Christian Mission and Poverty

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Christian Mission and Poverty

not at it, for I will, from the Divine Scriptures, bring testimony showing that not only robbery of other men’s goods, but also the not imparting our own good things to others—that this also is robbery, and covetousness, and fraud. What then is this testimony? God, rebuking the Jews, speaks thus through the prophet: “The earth has brought forth her fruit, and you have not brought in the tithes; but the plunder of the poor is in your houses” (Mal 3:10). Since, it is said, you have not given the customary oblations, you have robbed the poor. This is said in order to show to the rich that they possess things which belong to the poor, even if their property be gained by inheritance—in fact, from whatever source their substance be derived. And, again, in another place, it is said, “Do not deprive the poor of life” (Ecclus 6 4:1). Now, he who deprives , deprives some other man of property. It is said to be deprivation when we retain things taken from others. And in this way, therefore, we are taught that if we do not bestow alms, we shall be treated in the same way as those who have been extortioners. Our Lord’s things they are, from wherever we may obtain them. And if we distribute to the needy we shall obtain for ourselves great abundance. And for this it is that God has permitted you to possess much—not that you should spend it in fornication, in drunkenness, in gluttony, in rich clothing, or any other mode of luxury, but that you should distribute it to the needy. And just as if a receiver of taxes, having in charge the king’s property, should not distribute it to those for whom it is ordered, but should spend it for his own

6 Ecclesiasticus – a book in the Apocrypha, a collection of writings between the Old and New Testaments that is included in the Roman Catholic Bible.