The Rich are Commanded Charity

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 43, 31 July 1891, Page 3

The Rich are Commanded Charity

Therefore those whom fortune favours are warned that freedom from sorrow, and abundance of earthly riches, are noguaranteee of the beatitude that shall never end, but rather the contrary ; § that the rich should tremble at the threats of Jesus Christ — threaten ings so strange in the mouth of Our Lord ;° and that a most strict account must be given to the Supreme Judge for all that we possess. The chiefest and most excellent rule for the right use of money is one which the heathen philosophers indicated, but which the Church has traced out clearly, and has not only made known to men's minds, but has impressed upon their lives. It rests on the principle that it is one thing to have a right to the possession of money, and another to have a right to use money as one pleases. Private ownership, as we have seen, is the natural right of man ; and to exercise that right, especially as members of society, is not only lawful, but absolutely necessary. It is lawful, says St. Thomas of Aquin, for a man to hold private property : and it is also necessary for the carrying on of human life.\ But if the question be asked, How must one's possessions be used ? The Church replies without hesitation in the words of the same holy Doctor : Man should not consider his outward possessions as his own, but as common to all, so as to share them wit/iout difficulty when others are in need. Whence the Apostle saith, Command the rich of this ■world . . . to give with ease, to communicate.** True, no one is commanded to distribute to others that which is required for his own necessities and those of his household ; nor even to give away what is reasonably required to keep up becomingly his condition in life ; for no one ought to live unbecomingly.^ But when necessity has been supplied, and one's position fairly considered, it is a duty to give to the indigent out of that which is over. That which remaineth, give alms. %% It is a duty, not of justice (except in extreme cases), but of Christian charity — a duty which is not enforced by human law. But the laws and judgments of men must give place to thelawsand judgments of Christ the true God, who in many ways urges on His followers the practice of almsgiving— /£ is more blessed to give than to receive ; § § and Who will count a kindness done or refused to the poor as done or refused to Himself — as long asyou did it to one of My least brethren you did it to Me a Thus to sum up what has been said : Whoever lias received from the Divine bounty a large share of blessings, whether they be external and corporal or gitts of the mind, has received them for the purpose of using them for the perfecting of his own nature, and, at the same

* St. James v. 4. t 2 Timothy h. 12. I 2 Corinthians iv. 17. § St. Matthew xix. 23, 24. « St. Luke vi. 24, 25. H 2a 2oj Q. Kvi. Art. 2. ** Ibid, Q lw. Art. It Ibid. Q. xxxii. Art. 6. %% St. Luke xi. 41. S§ Acts xx. 36. « St. Matthew MY, 40.

time, that he may employ them, as the minister of God's Providence, for the benefit of others. He that hath a talent, says St. Gregory the Great, let him see that he hide it not ; he that hath abundance, let him arouse himself to mercy and generosity ; he thit hath art and skill, let him do his best to share the use and the utility thereof with his neighbour*