Perfect Charity

WE THINK of a temple as a place of worship for Jewish or Muslim people. Anthony thought of the faithful soul as a temple, recalling 1 Corinthians 3:17: “The temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.”

Anthony offers advice on how to perfect the temple of the soul.

“Into this temple we must bring the candlestick of charity, the altar of incense, which is a devotion of mind, and the ‘table of proposition’ of the word of holy preaching” (Sermons for Sundays and Festivals, volume III, p. 65, Edizioni Messaggero Padova).

Anthony refers to the menorah, the candlestick (lampstand) found in the Jewish Temple: “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its calyxes, and its petals shall be of one piece with it; and there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the other branch – so for the six branches going out of the lampstand” (Exodus 25: 31-33).

Rather than pouring liquified gold into a mold, the artisan hammered and shaped heated, pliable sheets of gold into a lampstand. Thus no two were exactly alike. Just so God hammers us with unique tribulations which make each believer one of a kind.

 

Hammer of tribulation

 

The ‘hammering’ perfects charity, Anthony notes. “The candlestick of charity is ‘beaten’ with the hammer of tribulation, to be increased not in itself, but in the human mind. So St. Augustine says on the Epistle of John, ‘Perfect charity is this, that someone is prepared even to die for brothers. But is it perfect just as soon as it is born? To become perfect, it must indeed be born; when born, it must be nourished; when nourished, strengthened; when strengthened, perfected; and when it reaches perfection it says: I want to be dissolved, and to be with Christ (Phil 1:23). Here, clearly, the progress and perfection of charity is outlined.” (Sermons III, p. 65)

St. Augustine likens charity to the growth of a child. Consider donating a sum of money to a non profit organization. First you conceive the idea. If you dismiss the thought, you abort it, so to speak. However, if you decide to donate, then you have birthed the idea. However, the inspiration will languish unless you nourish it with prayer. You ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. When strengthened in your resolve, you make a donation, thus perfecting your charity. Your initial self-centred plans for the money have dissolved in God’s Will.

 

Charity & chastity

 

Anthony insists that charity must be pure. “The candlestick of charity must also be made from the purest gold. It cannot be mingled with any vice, since like gold among metals, charity must be preeminent among virtues” (Sermons III, p. 65).

Do we exercise pure charity if we give so that everyone at the office will recognize our generosity? Do we give so that our parish priest will understand that we support the Church? Do we give with the hope of getting return? Or do we give in secret without the right hand knowing what the left hand is doing (cf. Mt. 6:3) and without expecting recognition or recompense?

Anthony analyzes charity by examining this phrase of Scripture: “Its cups, its calyxes, and its petals shall be of one piece with it [the candlestick].” Cups, being concave, represent humility, Anthony explains. Humility receives correction and direction while pride repels. Perfect charity is humble. Directed by God, it gives, disregarding anything but God’s direction.

To Anthony, the calyxes looking like “round balls represent concern for our neighbour’s needs.” A calyx is the sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud. Just as sepals enclose and protect a flower bud, so we must protect and support our neighbour, just as Anthony did throughout his life.

The petals, which Anthony calls lilies, “are the pureness of chastity” (Sermons III, p. 66) which, Anthony says, is “for yourself” (Sermons III, p. 66). The Ten Commandments call all believers to chastity (limiting sexual expression to marriage between one man and one woman). What do chastity and charity have in common? The self-control that enables a person to restrain lust is the same self-control that enables that person to reject indifference and sloth and to be, instead, diligent in taking charitable action.

“Note, too, that the candlestick of charity has six branches, three on the right and three on the left, with which it embraces God and neighbour. The three that embrace God are abomination of sin, contempt for temporal things and contemplation of heavenly things… The three branches that embrace our neighbour are sparing the offender, correcting the misguided, refreshing the hungry” (Sermons III, p. 66).

 

Six arms

 

Let’s consider each of these and their relationship to perfect charity.

1) Abomination of sin. If we don’t avoid sin, then sin will affect our charity. For example, if we accept abortion, we may exercise misguided charity toward organizations that help women end the lives of their unborn babies. If we recognize abortion as a sin against God given life, then our charity will assist organizations that help pregnant mothers in crisis to give birth.  

2) Contempt for temporal things. Temporal things are less valuable than human souls. Only those who hold in contempt temporal things such as finances, time, and plans, will be able to exercise perfect charity because they will freely give to assist the needy.

3) Contemplation of heavenly things. Can’t atheists be charitable? Certainly, but their charity could easily be misguided since they will not pray about what, where, when, and to whom to give. Scripture advises us to discern between “what is good, pleasing, and perfect” (Romans 12:2). It may be good to support a certain organization or cause, but God may have a more perfect plan which we will discover only if we contemplate God in all his attributes, and pray to serve Him as He wishes.

4) Sparing the offender. Anthony, who absolved thousands of sinners in confession, knew the value of mercy. Few things show love more fully than forgiveness.

5) Correcting the misguided. What charity to consider our enemy as misguided rather than malicious!

6) Refreshing the hungry. How hungry every person is for love, acceptance, and understanding! While food and water refresh the physically hungry, the emotionally and spiritually starving need our presence and peace.

 

The menorah

 

Anthony concludes, “If with such a candlestick the altar of devotion and the table of holy preaching are brought into our soul, there will indeed be a holy temple for God to dwell in” (Sermons III, p. 66).

The ‘altar of devotion’ recalls the Eucharistic sacrifice while the ‘table of holy preaching’ reminds us that spoken and written spiritual instruction feed our souls.

Here’s a thought. Post a picture of a menorah on your mirror or refrigerator. When you see it, remind yourself that you are to be like this menorah, uniquely hammered by God into yourself and humbly bearing the light of Christ. The menorah is balanced, as you should be, between love of God and love of neighbour. Ask St. Anthony to show you how to exercise perfect charity.