Stealing From The Poor

Once when he was returning from Siena, he came across a poor man on the way and he said to his fellow, “We ought to return this mantle to its owner.  For we received it only as a loan until we should come upon one poorer than ourselves.”  But his fellow, considering the necessity of the holy Father, maintained that he ought not to neglect himself to provide for another.  To whom the saint answered, “I will not be a thief.  For it would be counted to us for a theft if we should not give to him who is more needy.”  And so the pious father handed over the mantle to the poor man.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section III, Chapter 30

To give to the poor is to loan to the Lord.  To keep for ourselves when one with greater need is before us is to steal, not just from the poor, but from God himself.  God gives to us in order to redistribute our own belongings to those in greater need.  This is the stewardship of love. And this is the seed of abundant reward we will receive from our Father.