Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/0985

0985 Works of charity.... without love.... in compulsion....

June 28, 1939: Book 19

Caring for the general welfare should be left to those who have been assigned too narrow a sphere of activity for the duration of their earthly life. The lord has wisely given everyone the task they are able to fulfil. And everyone has the opportunity to work for the greater good. One person has more, another less opportunity to take the burdens of his neighbour on his shoulders.... and the more he endeavours to do so, the greater blessing he can expect for himself and the more the power of love will be strengthened in him and the will to love will be aroused. Only by serving will a person be able to reach the heights.... distribute in love to his neighbour what is at his own disposal and stand up for the need of man so that it may be alleviated and remedied.... but always driven by love for fellow human beings.... And this will result in rich blessings and man himself will never need to live in want if he always gives of what he has.... He should also never anxiously consider whether the gifts could diminish his possessions.... whoever gives much will receive far more, for the lord likewise shares His gifts undiminished from the one who endeavours to alleviate the need of his fellow human being out of love for Him. For "whatever you do to the least of My brothers, you have done to Me." And now consider how much nobler a person acts who shares his possessions with the poor than someone who lives in well-organized circumstances but demands all the gifts he wants to distribute from the general public. Well-organized charity is like a weak oil lamp.... it does not fulfil its purpose.... It shines only insignificantly and spreads no light.... And so such works of neighbourly love, which however lack love, will have no redeeming effect.... Gifts are indeed offered to people, but the heart does not speak.... The giver does not sacrifice, but is forced to give his tribute, and so the power of love is not conveyed to the receiver. As it were, what is given to the other is taken from the one. An action is mechanized and made into a thoughtless fulfilment of duty, which should be born in the love of the heart and awaken love.... And these works are dead works before God.... He cannot look at what is born under compulsion and can never be an active labour of love. It is the most marvellous thing in life to share one's goods with the one who is likewise a creature of God.... to share every gift that the father in heaven has sent to man in His love.... to share of his own free will because his heart drives him to do so. But what is made a human being's task on earth is worthless. The human being certainly fulfils this task, but only because he has to, not of his own accord, and such works of neighbourly love cannot be valued by the heavenly father, Who only looks at the heart and the degree of love in which the gifts are offered....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers