tithes. Let Christians imitate this.
Note: As Christ to Christians, Luke xi, 33, and elsewhere, so Moses to the Jews, both here and chap. xiv, 28, and in the whole of chap. xv, and elsewhere, often and earnestly commends alms for its illustrious fruits and prerogatives. For first, alms, as Tobias says, chap. iv, vers. 11: “Delivereth from all sin and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.” “By the largess of charity every sin is overcome or avoided,” says St. Leo, sermon 2 On the Ascension. “Wherefore let them have mercy on the poor who wish to spare themselves, in Christ,” says the same Leo, sermon 4 On the Collections.
Alms is as it were a second baptism, says St. Ambrose, sermon 32, and St. Leo, sermon 2 On the Collections, and Jerome on Psalm cxxxiii. This is what Christ says: “Give alms, and behold all things are clean unto you,” Luke xi, 41.
Third. Alms, says St. Chrysostom, homily 33 to the people, stands by the tribunal of Christ not only pleading, but even persuading the Judge to give patronage to the accused, and to pass sentence in his favour.
Whence James ii, 13, it is said: “Mercy exalteth itself above judgment”; in Greek katakauchatai which (or the price of them)
was to be carried to the sanctuary and consumed in feasts: see above xii, 18; xiv, 23. These second tithes, however, every third year they divided to the poor and Levites within the walls of each town. Three tithes, therefore, were not paid in that year, as some gather from Tobias i, 7, “the third tithe I gave to them to whom it belonged.” But he understands only the tithe of the third year, that is, that which every third year, after the first was paid, the husbandman had to give within his own walls to the Levites, strangers, orphans and widows. Compare Josephus, Antiquities, book iv, chap. viii, § 23.
that is, mercy glories against judgment, as victor over judgment. For in the judgment Christ will say: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom, etc. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat,” etc. St. Gregory, homily 32 on the Gospels, relates that two Martyrs, in pilgrim and monastic habit, appeared to a certain religious matron; and when she, as was her custom, offered them alms, they said: “Thou visitest us now; we will seek thee on the day of judgment, and will afford thee whatever we can.” That the Carthusian Martyrs, under Henry VIII, king of England, promised and rendered a like help in this age to a certain matron in her agony, who had helped them in prison with alms and every service, I have heard from Englishmen worthy of all credence.
Alms is like a sacrifice appeasing God, as St. Augustine says, homily 99, among the fifty; and the Apostle, Hebrews xiii, 16: “And do not forget to do good and to impart; for by such sacrifices God’s favour is obtained.” See St. Augustine, book x City of God, chap. v.
Alms is like the dove which, Genesis viii, 11, returned to Noe in the deluge, bearing an olive branch. For alms brings confidence, joy, peace and everlasting glory. “Winged,” says St. Chrysostom, in the homily On Penance, “is alms, having golden wings, delighting the very angels beyond measure.” For it, bestowing gold on the needy, flies up to heaven on golden wings.
Alms places riches in safety, namely in heaven, by the hands of the poor. “Where, then,” says Chrysostom in the place cited, “shall we lay up riches? They are fugitives (for they flee from one to another), how shall they be held? Distributed they remain, guarded they flee.” He then adduces the similitude of corn, which, kept at home, is eaten by worms, and flees; but sown, produces a most abundant harvest, and remains. So riches kept at home flee: scattered among the poor they bring fruit, and remain. “For they will not be able to flee away, held by the hands of so many widows and poor.” And St. Cyprian, in the treatise On Works and Alms: “The patrimony,” he says, “entrusted to God neither the exchequer invades, nor any forensic calumny overthrows. In safety is laid the inheritance which is kept with God as guardian.”
Alms makes a man like to God. For God is the Good itself in himself; but it is of the nature of good to communicate itself to others. “Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful,” says Christ, Luke vi, 36. Mercy, then, paints the image of the merciful God in the merciful man. “Where God finds the care of mercy, there he recognises the image of his own goodness,” says St. Leo, sermon 10 On Lent, and Clement of Alexandria, book ii Stromata, chap. ix: “The image of God,” he says, “is the man who does good.” And Nazianzen, oration 10 On Fostering the Poor: “Man has nothing so divine,” he says, “as to do good.” For God rejoices most in this title, that he is called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Likewise, “merciful and gracious, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy.”
Eighth. Nothing is so proper to man as humanity: he is truly a man, then, who is humane toward others. Hence he received hands, eyes, ears, tongue and other members, not to profit himself alone, but others also; and to lend and extend hand, tongue, feet, etc., to others.
Believe me, it is a kingly thing to succour the fallen.
Hence the Emperor Leo compared merciful men to the sun, which imparts its light and heat to all.
Alms increases merits, and wins grace and the blessing of God. For, as St. Paul says: “He who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap blessings,” 2 Corinthians chap. ix, vers. 6.
It increases temporal goods. For it is written: “Give, and it shall be given to you.” Alms, then, is like the land which Isaac sowed, which returned a hundredfold. Hence Christ promises a hundredfold to those who leave their own and distribute to the poor. Rightly therefore says St. Augustine, sermon 25 On the Words of the Lord, chap. ii: “Fruitful,” he says, “is the field of the poor; it quickly returns fruit to the givers.” Proverbs chap. xxviii, vers. 27: “He that giveth to the poor shall not want; he that despiseth his entreaty shall suffer indigence.” This is shown by that pot of meal and cruse of oil, from which Elias’s alms was supplied. For “the pot of meal wasted not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished,” 3 Kings xvii, 16. So also the five loaves, given by Christ in alms to the multitude, were multiplied. For alms lends riches and food to God on usury, and makes thence the greatest gain, Proverbs xix, 17: “He that hath mercy on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay him.” “God,” says St. Leo, sermon 6 On the Fast of the Tenth Month, “is surety for the poor, the most bountiful repayer of usuries.” If thou wilt lend on usury, then, lend to God. Rightly did Chrysostom write homily 33 under this title, That alms is the most gainful art of all.