約伯倫理 第 986 章

68. Almsgiving is to be esteemed chiefly by the affection of mind with which it is done. Let it be compassion, not abundance of goods, that makes the giver. — Although true compassion is to run to the suffering of one's neighbour out of liberality, nevertheless sometimes, when outward things abound sufficiently for giving, the hand of the giver finds the giving more quickly than the soul finds the grief. Whence it is necessary to know that he gives perfectly who, together with that which he holds out to the afflicted, also takes into himself the mind of the afflicted — so that first he may transfer into himself the suffering of the grieving one, and then run to meet his grief through his ministry. For often, as we have said before, it is abundance of goods that makes the bestower of the gift, and not the virtue of compassion.

For he who perfectly has compassion on the afflicted, for the most part gives even this to the needy, in which he himself, if he give it, is straitened. And then is the compassion of our heart full, when we do not fear to take upon ourselves the evil of want for our neighbour's sake, that we may free him from suffering. 69. Christ gave us the form of piety, and Paul taught it. — Which form of piety, indeed, the Mediator of God and men gave us. Who, though He could have succoured us even without dying, nevertheless willed to help men by dying — because, namely, He would have loved us less, unless He also took upon Himself our wounds; nor would He have shown us the might of His love, unless that which He would take away from us He Himself endured for a time.

For He found us passible and mortal, and He who made us to exist out of nothing, could indeed have recalled us from suffering even without His own death. But that He might show how great was the virtue of compassion, He deigned to become for us that which He willed us not to be, so that in Himself He might take upon Himself death for a time, which He might put to flight from us for ever. Or could He not, remaining invisible to us in the riches of His divinity, have enriched us with wondrous virtues? [Old Version XXVII.] But that man might return to the inner riches, God deigned to appear outwardly poor. Whence the excellent preacher too, that he might kindle the bowels of our compassion unto the grace of liberality, said: For our sakes He became poor, whereas He was rich (2 Cor. VIII, 9).

Who thus also says: Not that others should have relief, and you tribulation (Ibid., 13). These things without doubt he brought forward in condescension to the weak, since to certain persons unable to bear want, it is more tolerable to give less than, after their liberality, to murmur out of the straits of want. For that he might kindle the minds of his hearers unto great zeal in giving, a little after he brought in, saying: But this I say: He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly (2 Cor. IX, 6). And sometimes we say that it is more to have compassion on one in heart than to give hardly; because whoever perfectly has compassion on the needy, esteems as less all that he gives. For unless a good will overcame the hand of the giver, the same excellent preacher would not have said to his disciples:

Who have begun not only to do, but also to be willing, from a year ago (2 Cor. VIII, 10). For it is easy even for one unwilling to obey in a good work. But this great virtue had shone forth in the disciples, that they had willed beforehand the good which was enjoined upon them. 70. He who bestows outward things gives something of his own; he who bestows compassion gives something of his very self. — Since therefore the holy man had known that with Almighty God the gift of the mind is at times greater than that of the gift, let him say: I wept of old for him who was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor. For he who bestows outward things holds out a thing outside himself. But he who bestows weeping and compassion on his neighbour gives him something even of his very self.

But we say that compassion is more than the gift, because a thing, whatever it be, is for the most part given even by him who does not have compassion; but he who truly has compassion never denies that which he sees to be necessary to his neighbour. 71. The Church, having compassion on her penitent children, joins to them tears and prayers. — Which saying, indeed, well agrees also with the voices of holy Church: for while she beholds all the afflicted through the laments of penitence, she joins to them her weeping in continual prayer, and as often has compassion on the needy as she succours the mind stripped of virtues by the prayers of her intercession. For upon the afflicted we, having compassion, lament, when we reckon others' losses to be our own, and strive to cleanse the faults of the sinning by our tears.

In doing which, indeed, we for the most part succour ourselves more than those for whom it is done; because before the inmost Judge, who breathes upon the grace of charity, he perfectly washes away his own transgressions, whatever they be, who purely laments those of others. Therefore let holy Church, caught in the tribulation of the last persecution, recall to memory the good things she did in the time of peace, saying: I wept of old for him who was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor. And, desiring the eternal joys of the inner light, but nevertheless as yet deferred, because she is pressed by outward evils, let her join to the words of the holy man: