Is 58:7. Break your bread for the hungry, that is, give to the needy what is necessary for sustenance; and bring into your house the poor and the wandering, that is, strangers and exiles, for the sake of showing hospitality. Hence Peter says, “Be hospitable without grumbling” (1 Pet 4:9). And Paul to the Hebrews: “Let fraternal charity remain among you, and do not forget hospitality; for by this some have pleased God” (Heb 13:2), namely, as is beyond doubt, Abraham and Lot, if one understands this of the angels received with hospitality (Gen 18–19). Hence holy Job bears witness concerning himself: “The stranger did not remain outside; my house was open to the traveler” (Job 31:2). Finally, not only are the poor and the wandering to be invited, but in a certain way even compelled to turn aside to free hospitality, following the example of the disciples who said to Him in Luke 24—whom they thought to be a stranger—“Stay with us, for it is toward evening,” and they constrained Him (Lk 24:9, 11).
“When you see the naked, clothe him,” with a garment not necessary to yourself, as is written: “He who has two tunics, let him give to one who has none.” In the same way Job affirms of himself: “If I despised the passerby because he had no clothing, if his loins did not bless me, and if he was not warmed by the fleece of my sheep” (Job 31:9, 20). Hence Christ will say to the just on the day of judgment: “I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you clothed me” (Matt 25:15, 26). But to the reprobate He will say the opposite (ibid., Mt 25:43).
“And do not despise your flesh,” that is, your brother or neighbor, on account of poverty, as Malachi commands: “Guard your spirit and do not despise” (Mal 2:16). And to the Romans: “You—why do you despise your brother?” (Rom 14:10). For we shall all stand before the tribunal of Christ.
By these words the works of mercy are commended, which obtain eternal blessedness, according to that saying in the Psalm: “Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor” (Ps 41:2). And in the Gospel: “Give alms from what remains, and behold, all things are clean for you” (Luke 11:41). And Tobias says: “Do not turn your face away from any poor person; then the face of the Lord will not be turned away from you” (Tob 4:7). For indeed, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt 5:7).
Is 58:8. Then your light shall break forth, that is, within you your light shall arise like the morning—namely, the splendor of the grace of God—since for you the Sun of justice, Christ, is rising, by whose light all things are illuminated, of whom the Father says: “For you who fear my name, the Sun of justice shall arise, and healing in his wings” (Mal 3:20). Concerning this healing it is now added: “and your healing shall quickly spring forth,” that is, healing from the infirmity of sin. For just as water extinguishes fire, so almsgiving extinguishes sin (Sirach 3:30). For this healing the Psalmist prayed: “Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you” (Ps 41:5). Jeremiah likewise: “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed” (Jer 17:11). Hence it is said of the merciful person: “The Lord will help him on his sickbed; you have turned his whole bed in his infirmity” (Ps 41:4). For Job and Tobias were also healed from bodily infirmity on account of their mercies (Job 42:10; Tob 12:12-14).
“And your justice shall go before your face,” that is, it will prepare a way for you to come to God and will make Him favorable to you in all things. Nor is it an objection that in the Apocalypse it is said, “Their works follow them” (Rev 14:13), for they both follow and go before, according to different respects. Or again: “your justice shall go before your face,” by generating for you everywhere a praiseworthy reputation. “And the glory of the Lord shall gather you,” that is, the glorious operation of God shall gather you from many vain things into the one unchangeable good, which alone is necessary; it shall also gather you into the fellowship of the elect, and divine blessedness shall receive you into the homeland of the blessed.
Is 58:9. Then you shall call, and the Lord will hear; you shall cry out by fervent prayer, and He will say by actual hearing: “Behold, I am here,” by the presence of my grace—He who is everywhere by essence—if you remove from your midst the yoke, that is, the bond of iniquity and the fetter of vices, concerning which Peter says in the Acts to Simon the magician: “I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of sin” (Acts 8); and if you cease to stretch out the finger, pointing at others in mockery and marking fault; and to speak what is useless, avoiding idle words, as the Apostle admonishes: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (Col 4:6:23:13 ).
Is 58:10 When you pour out your soul by devout compassion or kindly assistance to the hungry, and you satisfy the afflicted soul with consolation—weeping with those who weep, as is written of Job: “I once wept for him who was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor” (Job 30:25; cf. Rom 12:13)—or by offering consoling words, since “a good word is better than the best gift” (Sirach 28:16-17). As in the Latin, most Hebrew manuscripts have "pour out your soul (which can be translated as "pour out yourself"); but several Heb. manuscripts, along with the Syriac, have "your bread," While the LXX has "the bread of your soul."
Then your light shall rise in the darkness, that is, in ignorance and sin grace will be granted to you; you will be guarded from dangers, you will prosper in all things; and your darkness shall be like noon, that is, adverse and harsh things will be turned into prosperity for you, evils into goods, and even the darkness of this world and of sins into an increase of virtues, as we know that “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Rom 8:28).
CONTINUE
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