Those who call Almsgiving by the name “Charity” are very mistaken
January 5, 2022 • 3 min
From The Spirit of St. Francis de Sales, page 116
By His friend, Jean Pierre Camus, Bishop of Belley
UPON ALMSGIVING.
Our Blessed Father had, as we know, so high an idea of the virtue of charity, which, indeed, he said was only christian perfection under another name, that he disliked to hear almsgiving called charity. It was, he said, like putting a royal crown on the head of a village maiden.
In answer to my objection that this was actually the case with Esther, who, though only a slave, was chosen by Assuerus to be his queen, and crowned by his royal hand, he replied:
You only strengthen my argument, for Esther would have remained in her state of servitude had she not become the spouse of Assuerus, and, queen though she was, she only wore her crown dependently on his will and pleasure.
So almsgiving is only pleasing to God, and worthy of its reward, the heavenly crown of justice, in as far as it proceeds from charity, and is animated by that royal gift which converts it into an infused and supernatural virtue, which may be called either almsgiving in charity or charitable almsgiving.
But, just as the two natures, the divine and the human, were not merged in one another in the mystery of the Incarnation, although joined in the unity of the hypostasis of the Word, so this conjunction of charity with almsgiving, or this subordination of almsgiving to charity, does not change the one into the other, the object of each being as different as is the Creator from the creature.
For the object of almsgiving is the misery of the needy which it tries as far as possible to relieve, and that of charity is God, Who is the sovereign Good, worthy to be loved above all things for His own sake.
“But,” I said, “when almsgiving is practised for the love of God, can we not then call it charity?”
He replied:
No, not any more than you can call Esther Assuerus, and Assuerus Esther. But you can, as I have said above, call it alms given in charity, or charitable almsgiving.
Almsgiving and charity are quite different, for not only may alms be given without charity, but even against charity, as when they are given knowing they will lead to sin.
In a remarkable passage in Theotimus the Saint asks:
Were there not heretics, who, to exalt charity towards the poor, deprecated charity towards God, ascribing man’s whole salvation to almsdeeds, as St. Augustine witnesses?
Latest book snippets
Search | Random | 910 total | 50h 3m
June 28, 2022
Humility will protect our hearts from the accusations of the world
2 min — Imitation of Christ
June 7, 2022
God’s goodness in giving Himself to us sinners should inspire us with even greater humility, trust and love
1 min — Imitation of Christ
June 6, 2022
The more we preserve our hearts for God, the more will he fill us with Divine Love and Grace
1 min — Imitation of ChristThe love of friends must only depend on and exist in the Love of God
1 min — Imitation of Christ
May 24, 2022
Mary’s love was greater than any angel’s or saint’s as much as the moon is bigger and brighter than any star
1 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De SalesMary only slept in order to love and serve God better
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 17, 2022
May 17th: Mary not only practiced perfect obedience, but recommended it to all in the Gospel
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 15, 2022
May 15th: The union of Humility and Charity in the Blessed Virgin Mary
4 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De SalesMay 15th: The three Unions that occurred at the Incarnation
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales