Chapter V. That this sacrament makes a supplying of faculties in alms.

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 336

CAPUT V. Quod hoc sacramentum faciat subventionem facultatum in eleemosynis.

Haec etiam communio facit subventionem facultatum in eleemosynis: quia qui habet facultates, libenter subvenit ad hoc quod a toto corpore redundantia spiritualium pro temporalibus accipiat. Unde, ad Roman. XV, 27: Si spiritualium eorum, hoc est, sanctorum, participes facti sunt Gentiles, debent et in carnalibus ministrare illis. Haec est enim unius Christi corporis communio. Unde idem Apostolus dicit, II ad Corinth. VIII, 13 et seq.: Non ut aliis sit remissio, vobis autem tribulatio, sed ex aequalitate... Sicut scriptum est: Qui multum, non abundavit: et qui modicum, non minoravit. Et loquitur de collectione mannatis quod dabatur ad aequalitatem, et sicut colligens plus de mannate quam oportuit, lucrum non reportavit, sed putrefactum fuit: et sicut minus colligens non deficit: ita in corpore mystico divitiae subtractae membris deficientibus non prosunt, sed in detrimentum domini sui putrescunt: et qui parum habet, ab aliis debet accipere suarum necessitatum supplementum. I Joannis, III, 17: Qui habuerit substantiam hujus mundi, et viderit fratrem suum necessitatem habere, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo, quomodo charitas Dei manet in illo? Hinc Tobias dixit filio suo, Tob. IV, 9: Si multum tibi fuerit, abundanter tribue: si exiguum tibi fuerit, etiam exiguum libenter impertiri stude. Isa. LVIII, 10: Cum effuderis esurienti animam tuam, et animam afflictam repleveris, orietur in tenebris lux tua, et tenebrae tuae erunt sicut meridies.¹

CHAPTER V. That this sacrament makes a supplying of faculties in alms.

This communion also makes a supplying of faculties in alms, because he who has faculties gladly helps for this, that he may receive from the whole body an overflowing of spiritual things in exchange for temporal things. Hence, Romans 15:27: "If the Gentiles have been made participants of their spiritual things," that is, of the saints, "they ought also to minister to them in carnal things." For this is the communion of the one body of Christ. Hence the same Apostle says, II Corinthians 8:13 and following: "Not that there be relief for others, but tribulation for you, but from equality... As it is written: He who gathered much did not abound, and he who gathered little did not lack." And he speaks of the collection of manna, which was given for equality; and just as the one collecting more of the manna than was fitting did not carry away profit, but it was made putrid, and just as the one collecting less did not lack, so in the mystical body riches withdrawn from deficient members do not profit, but rot to the detriment of their lord; and he who has little ought to receive from others the supplement of his necessities. I John 3:17: "He who has the substance of this world, and sees his brother having necessity, and closes his bowels from him, how does the charity of God remain in him?" Hence Tobias said to his son, Tobit 4:9: "If you have much, give abundantly; if you have little, strive gladly to impart even the little." Isaiah 58:10: "When you have poured out your soul to the hungry, and filled the afflicted soul, your light will rise in darkness, and your darkness will be like midday."¹

Notes

Exodus 16:18. (Exod. XVI, 18.) ↩