§6Nec sic, fratres dilectissimi, ista proferimus, ut non quod Raphael angelus dixit ueritatis testimonio conprobemus.
Nor, dearest brothers, do we bring forward these things in such a way as not to prove what the angel Raphael said by the testimony of truth.
in Actis apostolorum facti fides posita est, et quod eleemosynis non tantum a secunda sed a prima morte animae liberentur, gestae et impletae rei probatione conpertum est.
In the Acts of the Apostles, the credibility of the fact is established, and it is found by the proof of an accomplished and fulfilled deed that by alms souls are delivered not only from the second but from the first death.
Tabitha operationibus iustis et eleemosynis praestandis plurimum dedita cum infirmata esset et mortua, ad cadauer exanimae Petrus accitus est.
When Tabitha, who was greatly devoted to righteous works and bestowing alms, had fallen ill and died, Peter was summoned to the corpse of the lifeless woman.
qui cum inpigre pro apostolica humanitate uenisset, circumsteterunt eum uiduae flentes et rogantes, pallia et tunicas et omnia illa quae prius sumpserant indumenta monstrantes nec pro defuncta suis uocibus sed ipsius operibus deprecantes.
And when he, with apostolic kindness, had come without delay, widows stood around him weeping and entreating, showing cloaks and tunics and all those garments which they had previously received, and interceding for the deceased woman not with their own voices but with her own works.
sensit Petrus impetrari posse quod sic petebatur nec defuturum Christi auxilium uiduis deprecantibus, quando esset in uiduis ipse uestitus.
Peter perceived that what was so requested could be obtained, and that Christ’s help would not be wanting to the entreating widows, since He Himself had been clothed in the widows.
cum itaque genibus nixus orasset et uiduarum ac pauperum idoneus aduocatus legatas sibi preces ad Dominum pertulisset, conuersus ad corpus quod in tabula iam lotum iacebat, Tabitha, inquit, exurge in nomine Iesu Christi. nec defuit Petro quominus statim perferret auxilium qui in euangelio dari dixerat quicquid fuisset eius nomine postulatum.
Therefore, when he had prayed on bended knees and, as a fit advocate of the widows and the poor, had carried the prayers entrusted to him to the Lord, turning to the body which was already washed and lying on the table, he said: "Tabitha, arise in the name of Jesus Christ." Nor did He, who had said in the gospel that whatever was asked in His name would be given, fail Peter so as to prevent him from bringing help immediately.
mors itaque suspenditur et spiritus redditur et mirantibus ac stupentibus cunctis ad hanc mundi denuo lucem rediuiuum corpus animatur.
Therefore death is suspended and the spirit is restored, and while all are wondering and astonished, the revived body is animated again to this light of the world.
tantum potuerunt misericordiae merita, tantum opera iusta ualuerunt.
So much could the merits of mercy achieve, so much did righteous works prevail.
quae laborantibus uiduis largita fuerat subsidia uiuendi meruit ad uitam uiduarum petitione reuocari.
She who had bestowed on the struggling widows the aids of living, deserved to be recalled to life by the petition of the widows.
§7Itaque in euangelio Dominus doctor uitae nostrae et magister salutis aeternae uiuificans credentium populum et uiuificatis consulens in aeternum inter sua mandata diuina et praecepta caelestia nihil crebrius mandat et praecipit quam ut insistamus eleemosynis dandis nec terrenis possessionibus incubemus sed caelestes thesauros potius recondamus.
Therefore, in the gospel, the Lord, the teacher of our life and the master of eternal salvation, giving life to the people of believers and consulting for those made alive for eternity, among His divine mandates and celestial precepts, mandates and commands nothing more frequently than that we should insist on giving alms and should not brood over earthly possessions, but rather lay up heavenly treasures.
uendite, inquit, res uestras et date eleemosynam, et iterum: nolite uobis condere thesauros super terram, ubi tinea et comestura exterminat et ubi fures effodiunt et furantur.
"Sell your things," He says, "and give alms"; and again: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves dig through and steal.
thesaurizate autem uobis thesauros in caelo, ubi neque tinea neque comestura exterminat et ubi fures non effodiunt.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not dig through.
ubi enim fuerit thesaurus tuus, illic erit et cor tuum. et cum obseruata lege perfectum et consummatum uellet ostendere, si uis, inquit, perfectus esse, uade et uende omnia tua et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in caelo, et ueni sequere me. item alio loco negotiatorem caelestis gratiae et comparatorem salutis aeternae distractis omnibus rebus suis pretiosam margaritam hoc est uitam aeternam Christi cruore pretiosam de quantitate patrimonii sui dicit debere mercari.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." And when He wished to show one who, having observed the law, was perfect and consummated, He said: "If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me." Likewise in another place He says that the merchant of heavenly grace and the buyer of eternal salvation, having sold all his goods, ought to purchase the precious pearl—that is, eternal life, precious through the blood of Christ—out of the total sum of his patrimony.
simile est, inquit, regnum caelorum homini negotianti quaerenti bonas margaritas.
"The kingdom of heaven," He says, "is like a merchant seeking good pearls.
ubi autem inuenit pretiosam margaritam, abiit et uendidit omnia quae habuit et emit illam. §8Eos denique et Abrahae filios dicit quos in iuuandis alendisque pauperibus operarios cernit.
But when he found a precious pearl, he went and sold all that he had and bought it." Finally, He calls those also sons of Abraham whom He perceives to be workers in helping and nourishing the poor.
nam cum Zachaeus dixisset: ecce dimidium ex substantia mea do egenis et si cui quid fraudaui quadruplum reddo, respondit Iesus: quia salus hodie domui huic facta est, quoniam et hic filius est Abrahae. nam si Abraham credidit Deo et reputatum est ei ad iustitiam, utique qui secundum praeceptum Dei eleemosynas facit Deo credit: et qui habet fidei ueritatem seruat Dei timorem: qui autem Dei timorem seruat in miserationibus pauperum Deum cogitat.
For when Zacchaeus had said: "Behold, half of my goods I give to the needy, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold," Jesus replied: "Because salvation has come to this house today, since he also is a son of Abraham." For if Abraham believed God and it was reputed to him unto justice, surely he who does alms according to the precept of God believes God; and he who has the truth of faith keeps the fear of God; but he who keeps the fear of God thinks of God in his acts of mercy toward the poor.
operatur enim, in Deo quia credit, quia scit uera esse quae praedicta sunt uerbis Dei nec scripturam [sanctam] posse mentiri, arbores infructuosas id est steriles homines excidi et in ignem mitti, misericordes ad regnum uocari.
For he works in God because he believes, because he knows that those things are true which have been foretold by the words of God, and that [holy] scripture cannot lie: that unfruitful trees, that is, sterile men, are cut down and cast into the fire, but the merciful are called to the kingdom.
qui et alio in loco operarios et fructuosos fideles appellat, infructuosis uero et sterilibus fidem derogat dicens: si in iniusto mamona fideles non fuistis, quod est uerum quis credet uobis? et si in alieno fideles non fuistis, uestrum quis dabit uobis?
Who also in another place calls those who are active and fruitful "faithful," but denies faith to the unfruitful and sterile, saying: "If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to you that which is true? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?"