Almsgiving

The act of voluntarily giving to those in need.

 

Hebrews 13:16

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

 

An Overlooked Discipline

Every Lent we are invited to the three traditional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Of the three almsgiving seems to be the overlooked discipline. When I did a search in an online database for each of the three terms associated with Lent, prayer got 557 results, fasting 152 and almsgiving a mere 28.  But giving alms – defined as donating money or goods to those in need – has always been practiced in the church from the earliest days. In the early Church, where the preferential love for the poor was universally acknowledged, communities made sure that all members had what they needed. Helping your neighbor was simply what was done.

There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need (Acts 4:34-35).

As Christians we are called to enter into God’s caring for the world. Almsgiving, is “a way we join in the generosity of God” and show the love of God for all. It means making the needs of others our own.

-Rev. Vida Jaugelis, “Almsgiving- the Overlooked Discipline” (2023)

 

Prayer & Reflection

How can you “join in the generosity of God today? Commit to an act.