We ought to give material alms only to those really poor or unable to get work. It would be wrong to support people in idleness or vice; this would be to encourage them in sin. But if we have no means of finding out about the poor who beg our aid, it is much better to err on the side of charity than miserliness.

    Quite a number of people give as an excuse for not giving alms the fact that many beggars are "fakes" who amass wealth by begging. It is, however, true, that such fakes cannot be of a considerable number, and that the people who most often excuse themselves do not give to anybody at all. Is not God generous to us? Let us imitate His example.

    Some practical ways of almsgiving are: to give help to our poor relatives, those in want, the Church, and charitable institutions. In the works of charity, we should give preference to our relatives, to our fellow Catholics, to our friends.

    "Charity begins at home". It is not edifying to see well-known figures in public charities turn away a poor cousin who begs for some help to send his little child to school. This would very likely mean that the public charities done by such people are so done only for show, not from kindness of heart. As for fellow Catholics, St. Paul said: "Let us do good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).

    The Church may be helped by giving alms to its missions, schools, orphan asylums, and homes for the poor. Even children should be trained early to give alms by setting aside every week a small sum from their pocket-money. "By this will all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

    In these times, there are many organizations conducted by the government or by laymen to aid particular groups of the poor. In contributing to such organizations, we should exercise prudent care. It has become the fashion to give alms to "institutions" instead of directly to the poor, to let these "institutions" distribute our charity for us; in other words, it is fashionable to give charity "by proxy". We should remember that personal charity is more kind than impersonal charity through institutions, that signing and mailing a check does not seem to be as Christian as visiting the poor in their dwellings, finding out what they really need, giving them comfort and aid directly. We should also, if we are too busy to do anything but "institutional charity", find out which are worthy of help. Some such institutions are top-heavy; that is, too much goes for officials' salaries.

    Most religious orders, like the DAILY CATHOLIC are mendicant, that is dependent upon the mercy of donations. These religious organizations, just as the DAILY CATHOLIC and its parent organization MIR-A-CALL CENTER, earmark nothing for salaries. All love offerings go back into helping others either by sending more missionaries to needed areas, furnishing necessary religious items and food for the poor, or funding literature that furthers the Word of God and His teachings...from printed collateral to publications like the DAILY CATHOLIC which reaches out universally and is free to all. Yet bills need to be paid to keep the publication on line, just as bills need to be paid to provide gas and electric for missions, pay for food for the poor, or whatever. When you give to a religious charity you can be relatively sure 90-100% is going for good, not into someone's wallet for their own greed.

    All the ordinary deeds done very day to relieve the corporal or spiritual needs of others are true works of mercy, if done in the name of Christ. "And before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; naked and you covered Me; sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the just will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee; or thirsty, and give Thee drink? And when did we see Thee a stranger, and take Thee in; or naked, and clothe Thee? Or when did we see Thee sick, or in prison and come to Thee?' And answering, the King will say to them, 'Amen I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of My brethren, you did it for Me'" (Matthew 25: 32-40).

    If in all of our works we remember and love God, we have the supernatural motive. That's all that matters.

Next Issue: The Ten Commandments of God

August 2-3, 2000
volume 11, no. 129
APPRECIATION OF THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH series

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