5 But since the discourse has fallen on almsgiving, come then, let us resume again today that argument, which I was making three days ago concerning benevolence, and left unfinished. You remember, when lately I was speaking of vanity about your shoes, and of that empty trouble, and the luxury of the young, that it was from almsgiving that our discourse passed on to those charges against you. What were the matters then at that time brought forward? That almsgiving is a kind of art, having its workshop in Heaven, and for its teacher, not man, but God. Then inquiring what is an art, and what not an art, we came upon fruitless labors, and evil devices, among which we made mention also of this art concerning men's shoes.
Have ye then recalled it to mind? Come now, let us today also resume what we then said, and let us show how almsgiving is an art, and better than all arts. For if the peculiarity of art is to issue in something useful, and nothing is more useful than almsgiving, very evidently this is both an art, and better than all arts. For it makes for us not shoes, nor does it weave garments, nor build houses that are of clay; but it procures life everlasting, and snatches us from the hands of death, and in either life shows us glorious, and builds the mansions that are in Heaven, and those eternal tabernacles.
This suffers not our lamps to go out, nor that we should appear at the marriage having filthy garments, but washes them, and renders them purer than snow. “For though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow.” not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
Source: Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew (New Advent)