By Giving, We Receive – Your Weekly Reflection from CMMB

A Catholic Meditation on the Gospel

This Sunday, we continue to reflect on the holy season of Lent. Lent gives us a unique opportunity to embrace prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Why is almsgiving an important part of our faith? Because through generosity we have an opportunity to remake the world. Almsgiving involves much more than money. We can be generous with our time, praise, encouragement, and love. We think the Saints and Christ himself say it best:

The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms, but pays a debt.– St. Ambrose of Milan

We think the saints and Jesus himself say it best:

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.– St. Basil

If we can enter the church day and night, and implore God to hear our prayers, how careful we should be to hear and grant the petitions of our neighbor in need.– St. Francis of Assisi

When you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what hypocrites do to win admiration. When you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret, will reward you.– Jesus Christ

As we begin the third week of Lent, let’s be mindful that almsgiving is not only something we do to benefit the poor, but something we are called to do to benefit ourselves, assisting our conversion of heart.