St Peter (1 Pt.4:8) affirms, "Charity covers a multiude of sins." St James (James 5:20) repeats the same saying about covering a multitude of sins, applying it especially to the work of bringing a sinner back from the wrong way. It may well be that this was a saying current in the early Church. Similarly, it is plausible that the saying derives from what Jesus says at the end of today's Gospel passage, "But if you give what you have as alms, all will be wiped clear for you." Throughout the whole history of the Church, almsgiving has been recognized as a very concrete form of charity, Christian love and concern.

On deeper reflection, it seems that Jesus does not speak about giving a part of what we have. The immediate impression is that He is speaking, more radically, of a total giving. Jesus is not always so radical in His demands, but we may recall His praise of the widow giving all to the Temple treasury (Mk. 2:41-44; Lk. 21:1-4). Among the early disciples, it seems there were some who took these more radical sayings of Jesus seriously. They would certainly have understood what Mother Teresa said about giving till it hurts.