Tag: almsgiving

Posted in DIVINE MERCY, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on REPARATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 29 March – ALMSGIVING

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Thought for the Day – 29 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

ALMSGIVING

“We must be detached from the goods of this world because they are corruptible and cause us to forget God.
Even if we have been placed in easy circumstances, let us be poor in spirit.
We can be poor in spirit by giving alms from motives of Christian charity.
We need the mercy of God and Our Lord has told us that He will be merciful only to those who show mercy to others.

We need God’s forgiveness for all our sins and the Holy Spirit assures us that our iniquities are redeemed by almsgiving.
“Redeem thou thy sins with alms and thy iniquities, with works of mercy to the poor” )Dan 4:24).
Almsgiving is a means of our personal sanctification!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/13/thought-for-the-day-13-august-almsgiving/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/06/thought-for-the-day-6-august-almsgiving/

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Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, Lady POVERTY, LENT 2023, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on POVERTY, QUOTES on the POOR, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 7 March – ALMSGIVING

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Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 7 March – Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the Kingdom of God.”
Luke 6:20

“I was an hungred and you gave Me to eat,
I was naked and ye clothed Me;
come, inherit the Kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 25:34-36

ALMSGIVING
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

“MY CHILD, OUR POSSESSIONS ARE NOT OURS – God has given them to us to cultivate, that we may make them fruitful and profitable in His Service and so doing, we shall please Him. And this we must do more earnestly than worldly men, for they look carefully after their property out of self-love and we must work for the love of God.
Now self-love is a restless, anxious, over-eager love and so, the work done on its behalf is troubled, vexatious and unsatisfactory–whereas the love of God, is calm, peaceful and tranquil and so the work done for its sake, even in worldly things, is gentle, trustful and quiet. …

… Always dispose of a part of your means by giving them heartily to the poor – you impoverish yourself, by whatever you give away. It is true that God will restore it to you, not only in the next world, but in this, for nothing brings so much temporal prosperity as free almsgiving but meanwhile, you are sensibly poorer for what you give. Truly that is a holy and rich poverty which results from almsgiving.

… Love the poor and poverty, this love will make you truly poor, since, as Holy Scripture says, we become like to that we love. Love makes lovers equal. “Who is weak and I am not weak?” (2 Cor 11:29) says St Paul? He might have said, Who is poor and I am not poor? for it was love which made him like to those he loved and so, if you love the poor, you will indeed share their poverty and be poor like them.

And if you love the poor, seek them out, take pleasure in bringing them to your home and in going to theirs, talk freely with them and be ready to meet them, whether in Church or elsewhere.
Let your tongue be poor with them in converse but let your hands be rich to distribute out of your abundance!” (Introduction to the Devout Life Part III – 15. How to exercise real Poverty, although actually Rich).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING

One Minute Reflection – 22 February – ‘ … What the sun is to the day, almsgiving is to our fast …’

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One Minute Reflection – 22 February – Ash Wednesday – Joel 2:12-19, Matthew 6:16-21 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But you, when you fast…” – Matthew 6:17..

REFLECTION – “My dear brethren, today we set out on the great Lenten journey. So let us take our food and drink along in our boat, putting into the chest, the abundant mercy we shall need. For our fasting is a hungry one, our fasting is a thirsty one, if it is not sustained by goodness and refreshed by mercy. Our fasting will be cold, our fasting will flag, if the fleece of almsgiving does not clothe it, if the garment of compassion, does not wrap it around.

Brethren, what Spring is for the land, mercy is for fasting – the soft, Spring winds, cause all the buds on the plains to flower – the mercy of our fast causes all our seeds to grow until they blossom and bear fruit, for the heavenly harvest. What oil is to the lamp, goodness is to our fast. As the oily fat sets the lamp alight and, in spite of so little to feed it, keeps it burning, to our comfort, all night long, so goodness makes our fasting shine: it casts its beams until it reaches the full brightness of self-restraint. What the sun is to the day, almsgiving is to our fast – the sun’s splendour increases the light of day, breaking through the dullness of the clouds – almsgiving, together with fasting, sanctifies its holiness and, thanks to the light of goodness, dispels from our desires anything that could petrify.

In short, what the body is for the soul, generosity acts similarly for the fast: when the soul leaves the body it brings about death; if generosity abandons the fast, it is, its death!” – St Peter Chrysologus (400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, “Doctor of Sermons” Father and Doctor of the Church (From Sermon 8).

PRAYER – Grant, O Lord, that Thy faithful people may, with true piety, undertake the time-honoured custom of fasting and may carry it out with unwavering devotion. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES

Thought for the Day – 6 August – Almsgiving

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Thought for the Day – 6 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Almsgiving

“Even if it is not very great, wealth is a dangerous thing.
It is a burden which hampers us spiritually, unless it is enriched by charity.
Of itself, wealth is opposed to the spirit of the Gospel.
In the Church of God, therefore, the only fitting role which rich men can assume, is to place their abundance at the service of charity and become the servants of the poor.

St Thomas Aquinas says that wealth can be an instrument of virtue and that, it is only in this sense that it can be called good.
If it impedes the practice of virtue, then it is evil (Summa Contra Gentiles, 111:134).
Let us make good use of our assets, therefore and give generously to those who are in need, without allowing our motives to become tainted with self-interest.

“Sell what you have and give alms,” said Christ, “Make for ourselves purses that do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near nor moth destroys” (Lk 12:33).
It is the possession of this kind of treasure, which will comfort us at the hour of death.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/13/thought-for-the-day-13-august-almsgiving/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 26 July – Pray, pray, pray

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 July – St Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grandmother of Jesus.

St Anne, through her constant prayer,
received, the Mother of God
and then, became the Grandmother of God!

“God accepts our desires as though
they were of great value.
He longs ardently for us
to desire to and love Him.
He accepts our petitions for benefits,
as though we were doing Him a favour.
His joy in giving,
is greater than ours in receiving.
So let us not be apathetic in our asking,
nor set too narrow bounds to our requests;
nor ask for frivolous things
unworthy of God’s greatness.”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Prayer is the place of refuge
for every worry,
a foundation for cheerfulness,
a source of constant happiness,
a protection against sadness.”

“When you are weary of praying
and do not receive,
consider how often
you have heard a poor man calling
and have not listened to him.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Fasting is the soul of prayer,
mercy is the lifeblood of fasting.
Let no-one try to separate them,
they cannot be separated.
If you have only one of them,
or not all together,
you have nothing!
So if you pray, fast;
if you fast, show mercy;
if you want your petition to be heard,
hear the petition of others.
If you do not close your ear to others,
you open God’s ear to yourself.”

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Realise above all,
that you are in God’s presence
and stand there
with the attitude
of one, who stands
before the Emperor.”

St Romuald (c 951-1027)

“The spirit of prayer
is the spirit of the love of God
and this should inspire
all our vocal prayers.
Flowery petitions are no use
if our minds and hearts
are turned away from God.
God wants our hearts.
Let us pray often
but let our prayers
be sincere acts of the love of God,
coming from the heart.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2022, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on PRIDE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 March – ‘ … He strips bare the secret intentions of our souls. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 March – Ash Wednesday –Joel 2:12-19, Matthew 6:16-21

“They have received their reward” – Matthew 6:16

REFLECTION – “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.” Why not? If people see them then what will you get out of them? “You will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”  My brethren, the Lord is not bringing judgement here but giving an explanation. He casts light on the wiles of our thoughts, He strips bare the secret intentions of our souls. He draws attention to the measure of a just retribution, to those unrighteous, pondering righteousness. Righteousness that sets itself in the sight of others can expect no divine reward from the Father. It wanted to be seen and it was seen; it wanted to please others and it pleased them. It has received the recompense it wanted – the recompense it did not want, it will not have …

“When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do.” “Blow your trumpet” – this is the exact phrase in that this kind of alms is more like a deed of war than of peace. It passes wholly into its sound but has nothing to do with mercy. It comes from the land of disunion but has not been nourished by goodness. It is a dealing in outward show, not chaste commerce …. “So, then, when you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.” You have taken good note: – alms offered at a meeting, in public square and street corners, is not an offering made for the comforting of the poor but has been set forward in the sight of others to attract their admiration … Flee hypocrisy, my brethren, flee from it …. It does not bring comfort to the poor; the groans of the homeless but is only a pretext for it, to seek out even more busily, a spectacular glory for itself. It inflates its praise of the suffering of the poor. – St Peter Chrysologus (406-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 9).

PRAYER – Grant, O Lord, that Your faithful people may, with true piety, undertake the time-honoured custom of fasting and may carry it out with unwavering devotion. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on LOVE

Thought for the Day – 13 August – Almsgiving

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Thought for the Day – 13 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Almsgiving

almsgiving bacci 13 aug 2020

“The view has been expressed, that almsgiving is useless and degrading.
It is useless, it has been said because, the implementation of social justice should be sufficient to provide for the needs of everybody and, it is degrading, it has been held because, it places the poor man in a position of inferiority to the rich man and makes him beg for that which is really his right.

This is a false line of reasoning.
Social justice can and should, do a great deal to achieve a more equal distribution of wealth among men.
But social justice cannot do everything.

Until the end of the world, the weak will always succumb in the battle of life, before the energy and enterprise of the strong.
There will always be unfortunates who, by reason of some tragic accident, are unable to fend for themselves.
No matter what form it takes, the State will not be able to provide fully for the disabled and infirm.

There will always be plenty of scope for Christian charity, which does not proceed with the measured stride of justice but with the swift wings of the love of God.
It seeks out sorrows which need to be assuaged and wants, which need to be relieved.
There will always be suffering and want upon earth.
“The poor you have always with you,” (Mt 26:11) Jesus has told us.

It cannot be said that almsgiving is degrading because it makes the receiver inferior to the giver.
This may be so, if alms are given from motives of mere philanthropy.
But when almsgiving is accompanied by charity and understanding and the donor sees, in the poor man, the person of Jesus Christ, there is no difference of status between the two individuals.
They are brothers who wish to love and help one another …
In this case, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Christian almsgiving is the fulfilment of an obligation and is a source of merit for the giver.
As for the receiver, not only are his wants relieved but, he is the means by which his wealthier brother can acquire merit and fulfil his obligations.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2019, LENTEN THOUGHTS, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on LOVE

Lenten Thoughts – St Leo the Great – Purification of spirit through fasting and almsgiving

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Lenten Thoughts – 7 March – Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Purification of spirit through fasting and almsgiving

Saint Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father & Doctor of the Church

An excerpt from his Sermo 6 de Quadragesima

Dear friends, at every moment the earth is full of the mercy of God and nature itself is a lesson for all the faithful, in the worship of God.   The heavens, the sea and all that is in them, bear witness to the goodness and omnipotence of their Creator and the marvellous beauty of the elements, as they obey Him, demands from the intelligent creation, a fitting expression of its gratitude.

But with the return of that season marked out in a special way, by the mystery of our redemption and of the days that lead up to the paschal feast, we are summoned more urgentlyM to prepare ourselves by a purification of spirit.

The special note of the paschal feast is this – the whole Church rejoices in the forgiveness of sins.   It rejoices in the forgiveness, not only of those who are then reborn in holy baptism but also of those, who are already numbered among God’s adopted children.

Initially, men are made new by the rebirth of baptism.   Yet, there still is required a daily renewal to repair the shortcomings of our mortal nature and whatever degree of progress has been made, there is no-one, who should not be more advanced.   All, must, therefore, strive to ensure that on the day of redemption, no-one may be found in the sins of his former life.

Dear friends, what the Christian should be doing at all times, should be done now with greater care and devotion, so that the Lenten fast enjoined by the apostles, may be fulfilled, not simply by abstinence from food but above all, by the renunciation of sin.

There is no more profitable practice as a companion to holy and spiritual fasting than that of almsgiving.   This embraces under the single name of mercy, many excellent works of devotion, so that the good intentions of all the faithful, may be of equal value, even where their means are not.   The love that we owe both God and man, is always free from any obstacle, that would prevent us from having a good intention.  The angels sang – Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.   The person who shows love and compassion to those in any kind of affliction, is blessed, not only with the virtue of good will but also, with the gift of peace.

The works of mercy are innumerable.   Their very variety, brings this advantage to those who are true Christians, that in the matter of almsgiving, not only the rich and affluent but also those of average means and the poor, are able to play their part.   Those who are unequal in their capacity to give, can be equal, in the love within their hearts.the works of mercy are innumerable - st pope leo the great - thurs after ash wed 7 march 2019.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS

LENTEN REFLECTION – The Fifth Week – Monday 3 April 2017

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LENTEN REFLECTION – The Fifth Week – Monday 3 April 2017

ALMSGIVING

Excerpt from a Homily of St John Chrysostum Doctor and Father of the Church (347-407

Nay, if you desire to honour the sacrifice, offer your soul, for which also it was slain; cause that to become golden;  but if that remain worse than lead or potter’s clay, while the vessel is of gold, what is the profit?

Let not this therefore be our aim, to offer golden vessels only but to do so from honest earnings likewise.   For these are of the sort that is more precious even than gold, these that are without injuriousness.   For the church is not a gold foundry nor a workshop for silver but an assembly of angels.   Wherefore it is souls which we require, since in fact God accepts these for the souls’ sake.

That table at that time was not of silver nor that cup of gold, out of which Christ gave His disciples His own blood; but precious was everything there….

Would you do honour to Christ’s body? Neglect Him not when naked; do not while here you honour Him with silken garments, neglect Him perishing without of cold and nakedness.   For He that said, This is my body, and by His word confirmed the fact, This same said, You saw me an hungered, and fed me not; and, Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me. Matthew 25:42, 45   For this indeed needs not coverings, but a pure soul; but that requires much attention.

Let us learn therefore to be strict in life and to honour Christ as He Himself desires.   For to Him who is honoured that honour is most pleasing, which it is His own will to have, not that which we account best.   Since Peter too thought to honour Him by forbidding Him to wash his feet but his doing so was not an honour, but the contrary.

Even so do thou honour Him with this honour, which He ordained, spending your wealth on poor people.   Since God has no need at all of golden vessels but of golden souls.

And these things I say, not forbidding such offerings to be provided;  but requiring you, together with them and before them, to give alms………..

For what is the profit, when His table indeed is full of golden cups but He perishes with hunger?   First fill Him, being an hungered and then abundantly deck out His table also. Do you make Him a cup of gold, while you give Him not a cup of cold water?   And what is the profit?   Do you furnish His table with cloths bespangled with gold, while to Himself you afford not even the necessary covering?   And what good comes of it?   For tell me, should you see one at a loss for necessary food and omit appeasing his hunger, while you first overlaid his table with silver;  would He indeed thank you and not rather be indignant?   What, again, if seeing one wrapped in rags and stiff with cold, you should neglect giving him a garment and build golden columns, saying, thou were doing it to His honour, would He not say that thou were mocking and account it an insult and that the most extreme?

Let this then be your thought with regard to Christ also, when He is going about a wanderer and a stranger, needing a roof to cover Him;   and thou, neglecting to receive Him, deckest out a pavement, and walls, and capitals of columns and hangest up silver chains by means of lamps but Himself bound in prison you will not even look upon.

ALMSGIVING-STJOHNCHRYSOSTUM LENT MON 3 APRIL

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LENT, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS

LENTEN REFLECTION – The First Week of Lent – 2 MARCH

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day-2-week-one-2-march-2017

LENTEN REFLECTION – 2 MARCH

Purification of Spirit through fasting and almsgiving

by St Pope Leo the Great (died 461 AD) Doctor of the Church

Dear friends, at every moment the earth is full of the mercy of God and nature itself is a lesson for all the faithful in the worship of God.    The heavens, the sea and all that is in them bear witness to the omnipotence of their Creator and the marvelous beauty of the elements as they obey him demands from the intelligent creation a fitting expression of its gratitude.

But with the return of that season marked out in a special way by the mystery of our redemption and of the days that lead up to the paschal feast, we are summoned more urgently to prepare ourselves by a purification of spirit.

The special note of the paschal feast is this:  the whole Church rejoices in the forgiveness of sins.    It rejoices in the forgiveness not only of those who are then reborn in holy baptism but also of those who are already numbered among God’s adopted children.

Initially, men are made new by the rebirth of baptism.    Yet there is still required a daily renewal to repair the shortcomings of our mortal nature and whatever degree of progress has been made there is no one who should not be more advanced.    All must therefore strive to ensure that on the day of redemption no one may be found in the sins of his former life.

Dear friends, what the Christian should be doing at all times should be done now with greater care and devotion, so that the Lenten fast enjoined by the apostles may be fulfilled, not simply by abstinence from food but above all by the renunciation of sin.

There is no more profitable practice as a companion to holy and spiritual fasting than that of almsgiving.    This embraces under the single name of mercy many excellent works of devotion, so that the good intentions of the faithful may be of equal value, even where their means are not.    The love that we owe both God and man is always free from any obstacle that would prevent us from having a good intention.   The angels sang: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.   The person who shows love and compassion to those in any kind of affliction is blessed, not only with the virtue of good will but also with the gift of peace.

The works of mercy are innumerable.   Their very variety brings this advantage to those who are true Christians, that in the matter of almsgiving not only the rich and affluent but also those of average means and the poor are able to play their part.    Those who are unequal in their capacity to give can be equal in the love within their hearts.

there-is-no-more-profitable-practice-stpopeleothegreat