In Scripture
“In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
“When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.’” Lk 21:1-4
“And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” Mt. 10:42
“Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.” 1 Tim. 6:17-19
“Whoever cares for the poor lends to the LORD, who will pay back the sum in full.” Prov. 19:17
“If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?” 1 Jn. 3:17
“But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” Mt. 6:3-4
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and will all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Lk. 10:27
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Mt. 25:34-40
In the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
410. How does one participate in bringing about the common good?
All men and women according to the place and role that they occupy participate in promoting the common good by respecting just laws and taking charge of the areas for which they have personal responsibility such as the care of their own family and the commitment to their own work. Citizens also should take an active part in public life as far as possible.
411. How does society ensure social justice?
Society ensures social justice when it respects the dignity and the rights of the person as the proper end of society itself. Furthermore, society pursues social justice, which is linked to the common good and to the exercise of authority, when it provides the conditions that allow associations and individuals to obtain what is their due.
413. How are we to view social inequalities?
There are sinful social and economic inequalities which affect millions of human beings. These inequalities are in open contradiction to the Gospel and are contrary to justice, to the dignity of persons, and to peace. There are, however, differences among people caused by various factors which enter into the plan of God. Indeed, God wills that each might receive what he or she needs from others and that those endowed with particular talents should share them with others. Such differences encourage and often oblige people to the practice of generosity, kindness and the sharing of goods. They also foster the mutual enrichment of cultures.
414. How is human solidarity manifested?
Solidarity, which springs from human and Christian brotherhood, is manifested in the first place by the just distribution of goods, by a fair remuneration for work and by zeal for a more just social order. The virtue of solidarity also practices the sharing of the spiritual goods of faith which is even more important than sharing material goods.
520. By what is love for the poor inspired?
Love for the poor is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes and by the example of Jesus in his constant concern for the poor. Jesus said, “Whatever you have done to the least of my brethren, you have done to me” (Matthew 25:40). Love for the poor shows itself through the struggle against material poverty and also against the many forms of cultural, moral, and religious poverty. The spiritual and corporal works of mercy and the many charitable institutions formed throughout the centuries are a concrete witness to the preferential love for the poor which characterizes the disciples of Jesus.
The Saints on Generosity
“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” – St. Augustine
“Charity, by which God and neighbor are loved, is the most perfect friendship.” – St. Thomas Aquinas
“Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.” – St. Therese of Lisieux
“We must be full reservoirs in order to let out water spill out without becoming empty, and we must possess the spirit with which we want them to be animated, for no one can give what he does not have.” – St. Vincent DePaul
“We must give alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue.” – St. Angela Merici
“The school of Christ is the school of charity. On the last day, when the general examination takes place, there will be no question at all on the text of Aristotle, the aphorisms of Hippocrates, or the paragraphs of Justinian. Charity will be the whole syllabus.” – St. Robert Bellarmine
“I see in my neighbor the Person of Jesus Christ.” – St. Gerard Majella
“Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God.” – St. Catherine of Siena
“He alone loves the Creator perfectly who manifests a pure love for his neighbor.” – St. Bede the Venerable
Prayer in The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic
“6.4 percent of registered parishioners contribute 80 percent of the volunteer hours in a parish.” (The Four Signs, 12)
“6.8 percent of registered parishioners donate 80 percent of financial contributions.” (The Four Signs, 12)
“At first I found these results very discouraging, but it turns out this might be the best news the Catholic Church has received in decades. Why is it good news that only 7 percent of American Catholics are highly engaged? Well, think about the tremendous contribution that the Catholic Church makes every day in communities large and small across America and around the world. Every day we serve Catholics and non-Catholics around the world by feeding more people, housing more people, clothing more people, caring for more sick people, visiting more prisoners, and educating more students than any other institution on the planet. Now remember that all this is less than 7 percent of our capability. That is good news.” (The Four Signs, 13-14)
“The 7% are universally described as being generous, not just with money and time, but with their love, appreciation, praise, virtue, and encouragement. They see generosity as the heart of Christianity and the proof that the teachings of Christ have taken root in their lives.” (The Four Signs, 21)
“The most fascinating thing that came out of the interviews in relation to the third sign is that Dynamic Catholics believe that is starts with financial generosity. They describe love of money and attachment to the things of this world as a primary impediment to spiritual growth, and see this as something that everyone struggles with regardless of how much or how little we have.” (The Four Signs, 21-22)
“Generosity is not a religious requirement for the 7%; it’s a way of life, a way of bringing the love of God to the world.” (The Four Signs, 22)
“Generosity is at the heart of the Christian life, just as it is at the heart of the Gospel. For it is often through our generosity that we are able to bring the love of God to life for others in very real and tangible ways.” (The Four Signs, 111)
“Generosity is a trademark of Dynamic Catholics. Their generosity in the traditional ways was to be expected. They are generous with their time and talent, with their money and possessions, but their generosity goes way beyond these commonly defined areas. It was the scope of their generosity that was particularly inspiring to me. What I discovered was not just a spirit of generosity, but a spirituality of generosity that reached deep into every corner of their lives.” (The Four Signs, 119)
“Research conducted by the Dynamic Catholic Institute revealed that only 1.9 percent of American Catholics tithe. Research by the Barna Group shows that five percent of Americans tithe. Protestant Evangelicals are four times more likely to tithe than Catholics; 8 percent of their population tithe. In 2007, Christians in the United States gave $1,426 on average to their church and/or various other charities. When broken out as a subgroup, Catholics gave an average of $984. Non-Christians gave $905, while atheists and agnostics gave $467.” (The Four Signs, 134)
Ten Commandments: “Imagine all of the misery that could be avoided if we all just lived by these ten nuggets of life-giving wisdom. Think for a moment on all the suffering that is caused because humanity has been unwilling to adopt a pattern of behavior and social structure that celebrate the wisdom of the Ten.” (The Four Signs, 145)
“The world is a bit of a mess, but we abdicate the responsibility for this in two ways: We convince ourselves that the state of the world is someone else’s fault, and we convince ourselves that it’s someone else’s responsibility to fix. We are wrong on both counts. Even sadder is the fact that more and more people believe that the world cannot get better. The truth is we are all changing the world. Every word, thought—yes, even your thoughts—and action changes the world in ways that echo through the world, touching people and places you will never meet, for ages to come.” (The Four Signs, 146)
“Our mission as Catholics is not merely to move through the world, leaving it unchanged. Changing the world is part of our mission, and throughout history we have done that in many ways. The Catholic Church broke the class barrier for education. We invented the scientific method to transform the sciences. We have always been a leader in caring for the sick and the poor. In almost every place and time for the past two thousand years, the Catholic Church has played a powerful role in making the world a better place. Catholics change the world.” (The Four Signs, 146-147)
Generosidad en la Escritura
“Siempre les he enseñado que así se debe trabajar y ayudar a los que están en necesidad, recordando aquellas palabras del Señor Jesús: ‘Hay más dicha en dar que en recibir.’” Hechos 20:35
“Jesús estaba viendo a los ricos echar dinero en los cofres de las ofrendas, y vio también a una viuda pobre que echaba dos moneditas de cobre. Entonces dijo: ‘De veras les digo que esta viuda pobre ha dado más que todos; pues todos dan ofrendas de lo que les sobra, pero ella en su pobreza, ha dado todo lo que tenía para vivir.’” San Lucas 21:1-4
“Y cualquiera que le da siquiera un vaso de agua fresca a uno de estos pequeños por ser seguidor mío, les aseguro que tendrá su premio.” San Mateo 10:42
“A los que tienen riquezas de esta vida, mándales que no sean orgullosos ni pongan su esperanza en sus riquezas, porque las riquezas no son seguras. Antes bien, que pongan su esperanza en Dios, el cual nos da todas las cosas con abundancia y para nuestro provecho. Mándales que hagan el bien, que se hagan ricos en buenas obras y que estén dispuestos a dar y compartir lo que tienen. Así tendrán riquezas que les proporcionarán una base firme para el futuro, y alcanzarán la vida verdadera.” 1 Timoteo 6:17-19
“Un préstamo al pobre es un préstamo al Señor, y el Señor mismo pagará le deuda.” Proverbios 19:17
“Pues si uno es rico y ve que su hermano necesita ayuda, pero no se la da, ¿cómo puede tener amor de Dios en su corazón?” 1 San Juan 3:17
“Cuando tú ayudes a los necesitados, no se lo cuentes ni siquiera a tu amigo más íntimo; hazlo en secreto. Y tu Padre, que ve lo que haces en secreto, te dará tu premio.” San Mateo 6:3-4
“Ama al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, con toda tu alma, con todas tus fuerzas y con toda tu mente; y ama a tu prójimo como a ti mismo.” San Lucas 10:27
“Y dirá el Rey a los que estén a su derecha: ‘Vengan ustedes, los que han sido bendecidos por mi Padre; reciban el reino que está preparado para ustedes desde que Dios hizo el mundo. Pues tuve hambre, y ustedes me dieron de comer; tuve sed, y me dieron de beber; anduve como forastero, y me dieron alojamiento. Estuve sin ropa, y ustedes me la dieron; estuve enfermo, y me visitaron; estuve en la cárcel, y vinieron a verme.’ Entonces los justos preguntarán: ‘Señor, ¿cuándo te vimos con hambre, y te dimos de comer? ¿O cuándo te vimos como forastero, y te dimos alojamiento, o sin ropa, y te la dimos? ¿O cuándo te vimos enfermo o en la cárcel, y fuimos a verte?’ El Rey les contestará: ‘Les aseguro que todo lo que hicieron por uno de estos hermanos míos más humildes, por mí mismo lo hicieron.’” San Mateo 25:34-40
Generosidad en el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica Compendio
410. ¿Cómo participa el hombre en la realización del bien común?
Todo hombre, según el lugar que ocupa y el papel que desempeña, participa en la realización del bien común, respetando las leyes justas y haciéndose cargo de los sectores en los que tiene responsabilidad personal, como son el cuidado de la propia familia y el compromiso en el propio trabajo. Por otra parte, los ciudadanos deben tomar parte activa en la vida pública, en la medida en que les sea posible.
411. ¿Cómo asegura la sociedad la justicia social?
La sociedad asegura la justicia social cuando respeta la dignidad y los derechos de la persona, finalidad propia de la misma sociedad. Ésta, además, procura alcanzar la justicia social, vinculada al bien común y al ejercicio de la autoridad, cuando garantiza las condiciones que permiten a las asociaciones y a los individuos conseguir aquello que les corresponde por derecho.
413. ¿Cómo hay que juzgar el hecho de la desigualdad entre los hombres?
Existen desigualdades económicas y sociales inicuas, que afectan a millones de seres humanos, que están en total contraste con el Evangelio, son contrarias a la justicia, a la dignidad de las personas y a la paz. Pero hay también diferencias entre los hombres, causadas por diversos factores, que entran en el plan de Dios. En efecto, Dios quiere que cada uno reciba de los demás lo que necesita, y que quienes disponen de talentos particulares los compartan con los demás. Estas diferencias alientan, y con frecuencia obligan, a las personas a la magnanimidad, la benevolencia y la solidaridad, e incitan a las culturas a enriquecerse unas a otras.
414. ¿Cómo se expresa la solidaridad humana?
La solidaridad, que emana de la fraternidad humana y cristiana, se expresa ante todo en la justa distribución de bienes, en la equitativa remuneración del trabajo y en el esfuerzo en favor de un orden social más justo. La virtud de la solidaridad se realiza también en la comunicación de los bienes espirituales de la fe, aún más importantes que los materiales.
520. ¿En qué se inspira el amor a los pobres?
El amor a los pobres se inspira en el Evangelio de las bienaventuranzas y en el ejemplo de Jesús en su constante atención a los pobres. Jesús dijo: «Cuanto hicisteis a uno de estos hermanos míos más pequeños, a mí me lo hicisteis» (Mt 25, 40). El amor a los pobres se realiza mediante la lucha contra la pobreza material, y también contra las numerosas formas de pobreza cultural, moral y religiosa. Las obras de misericordia espirituales y corporales, así como las numerosas instituciones benéficas a lo largo de los siglos, son un testimonio concreto del amor preferencial por los pobres que caracteriza a los discípulos de Jesús.
Los santos en Generosidad
“¿A qué se parece el amor? El amor tiene manos para ayudar a los demás. El amor tiene pies para ir junto a los necesitados y los pobres. El amor tiene ojos para ver la miseria y la pobreza. El amor tiene oídos para escuchar los lamentos de los hombres. A eso es a lo que se parece el amor.” – San Agustín
“Comprendí que sin el amor, todas las obras son nada, aun las más brillantes.” – Santa Teresa de Lisieux
“Hemos de ser embalses llenos de virtud para hacer que se derrame nuestra agua sin agotarnos jamás, poseyendo ese espíritu que queremos que anime a los demás; pues nadie puede dar lo que no tiene.” – San Vincenzo de Paoli
“En el último día, cuando llegue el examen final, no se preguntará nada de los textos de Aristóteles ni de los aforismos de Hipócrates ni de los párrafos de Justiniano. Sólo se tratará de la caridad como la materia completa y única, ya que la escuela de Cristo, del que ofrece su cuerpo como pan partido por nosotros los pobres, no es sino la escuela de la caridad.” – San Roberto Belarmino
“Veo en mi vecino a la Persona de Jesucristo.” – San Gerardo Mayela
“Él sólo ama el Creador perfectamente que manifiesta un amor puro por su prójimo.” – San Beda el Venerable