"Of course, if you give a beggar a dollar they call you a chump."

Ever since I saw this photo at Barcelona Photoblog I have had the feeling that I'd soon be reposting my soap-box speech about giving to the poor.

Then today I read:

• Internet Monk asks (rhetorically one assumes since he then goes on to answer his own question): “Question: “Should I give money to people on the street who ask for it?” You know it isn't a good sign when someone ends up apologetically with "I know I sound like Scrooge ..."
• Today at the Mission sees his point but does not agree.

As for me, St. John Vianney said it in a nutshell.

There are those who say to the poor that they seem to look to be in such good health: "You are so lazy! You could work. You are young. You have strong arms."

You don't know that it is God's pleasure for this poor person to go to you and ask for a handout. You show yourself as speaking against the will of God.

There are some who say: "Oh, how badly he uses it!" May he do whatever he wants with it! The poor will be judged on the use they have made of their alms, and you will be judged on the very alms that you could have given but haven't.

For the long version (that would be how I say it), you can read Welcome to My Soap Box.

(Before making any comments contrary to St. John Vianney's, I request that you read my post linked to above to see how I came to my position on this subject. Thanks!)