the crucified orator 688 Consequently, St. Augustine, presented with this problem, thus addressed our topic of discussion: “It is possible that someone may be so poor that he has nothing from which to give alms, but it is impossible that he has never been wronged by another. If he wholeheartedly forgives all those who sinned against him and does not hold hatred against anyone, but loves all as he loves himself, there is not even a smallest doubt that these acts will be credited to him as the greatest of alms.”5 By these alms he will redeem his sins, and by this mercy he will obtain mercy. O sinner, do you lack money with which you would pay in full your debts contracted before God? But perhaps, you are not lacking enemies, nor calumniators, nor detractors; you are not lacking persecutors, nor adversaries, nor rivals. Forgive them all, andGodwill forgive you. By your clemency, youwill incline Him to be merciful. Believe me, He will not allow you to outdo Him in this. If you feel that you are generous to the poor, but merciless to adversaries, you will not abate with your generosity the wrath of God, who is more certainly placated by mercy. In vain would you imitate Tobit,6 if you do not emulate David.7 David— the mildest of kings — contemplating the multitude of his vices, greatly dreaded the anger of the Lord. Therefore, with a deeply perturbed spirit, he cried out: “There is no soundness in my flesh because of [Y]our indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; they weigh like a burden too heavy for me” (Ps 38:3-4). But when he remembered the wrongs, which Saul, his mortal enemy, had heaped upon him in great measure, and how, in the most opportune moment, he nevertheless had not taken vengeance on Saul for those wrongs, he eagerly renewed his hope to obtain God’s forgiveness. Now, fearing nothing from the evil executors of divine justice, who also are the most obstinate enemies of 5 The source of this quote was not able to be found. 6 The reference here is to generosity in the distribution of alms. Cf. Tob 2:16-22. 7 St. Stanislaus has in mind David’s abandonment of seeking vengeance upon Saul. Cf. 1 Sam24:1-20.
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