My dear friends, every day I hear you say to one another, “I’m poor; I can’t practice charity,” and every day I see you lacking indulgence toward your fellow beings. You do not forgive them for anything and you turn yourselves into judges who are at times quite severe, without asking yourselves if you would be happy if they acted the same way toward you. Is not indulgence also charity? You who can only practice charity by being indulgent – do that, at least, but do it extensively. Regarding material charity, I would like to tell you a story from the other world.

Two men had just died. God had said previously, “While these two men are alive, all their good deeds are to be placed in a bag, and at their death the bags will be weighed.” When both came to their final hour, God ordered the two bags to be brought to him. One was fat, voluminous and stuffed, resounding with the coins that filled it; the other was so small and thin that through the cloth one could see the few coins it contained. Each man recognized which bag was his. “That one is mine,” said the first. “I recognize it; I was rich and gave a lot.” “That one is mine,” said the other. “I was always poor; alas! I had almost nothing to share.” But oh, what a surprise! When the two bags were set on the scale, the fat one became light, whereas the small one became heavy so that it outweighed the one on the other side of the scale. Then God said to the rich man, “You have given much, it is true, but you gave to be ostentatious and to see your name displayed in all the temples of pride; moreover, while giving, you deprived yourself of nothing. Go to the left and be happy that your alms have counted for anything at all.” Then he said to the poor man, “You have given very little, my friend, but each one of those coins on the scale represents  a privation for you. Even though you did not give alms, you practiced charity, and what is better still, you practiced it naturally, without thinking that it would be taken into account. You were indulgent and you did not judge your fellow beings; on the contrary, you offered excuses for all their actions. Go to the right and receive your recompense.”

A Protector Spirit (Lyon, 1861)