Dominica I Passionis - Almsgiving

LESSON: Almsgiving defined

Today begins the Passiontide, the final two weeks of preparation for the Paschal festivities, one of the most solemn and holiest times of the Church’s liturgical year. It is a time to step up our Lenten practices, as we deprive ourselves all the more in these last two weeks before Easter.

Of course, in our Lenten series of reflections, we have one subject yet to cover, one pillar of Lent which remains for us to consider, that of almsgiving. Like the other pillars of Lent, almsgiving is often misunderstood today, and is often taken to be one of two extreme positions.

Some consider almsgiving to be any act of charity, but this is not the case. With this definition, just smiling at someone in an effort to brighten their day would be almsgiving, but while almsgiving should be motivated by charity, not every act of charity qualifies. At the other extreme, some define almsgiving as simply monetary donations, but again, while monetary donations can be a form of almsgiving, it is not limited to only that.

Like all good and virtuous things, we find our answer in the middle, between the two extremes. The Catholic Encyclopedia gives us this definition, “Any material favour done to assist the needy, and prompted by charity, is almsgiving.” For the Christian, we add the following piece, “almsgiving implies a material service rendered to the poor for Christ's sake. “

So almsgiving includes any material service done for the needy out of charity. It means to look out for the physical welfare of those in need, but the motivation is a spiritual one. Which means, that like the other pillars of Lent, we should not be performing this work because we have to, or because it’s something that we’re supposed to do. No, rather our prayer, our works of penance should be helping to increase our love for God, and out of that love, we should desire to do good for our neighbour for God’s sake.

ILLUSTRATION: Spiritually fruitful giving

Today, there may be a bit of a reluctance to engage in almsgiving, or a reaction against it because for many years, the works of the Church were reduced to a type of social justice activism, but almsgiving is a practice that the saints universally commend.

St. Augustine says, “God has no need of your money, but the poor have. You give it to the poor, and God receives it.” And St. Cyprian adds, “Our prayers become effective through almsgiving; life redeemed from dangers by almsgiving; souls are delivered from death by almsgiving.”

In order for almsgiving to be spiritually fruitful, though, there are a few characteristics that need to be kept in mind. First of all, almsgiving needs to be discrete, not as in secret (we’ll come to that) but as in directed to a specific individual or family. There are many charities that allow you to do this, but some with some organizations, you don’t necessarily know where your donation ends up.

Second, almsgiving should be prompt, when the need is acutely felt. As the book of Proverbs says, “never bid a friend come back tomorrow for the gift that might be made to-day.” Third, it should be secret, as Our Lord says in the Gospels, “when thou givest alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and in streets, to win the esteem of men.”

Almsgiving, as we have already said, should be done cheerfully, as St. Paul says, “it is the cheerful giver God loves.” Finally, and perhaps most obvious of all, almsgiving should be generous, as Our Lord praised the widow for giving generously all that she had.

If we give with these aspects in mind, then our charity will bear fruit not only in the lives of those to whom we give, but in our own lives as well.

APPLICATION: An opportunity for generosity

The current situation that we face due to the Coronavirus outbreak has presented us with an extra abundance of opportunities this Lenten season to practice almsgiving.

We can, of course, make donations to our local hospitals and treatment facilities, as well, if we can find a way, we can donate to other countries that are in greater need than our own.

Closer to home, however, there are also many opportunities to practice almsgiving. If one of your friends, neighbours, or family members is medical personnel, we can offer to take care of errands for them that they may have neither the time nor the energy to complete.

If we have an elderly neighbour or family member who cannot get out, or someone we know is under quarantine at home, we can pick up their groceries or other supplies that they may need.

Of course, in the midst of this crisis, when all of our attention is on the sick and the suffering, we cannot forget those in our community and our world who are always in need, the poor, the homeless, and those enduring any other form of hardship.

Finally, we should keep in mind our own purchasing habits during this time. As St. Basil says, “The bread you store up belongs to the hungry; the cloak that lies in your chest belongs to the naked; the gold you have hidden in the ground belongs to the poor.” If we are hoarding items, and emptying out stores as soon as they restock, then those in greater need than ourselves will end up going without.

As we pray today, and throughout this week to come, let us ask Our Lord for a spirit of true charity and generosity, so that the alms that we give may bear fruit in the lives of those who give and of those who receive.