Notes on Almsgiving

Notes on almsgiving

I would like to make an appeal to those in possession of greater resources, to public authorities and to all people of good will who are working for social justice, never tire
of working for a more just world, marked by greater solidarity.

Pope Francis: World Youth Day, Rio de Janeiro 2013

For the Catholic community, the season of Lent is a time of conversion. In this season, there are three essential elements to Catholic devotion. Pope John Paul II summarises these as:

Prayer, as an opening to God; fasting, as an expression of self mastery also in depriving oneself of something, in saying “no” to oneself; and finally almsgiving, as opening “towards others”. Alms understood in this way has a meaning which is in a certain sense decisive for conversion.

Address of Pope John Paul II, 28 March 1979

Pope John Paul II recognises that the word “alms” is sometimes not understood properly.
He points to the Prophets of the Old Testament, on whom the liturgy often draws during Lent.

The Prophets consider that there is no true conversion to God, and that there can be no real “religion”, without putting right offenses and injustices in relations among people and in social life.

It is in this context that the Prophets exhort the people to almsgiving. They use a word for alms that is precisely “justice”. They ask for help for those who are victims of injustice and for those in need; not so much by virtue of mercy as rather by virtue of the duty of active charity (cf Isaiah 58: 6-7).

Pope John Paul II, ibid.

Pope John Paul II reminds us that Jesus gave a warning about the superficial, “exterior” attitude of almsgiving (cf. Matthew 6: 4; Luke 11: 41) and notes that it is a very real problem.

If we realise the essential significance that alms has for our conversion to God for the whole of Christian life, we must avoid at all costs all that falsifies the meaning of almsgiving, mercy, works of charity and all that may distort their image in ourselves.

In this field, it is very important to cultivate interior sensitivity as regards the real needs of our neighbours, in order to know in what we must help them, how to act in order not to wound them, and how to behave in order that what we give, what we bring to their lives, may be a real gift.”

Pope John Paul II, ibid.

The Caritas Lent Appeal offers Catholics the opportunity to give real gifts to the poor of the world. It is an essential dimension of Lent and complements the prayer and fasting undertaken within families, schools and parishes.