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| Chapter XXI. To defend the weak, or to help strangers, or to perform similar duties, greatly adds to one's worth, especially in the case of tried men. Whilst one gets great blame for love of money; wastefulness, also, in the case of priests is very much condemned.
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Chapter XXI.
To defend the weak, or to help strangers, or to perform
similar duties, greatly adds to one’s worth, especially in the
case of tried men. Whilst one gets great blame for love of money;
wastefulness, also, in the case of priests is very much condemned.
102. The regard in
which one is held is also very much enhanced when one rescues a poor
man out of the hands of a powerful one, or saves a condemned criminal
from death; so long as it can be done without disturbance, for fear
that we might seem to be doing it rather for the sake of showing off
than for pity’s sake, and so might inflict severer wounds whilst
desiring to heal slighter ones. But if one has freed a man who is
crushed down by the resources and faction of a powerful
person,528
| 528 Cic. de
Off. II. 14, § 51. | rather than overwhelmed by the deserts of
his own wickedness, then the witness of a great and high opinion grows
strong.
103. Hospitality also serves to recommend
many.529
| 529 Cic. de
Off. II. 18, § 64. | For it is a kind of open display of
kindly feelings: so that the stranger may not want hospitality,
but be courteously received, and that the door may be open to him when
he comes. It is most seemly in the eyes of the whole world that
the stranger should be received with honour; that the charm of
hospitality should not fail at our table; that we should meet a guest
with ready and free service, and look out for his arrival.
104. This especially was Abraham’s
praise,530
for he watched at the door of his tent, that
no stranger by any chance might pass by. He carefully kept a
lookout, so as to meet the stranger, and anticipate him, and ask him
not to pass by, saying: “My lord, if I have found favour in
thy sight, pass not by thy servant.”531
Therefore as a reward for his
hospitality, he received the gift of posterity.
105. Lot also, his nephew,532
who was near to him not only in
relationship but also in virtue, on account of his readiness to show
hospitality, turned aside the punishment of Sodom from himself and his
family.
106. A man ought therefore to be hospitable, kind,
upright, not desirous of what belongs to another, willing to give up
some
of his own rights if assailed,
rather than to take away another’s. He ought to avoid
disputes, to hate quarrels. He ought to restore unity and the
grace of quietness. When a good man gives up any of his own
rights, it is not only a sign of liberality, but is also accompanied by
great advantages. To start with, it is no small gain to be free
from the cost of a lawsuit. Then it also brings in good results,
by an increase of friendship, from which many advantages rise.
These become afterwards most useful to the man that can despise a
little something at the time.
107. In all the duties of hospitality kindly
feeling must be shown to all, but greater respect must be given to the
upright.533
For
“Whosoever receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous
man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward,”534
as the Lord has said. Such is the
favour in which hospitality stands with God, that not even the draught
of cold water shall fail of getting a reward.535
Thou seest that Abraham, in looking
for guests, received God Himself to entertain.536
Thou seest that Lot received the
angels.537
And how dost thou know that when
thou receivest men, thou dost not receive Christ? Christ may be
in the stranger that comes, for Christ is there in the person of the
poor, as He Himself says: “I was in prison and thou camest
to Me, I was naked and thou didst clothe Me.”538
.
108. It is sweet, then, to seek not for
money but for grace. It is true539
| 539 Cic. de
Off. II. 20, § 69. | that this
evil has long ago entered into human hearts, so that money stands in
the place of honour, and the minds of men are filled with admiration
for wealth. Thus love of money sinks in and as it were dries up
every kindly duty; so that men consider everything a loss which is
spent beyond the usual amount. But even here the holy Scriptures
have been on the watch against love of money, that it might prove no
cause of hindrance, saying: “Better is hospitality, even
though it consisteth only of herbs.”540
And again: “Better is bread in pleasantness with
peace.”541
For the
Scriptures teach us not to be wasteful, but liberal.
109. There are two kinds of free-giving, one
arising from liberality, the other from wasteful extravagance.542
It is a mark of liberality to receive
the stranger, to clothe the naked, to redeem the captives, to help the
needy. It is wasteful to spend money on expensive banquets and
much wine. Wherefore one reads: “Wine is wasteful,
drunkenness is abusive.”543
It is
wasteful to spend one’s own wealth merely for the sake of gaining
the favour of the people. This they do who spend their
inheritance on the games of the circus, or on theatrical pieces and
gladiatorial shows, or even a combat of wild beasts, just to surpass
the fame of their forefathers for these things. All this that
they do is but foolish, for it is not right to be extravagant in
spending money even on good works.
110. It is a right kind of liberality to keep due
measure towards the poor themselves, that one may have enough for more;
and not to go beyond the right limit for the sake of winning
favour. Whatever comes forth out of a pure sincere disposition,
that is seemly. It is also seemly not to enter on unnecessary
undertakings, nor to omit those that are needed.
111. But it befits the priest especially to adorn
the temple of God with fitting splendour, so that the court of the Lord
may be made glorious by his endeavours. He ought always to spend
money as mercy demands. It behoves him to give to strangers what
is right. This must not be too much, but enough; not more than,
but as much as, kindly feeling demands, so that he may never seek
another’s favour at the expense of the poor, nor show himself as
either too stingy or too free to the clergy. The one act is
unkind, the other wasteful. It is unkind if money should be
wanting for the necessities of those whom one ought to win back from
their wretched employments. It is wasteful if there should be too
much over for pleasure. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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