Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that the different kinds of almsdeeds are unsuitably enumerated. For we reckon seven corporal almsdeeds, namely, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to harbor the harborless, to visit the sick, to ransom the captive, to bury the dead; all of which are expressed in the following verse: "To visit, to quench, to feed, to ransom, clothe, harbor or bury."

Again we reckon seven spiritual alms, namely, to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to comfort the sorrowful, to reprove the sinner, to forgive injuries, to bear with those who trouble and annoy us, and to pray for all, which are all contained in the following verse: "To counsel, reprove, console, to pardon, forbear, and to pray," yet so that counsel includes both advice and instruction.

And it seems that these various almsdeeds are unsuitably enumerated. For the purpose of almsdeeds is to succor our neighbor. But a dead man profits nothing by being buried, else Our Lord would not have spoken truly when He said (Mt. 10:28): "Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do." This explains why Our Lord, in enumerating the works of mercy, made no mention of the burial of the dead (Mt. 25:35,36). Therefore it seems that these almsdeeds are unsuitably enumerated.

Objection 2: Further, as stated above (Article 1), the purpose of giving alms is to relieve our neighbor's need. Now there are many needs of human life other than those mentioned above, for instance, a blind man needs a leader, a lame man needs someone to lean on, a poor man needs riches. Therefore these almsdeeds are unsuitably enumerated.

Objection 3: Further, almsgiving is a work of mercy. But the reproof of the wrong-doer savors, apparently, of severity rather than of mercy. Therefore it ought not to be reckoned among the spiritual almsdeeds.

Objection 4: Further, almsgiving is intended for the supply of a defect. But no man is without the defect of ignorance in some matter or other. Therefore, apparently, each one ought to instruct anyone who is ignorant of what he knows himself.

On the contrary, Gregory says (Nom. in Evang. ix): "Let him that hath understanding beware lest he withhold his knowledge; let him that hath abundance of wealth, watch lest he slacken his merciful bounty; let him who is a servant to art be most solicitous to share his skill and profit with his neighbor; let him who has an opportunity of speaking with the wealthy, fear lest he be condemned for retaining his talent, if when he has the chance he plead not with him the cause of the poor." Therefore the aforesaid almsdeeds are suitably enumerated in respect of those things whereof men have abundance or insufficiency.

I answer that, The aforesaid distinction of almsdeeds is suitably taken from the various needs of our neighbor: some of which affect the soul, and are relieved by spiritual almsdeeds, while others affect the body, and are relieved by corporal almsdeeds. For corporal need occurs either during this life or afterwards. If it occurs during this life, it is either a common need in respect of things needed by all, or it is a special need occurring through some accident supervening. In the first case, the need is either internal or external. Internal need is twofold: one which is relieved by solid food, viz. hunger, in respect of which we have "to feed the hungry"; while the other is relieved by liquid food, viz. thirst, and in respect of this we have "to give drink to the thirsty." The common need with regard to external help is twofold; one in respect of clothing, and as to this we have "to clothe the naked": while the other is in respect of a dwelling place, and as to this we have "to harbor the harborless." Again if the need be special, it is either the result of an internal cause, like sickness, and then we have "to visit the sick," or it results from an external cause, and then we have "to ransom the captive." After this life we give "burial to the dead."

In like manner spiritual needs are relieved by spiritual acts in two ways, first by asking for help from God, and in this respect we have "prayer," whereby one man prays for others; secondly, by giving human assistance, and this in three ways. First, in order to relieve a deficiency on the part of the intellect, and if this deficiency be in the speculative intellect, the remedy is applied by "instructing," and if in the practical intellect, the remedy is applied by "counselling." Secondly, there may be a deficiency on the part of the appetitive power, especially by way of sorrow, which is remedied by "comforting." Thirdly, the deficiency may be due to an inordinate act; and this may be the subject of a threefold consideration. First, in respect of the sinner, inasmuch as the sin proceeds from his inordinate will, and thus the remedy takes the form of "reproof." Secondly, in respect of the person sinned against; and if the sin be committed against ourselves, we apply the remedy by "pardoning the injury," while, if it be committed against God or our neighbor, it is not in our power to pardon, as Jerome observes (Super Matth. xviii, 15). Thirdly, in respect of the result of the inordinate act, on account of which the sinner is an annoyance to those who live with him, even beside his intention; in which case the remedy is applied by "bearing with him," especially with regard to those who sin out of weakness, according to Rm. 15:1: "We that are stronger, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak," and not only as regards their being infirm and consequently troublesome on account of their unruly actions, but also by bearing any other burdens of theirs with them, according to Gal. 6:2: "Bear ye one another's burdens."

Reply to Objection 1: Burial does not profit a dead man as though his body could be capable of perception after death. In this sense Our Lord said that those who kill the body "have no more that they can do"; and for this reason He did not mention the burial of the dead with the other works of mercy, but those only which are more clearly necessary. Nevertheless it does concern the deceased what is done with his body: both that he may live in the memory of man whose respect he forfeits if he remain without burial, and as regards a man's fondness for his own body while he was yet living, a fondness which kindly persons should imitate after his death. It is thus that some are praised for burying the dead, as Tobias, and those who buried Our Lord; as Augustine says (De Cura pro Mort. iii).

Reply to Objection 2: All other needs are reduced to these, for blindness and lameness are kinds of sickness, so that to lead the blind, and to support the lame, come to the same as visiting the sick. In like manner to assist a man against any distress that is due to an extrinsic cause comes to the same as the ransom of captives. And the wealth with which we relieve the poor is sought merely for the purpose of relieving the aforesaid needs: hence there was no reason for special mention of this particular need.

Reply to Objection 3: The reproof of the sinner, as to the exercise of the act of reproving, seems to imply the severity of justice, but, as to the intention of the reprover, who wishes to free a man from the evil of sin, it is an act of mercy and lovingkindness, according to Prov. 27:6: "Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy."

Reply to Objection 4: Nescience is not always a defect, but only when it is about what one ought to know, and it is a part of almsgiving to supply this defect by instruction. In doing this however we should observe the due circumstances of persons, place and time, even as in other virtuous acts.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod inconvenienter eleemosynarum genera distinguantur. Ponuntur enim septem eleemosynae corporales, scilicet pascere esurientem, potare sitientem, vestire nudum, recolligere hospitem, visitare infirmum, redimere captivum, et sepelire mortuum; quae in hoc versu continentur, visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo.

Ponuntur etiam aliae septem eleemosynae spirituales, scilicet docere ignorantem, consulere dubitanti, consolari tristem, corrigere peccantem, remittere offendenti, portare onerosos et graves, et pro omnibus orare; quae etiam in hoc versu continentur, consule, castiga, solare, remitte, fer, ora; ita tamen quod sub eodem intelligatur consilium et doctrina.

Videtur autem quod inconvenienter huiusmodi eleemosynae distinguantur. Eleemosyna enim ordinatur ad subveniendum proximo.

Sed per hoc quod proximus sepelitur, in nullo ei subvenitur, alioquin non esset verum quod dominus dicit, Matth. X, nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus, et post hoc non habent amplius quid faciant.

Unde et dominus, Matth. XXV, commemorans misericordiae opera, de sepultura mortuorum mentionem non facit. Ergo videtur quod inconvenienter huiusmodi eleemosynae distinguantur.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, eleemosyna datur ad subveniendum necessitatibus proximi, sicut dictum est.

Sed multae aliae sunt necessitates humanae vitae quam praedictae, sicut quod caecus indiget ductore, claudus sustentatione, pauper divitiis.

Ergo inconvenienter praedictae eleemosynae enumerantur.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, dare eleemosynam est actus misericordiae. Sed corrigere delinquentem magis videtur ad severitatem pertinere quam ad misericordiam.

Ergo non debet computari inter eleemosynas spirituales.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, eleemosyna ordinatur ad subveniendum defectui.

Sed nullus est homo qui defectum ignorantiae non patiatur in aliquibus. Ergo videtur quod quilibet debeat quemlibet docere, si ignoret id quod ipse scit.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Gregorius dicit, in quadam homilia, habens intellectum curet omnino ne taceat; habens rerum affluentiam vigilet ne a misericordiae largitate torpescat; habens artem qua regitur magnopere studeat ut usum atque utilitatem illius cum proximo partiatur; habens loquendi locum apud divitem damnationem pro retento talento timeat si, cum valet, non apud eum pro pauperibus intercedat.

Ergo praedictae eleemosynae convenienter distinguuntur secundum ea in quibus homines abundant et deficiunt.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod praedicta eleemosynarum distinctio convenienter sumitur secundum diversos defectus proximorum.

Quorum quidam sunt ex parte animae, ad quos ordinantur spirituales eleemosynae; quidam vero ex parte corporis, ad quos ordinantur eleemosynae corporales. Defectus enim corporalis aut est in vita, aut est post vitam. Si quidem est in vita, aut est communis defectus respectu eorum quibus omnes indigent; aut est specialis propter aliquod accidens superveniens.

Si primo modo, aut defectus est interior, aut exterior. Interior quidem est duplex, unus quidem cui subvenitur per alimentum siccum, scilicet fames, et secundum hoc ponitur pascere esurientem; alius autem est cui subvenitur per alimentum humidum, scilicet sitis, et secundum hoc dicitur potare sitientem. Defectus autem communis respectu exterioris auxilii est duplex, unus respectu tegumenti, et quantum ad hoc ponitur vestire nudum; alius est respectu habitaculi, et quantum ad hoc est suscipere hospitem.

Similiter autem si sit defectus aliquis specialis, aut est ex causa intrinseca, sicut infirmitas, et quantum ad hoc ponitur visitare infirmum, aut ex causa extrinseca, et quantum ad hoc ponitur redemptio captivorum. Post vitam autem exhibetur mortuis sepultura.

Similiter autem spiritualibus defectibus spiritualibus actibus subvenitur dupliciter. Uno modo, poscendo auxilium a deo, et quantum ad hoc ponitur oratio, qua quis pro aliis orat. Alio modo, impendendo humanum auxilium, et hoc tripliciter. Uno modo, contra defectum intellectus, et si quidem sit defectus speculativi intellectus, adhibetur ei remedium per doctrinam; si autem practici intellectus, adhibetur ei remedium per consilium.

Alio modo est defectus ex passione appetitivae virtutis, inter quos est maximus tristitia, cui subvenitur per consolationem.

Tertio modo, ex parte inordinati actus, qui quidem tripliciter considerari potest. Uno modo, ex parte ipsius peccantis, inquantum procedit ab eius inordinata voluntate, et sic adhibetur remedium per correctionem. Alio modo, ex parte eius in quem peccatur, et sic, si quidem sit peccatum in nos, remedium adhibemus remittendo offensam; si autem sit in deum vel in proximum, non est nostri arbitrii remittere, ut Hieronymus dicit, super Matth..

Tertio modo, ex parte sequelae ipsius actus inordinati, ex qua gravantur ei conviventes, etiam praeter peccantis intentionem, et sic remedium adhibetur supportando; maxime in his qui ex infirmitate peccant, secundum illud Rom. XV, debemus nos firmiores infirmitates aliorum portare.

Et non solum secundum quod infirmi sunt graves ex inordinatis actibus, sed etiam quaecumque eorum onera sunt supportanda, secundum illud Galat. VI, alter alterius onera portate.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod sepultura mortui non confert ei quantum ad sensum quem corpus post mortem habeat. Et secundum hoc dominus dicit quod interficientes corpus non habent amplius quid faciant. Et propter hoc etiam dominus non commemorat sepulturam inter alia misericordiae opera, sed numerat solum illa quae sunt evidentioris necessitatis. Pertinet tamen ad defunctum quid de eius corpore agatur, tum quantum ad hoc quod vivit in memoriis hominum, cuius honor dehonestatur si insepultus remaneat; tum etiam quantum ad affectum quem adhuc vivens habebat de suo corpore, cui piorum affectus conformari debet post mortem ipsius. Et secundum hoc aliqui commendantur de mortuorum sepultura, ut tobias et illi qui dominum sepelierunt; ut patet per Augustinum, in libro de cura pro mortuis agenda.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod omnes aliae necessitates ad has reducuntur. Nam et caecitas et claudicatio sunt infirmitates quaedam, unde dirigere caecum et sustentare claudum reducitur ad visitationem infirmorum. Similiter etiam subvenire homini contra quamcumque oppressionem illatam extrinsecus reducitur ad redemptionem captivorum. Divitiae autem, quibus paupertati subvenitur, non quaeruntur nisi ad subveniendum praedictis defectibus, et ideo non fuit specialis mentio de hoc defectu facienda.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod correctio peccantium, quantum ad ipsam executionem actus, severitatem iustitiae continere videtur.

Sed quantum ad intentionem corrigentis, qui vult hominem a malo culpae liberare, pertinet ad misericordiam et dilectionis affectum, secundum illud Prov. XXVII, meliora sunt verbera diligentis quam fraudulenta oscula odientis.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod non quaelibet nescientia pertinet ad hominis defectum, sed solum ea qua quis nescit ea quae convenit eum scire, cui defectui per doctrinam subvenire ad eleemosynam pertinet. In quo tamen observandae sunt debitae circumstantiae personae et loci et temporis, sicut et in aliis actibus virtuosis.