The Goodness of Almsgiving
Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; For almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies. Tobit 12:8-9
Charity
If you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall become like midday. Isaiah 58:10
“Give to the poor. Give them whatever your resources will allow.” + St. Caesarius of Arles, bishop (468-542 A.D.)
“Charity is certainly greater than any rule.” + St. Vincent de Paul, priest (1581-1660 A.D.)
“A generous spirit is itself great wealth.” + St. Leo the Great, pope (400-461 A.D.)
“If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give.” + St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop (406-450 A.D.)
“You will find the glory of charity more than a match for the parade of power.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“When the poor are starving, Christ too hungers.” + St. Caesarius of Arles, bishop (468-542 A.D.)
“Give Christ the honor prescribed in his law by giving your riches to the poor. For God does not want golden vessels but golden hearts.” + St. John Chrysostom, bishop (347-407 A.D.)
“Let us show Christ honor, not with olive branches but with the splendor of merciful deeds to one another.” + St. Andrew of Crete, bishop (650-712 A.D.)
“No act of devotion on the part of the faithful gives God more pleasure than that which is lavished on his poor.” + St. Leo the Great, pope (400-461 A.D.)
“Charity is a right attitude of mind which prefers nothing to the knowledge of God.” + St. Maximus the Confessor, abbot (580-662 A.D.)
“As the sower profits from wheat that falls onto the ground, so will you profit greatly in the world to come from the bread that you place before a hungry man.” + St. Basil the Great, bishop (329-379 A.D.)
“If you consider the poor in light of faith, then you will observe that they are taking the place of the Son of God who chose to be poor.” + St. Vincent de Paul, priest (1581-1660 A.D.)
“There should be no delay between your intention and your good deed.” + St. Gregory of Nazianzen, bishop (329-374 A.D.)
“If we are afraid to strip ourselves of our worldly possessions, then we are unfit to make a strong defense of the faith.” + St. Peter Damian, bishop (1840-1889 A.D.)
“Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin.” + St. Francis of Assisi, religious (1182-1226 A.D.)
“A gift to the church may be taken as a form of ostentation, but an alms is pure kindness.” + St. John Chrysostom, bishop (347-407 A.D.)
“The grace of a good deed is doubled when it is done with promptness and speed.” + St. Gregory of Nazianzen, bishop (329-374 A.D.)
“If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire.” + St. Vincent Ferrer, priest (1350-1419 A.D.)
“Great works are accomplished only by great men, and great men should be involved in great works.” + St. John Leonardi, priest (1541-1609 A.D.)
If we share with the poor, out of love for God, whatever he has given to us, we shall receive according to his promise a hundredfold in eternal happiness.” + St. John of God, religious (1495-1550 A.D.)
“If God is love, charity should know no limit, for God cannot be confined.” + St. Leo the Great, pope (400-461 A.D.)
“Give to the poor, and you give to yourself.” + St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop (406-450 A.D.)
“Earn for yourself the psalmist’s praise: He gave freely to the poor; his righteousness will endure forever.” + St. Basil the Great, bishop (329-379 A.D.)
“Give to a hungry man, and what you give becomes yours, and indeed it returns to you with interest.” + St. Basil the Great, bishop (329-379 A.D.)
“If a man truly loves God, he must love his neighbor absolutely. Such a man cannot hoard his wealth. Rather, like God himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to his needs.” + St. Maximus the Confessor, abbot (580-662 A.D.)
“A very good way of atoning for our sins is being generous to the poor.” + From a homily written in the second century
“Christ sends his disciples out to preach two by two, because the precept of charity is twofold – love of God and of one’s neighbor.” + St. Gregory the Great, pope (540-604 A.D.)
“Let us never labor to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need.” + St. Gregory of Nazianzen, bishop (329-374 A.D.)
“Let the wealthy assist the poor and the poor man thank God for giving him someone to supply his needs.” + St. Clement I, pope (unknown – 100 A.D.)
“There is no more profitable practice as a companion to holy and spiritual fasting than that of almsgiving.” + St. Leo the Great, pope (400-461 A.D.)
“Fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving surpasses both, for love covers a multitude of sins.” + From a homily written in the second century
“Insofar as we can, we should help the poor and destitute with mercy and generosity, truly dedicated to those pursuits and good deeds which please God.” + St. Gregory of Agrigentum (unknown – 594 A.D.)
“A charitable mind is not displayed simply in giving money; it is manifested still more by personal service as well as by the communication of God’s word to others.” + St. Maximus the Confessor, abbot (580-662 A.D.)
“It is our duty to prefer the service of the poor to everything else and to offer such service as quickly as possible.” + St. Vincent de Paul, priest (1581-1660 A.D.)
“Do not adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all.” + St. John Chrysostom, bishop (347-407 A.D.)
“Let your charity and zeal show how you love the Church.” + St. John Baptist de la Salle, priest (1651-1719 A.D.)
