The modern perspective on material abundance is often intertwined with moral and religious principles, emphasizing that wealth is not intended solely for personal enjoyment but must serve as a tool to help those in need.

Wealth as a Sacred Trust

The modern perspective on material abundance is often intertwined with moral and religious principles, emphasizing that wealth is not intended solely for personal enjoyment but must serve as a tool to help those in need. At the core of this worldview is the idea that material goods are entrusted to individuals as a sacred deposit, and their increase comes through selfless sharing. Essentially, the wealthy are encouraged not merely to satisfy their own needs, but to actively participate in society by helping the poor and the needy. The arguments in favor of this approach rely on deeply rooted religious and ethical values which hold that almsgiving is a sacred duty of the believer, and every affluent person is destined to share their blessings, for it is through such actions that they align with the ideals of justice and generosity. This tradition asserts that caring for others not only helps to balance social inequality but also serves as a mechanism of mutual blessing: the more one gives, the richer one’s spiritual and material legacy becomes. Ultimately, the modern interpretation of these ideas inspires us to take active measures, urging us to rethink the role of wealth from a personal claim to a means for creating a more harmonious and just world.

Is there a moral obligation for the wealthy to help the poor, or is it merely a personal decision?

As presented in the cited texts, helping the poor is viewed not simply as a personal initiative, but as an objective moral duty for those with an excess of material resources. Many texts affirm that wealth is given to a person not for personal indulgence, but to be shared with those in need.

For example, one source clearly articulates this thought:
" We have not been given wealth solely for our own enjoyment, but so that we might share it with others. — God has arranged that right after a child is born, wondrously, milk appears on the mother’s teats. For what purpose? To nourish the innocent infant. But what if the mother does not provide this milk? — Then the child will die, and the blame for its death will fall on the unmerciful mother. — The milk of the poor is the wealth that God has granted you, human, given so that you may sustain them, help them as a father and guardian of all who are in need! A beggar is left for you to assist, an orphan for you to help! If you hoard your wealth out of stinginess, consider how much suffering you cause! … And do you know that the more you distribute, the more your wealth multiplies." (source: link txt)

Another author, drawing on religious and moral foundations, emphasizes that almsgiving is both a commandment and a duty of the believer:
"Thus, in our view, are the grounds for the duty to perform almsgiving within the ethical framework of St. John Chrysostom. Now we turn to elucidating these bases, beginning our discourse with the religious foundations. Almsgiving is the duty of a Christian, primarily because it is commanded by God. God, — says St. John, — takes great care in the practice of mercy..." (source: link txt)

Attention is also directed to the personal example of the rich, who are encouraged to share their blessings:
"Why then does Zacchaeus, grateful to the Lord, show sincere affection toward the poor? It is because the rich Zacchaeus was in a position to do good precisely through charity toward his neighbor — because the rich are primarily required to live not for themselves alone, but for the benefit of the poor." (source: link txt)

Thus, many of the sources cited assert that the wealthy are morally and religiously obligated to help the poor. This assertion is reinforced by traditional views of justice and the responsibility of managing entrusted property, where wealth is seen as a trusted asset meant to improve the lives of those in need. Consequently, in these treatises, assistance to the poor is portrayed not as a personal choice, but as an objective duty for the rich.

Supporting citation(s):
" Wealth has not been given to you solely for your own enjoyment, but so that you might share it with others. — … A beggar is left for you to assist, an orphan for you to help! … And do you know that the more you distribute, the more your wealth multiplies." (source: link txt)

" Thus, in our view, are the grounds for the duty to perform almsgiving… Almsgiving is the duty of a Christian, primarily because it is commanded by God." (source: link txt)

" Why then does Zacchaeus, grateful to the Lord, show sincere affection toward the poor? … because the rich are primarily required to live not for themselves alone, but for the benefit of the poor." (source: link txt)