10 May sins then be forgiven; the past forgiven, and the future cease. But without them here below you can not live; be they either lesser sins, or small, or trivial. Yet let not even these small and trivial sins be despised. With little drops is the river filled. Let not even the lesser sins be despised. Through narrow chinks in the ship the water oozes in, the hold keeps filling, and if it be disregarded the ship is sunk. But the sailors are not idle; their hands are active, — active that the water may be drained off from day to day.
So be your hands active, that you may pump from day to day. What is the meaning of “be your hands active”? Let them give, do good works, so be your hands engaged. “Break your bread to the hungry, and bring the poor and houseless into your house; if you see the naked, clothe him.” Do all you can, do it with the means you can command, do it cheerfully, and so put up your prayer with confidence. It will have two wings, a double alms. What is “a double alms”? “Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you.” The one alms is that which is done from the heart, when you forgive your brother his sin. The other alms is that which is done out of your substance, when you deal bread to the poor. Offer both, lest without either wing your prayer remain motionless.
Source: Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (New Advent)