feeding the poor

¹⁷Whoever is merciful to the poor lends to the Lord. And he will repay him for his efforts.

³⁵For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in;

⁹Whoever is inclined to mercy shall be blessed, for from his bread he has given to the poor. Whoever gives gifts will acquire victory and honor. But he carries away the soul of the receiver.

²⁷Whoever gives to the poor shall not be in need. Whoever despises his petition will suffer scarcity.

³¹Whoever slanders the indigent argues against his Maker. But he who has compassion on the poor honors his Maker.

¹²Then he also said to the one who had invited him: “When you prepare a lunch or dinner, do not choose to call your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or your wealthy neighbors, lest perhaps they might then invite you in return and repayment would made to you. ¹³But when you prepare a feast, call the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴And you will be blessed because they do not have a way to repay you. So then, your recompense will be in the resurrection of the just.”

¹¹But in response, he said to them: “Whoever has two coats, let him give to those who do not have. And whoever has food, let him act similarly.”

¹⁷Whoever possesses the goods of this world, and sees his brother to be in need, and yet closes his heart to him: in what way does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸My little sons, let us not love in words only, but in works and in truth.

²²For on those days, the Jews vindicated themselves of their enemies, and their mourning and sorrow were turned into mirth and joy, so that these would be days of feasting and gladness, in which they would send one another portions of their feasts, and would grant gifts to the poor.

¹³When Jesus had heard it, he withdrew from there by boat, to a deserted place by himself. And when the crowds had heard of it, they followed him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴And going out, he saw a great multitude, and he took pity on them, and he cured their sick. ¹⁵And when evening had arrived, his disciples approached him, saying: “This is a deserted place, and the hour has now passed. Dismiss the crowds, so that, by going into the towns, they may buy food for themselves.” ¹⁶But Jesus said to them: “They have no need to go. Give them something to eat yourselves.” ¹⁷They answered him, “We have nothing here, except five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸He said to them, “Bring them here to me.”