November 24

Charity lies less in material aid than in the spiritual support of your neighbor. And spiritual support lies before all else in not judging your neighbor and respecting their human dignity.

1

Be compassionate to the poor who are impatient and bitter. Consider how difficult it is for the poor to endure all kinds of misfortunes in their miserable dwelling place, while only a few steps away people who are sated and luxuriously dressed are passing by.

— From “Devout Thoughts”

2

Do not think that you are being charitable when you give to a poor person not only a portion of your surplus money, but also that which you yourself require to live. True love demands from you that on top of this you also give him a place in your heart.

— From “Devout Thoughts”

3

He is truly charitable who pays no attention to slander and backbiting.

4

Do not believe anything bad about your neighbor without proof and say nothing bad to anyone about another.

— Paine

5

“A good man,” says Theophrastus, “will certainly get angry at bad people.” But if that is so, then the better the man, the angrier he must be, and yet we see the opposite: he becomes gentler and freer from passions and he hates no one. A reasonable person will not hate those who have fallen astray, else he would have to hate himself. He merely has to recall how often he himself has sinned against virtue and how many of his deeds must be viewed in lenient light, and he will start getting angry at himself; for a fair judge must judge himself the same way that he judges his neighbor. No one is in a position to acquit themselves, and one can only call oneself guiltless before the people, but not before one’s conscience. It is much more humane to meet those who have fallen astray with humility and love, and, instead of persecuting them, to try to get them back onto the right path. After all, if a lost person wanders onto our land, we would not drive him away, but would lead him to the right road.

It is our duty to correct the one who errs, and we must correct him for his and for other people’s sake with serious admonitions, but without getting angry. What kind of doctor gets angry at his patient?

— Seneca

6

Be truthful, do not obey your anger, give to the one who asks—for he does not ask much of you; by following these three paths you will move closer to holiness.

— The Dhammapada

7

If someone is embarrassed and tempted by the sight of a neighbor who has fallen into sin and, under the guise of his love of goodness, nourishes spite, then he does not possess true charity, which is founded on the love for God, for everything that flows from him bears the mark of tranquility and humility and urges us to turn our thoughts to our own shortcomings.

— From “Devout Thoughts”

8

With charity, humility and self-renunciation we will disarm any enemy. When its fuel runs out, every fire is extinguished.

— From Sinhalese Buddhism

Try not to hide the shameful memories of your sins into dark corners, but, on the contrary, try to always keep them ready in order to make use of them when you find yourself having to judge your neighbor.