Care In Giving

Tῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς. Ἔσο, φησὶν, ὁ Χριστὸς, μὴ πρὸς τὸ λαμβάνειν ἔτοιμος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ διδόναι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ χωρίζει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ Θεοῦ· τὸ δὲ συνάπτειν πέφυκε· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ὁ αἰτῶν ἄξιος τυγχάνῃ, καὶ δικαία ἡ αἴτησις. Οὐκ ἐπὶ ψιλῆς τῆς λέξεως πρέπει ἴστασθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐξετάζειν ἀκριβῶς. Οὔτε γὰρ παντὶ αἰτοῦντι κελεύει διδόναι, κἂν μὴ ἔχῃ τις· ἀδύνατον γάρ· οὔτε μὴν ἐὰν ἔχοι, αἰτοίη δέ τις κακῶς· χείρων γὰρ ἡ δόσις, ὅταν ὁ μὲν πρὸς ἀσέλγειαν αἰτῇ, σὺ δὲ παρασχῇς ὕλην τῆς τοιαύτης ἀκολασίας διδούς. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.381a-b

Give to him who asks, and do not turn away from him who would borrow from you. 1 Be not eager to receive but to give, Christ says. For the former separates us from God and the latter draws us to Him. And certainly when he who seeks is worthy, and it is a righteous request. Not in mere words alone does it befit this to stand, rather the scope of the command should be carefully scrutinised. He does not command that we give to everyone who asks, for if someone does not possess, he is not capable of giving, nor is it possible for him who does have, if it is sought wickedly. For worse is the giving, when someone seeks for crime, and you give to him the matter for his wickedness. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 5.42