Almsgiving as a Way of Loving Neighbors and God – Monday of the First Week of Lent

The Readings of Monday of the First Week of Lent (Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 and Matthew 25:31-46) puts a spotlight on almsgiving, one of the three Lenten commitments. Alms we give is not limited to money. It can be food or an act of care. What is important for almsgiving is that it is driven by compassionate love for those who are in need (1 Corinthians 13:3). In other words, almsgiving is an act of selfless love, agape. Therefore, it is kind and not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). And Jesus sternly warns against our tendency to be recognized for giving alms (Matthew 6:1-4), as reminded on Ash Wednesday.

The Frist Reading (Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18) puts almsgiving, an act of love, (vv. 11-18), as a way to attain holiness because God is holy (v.2). In fact, the text of Leviticus 19:2-18 bears some elements of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:2-17). It means that almsgiving shall be conducted not only out of love to our neighbors in need but also in connection to our love and reverence to God. The bottom line is, as our way of loving neighbors, we give alms for their needs, as if they were ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). And almsgiving can be practiced in connection to save neighbor’s life in danger (Leviticus 18:5), as pikuach nefesh ( פיקוח נפש ). According to Jesus, this is one way to demonstrate our steadfast and wholehearted love for God (Matthew 22:34-40//Mark 12:28-34//Luke 10:25-28; Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:5).

In the Gospel Reading (Matthew 25:31-46), Jesus reminds us that our practice of almsgiving out of love for neighbors in need can be our practice of loving God wholeheartedly and steadfastly. In other words, neighbors whom we show our love as if they were ourselves (Leviticus 19:18) can be God the Son, the Christ, in disguise. Therefore, we demonstrate our love for God (Deuteronomy 6:5) by the way we love our neighbors in need. Furthermore, Jesus sternly makes it clear that we are subject to his judgement at the end of time according to how we have practiced almsgiving for our neighbors in need.

A hungry neighbor may be Christ. A neighbor without cloths may be Christ. A neighbor in prison can be Christ. A neighbor in danger of dying can be Christ. But do we see Christ in such neighbors in need? Whether we recognize Christ in them, how willing are we to give alms for their needs?

Jesus warns us that our efforts for almsgiving can be not only useless but hypocritical if we cannot see Christ in and among our neighbors in need (i.e. Matthew 7:3-5).

Through this Lenten season, we need to make sure that we have 20/20 vision for the right practice of almsgiving, recognizing Christ in our neighbors in need. This way, showing our love for neighbors in need through our almsgiving is also our way of loving God steadfastly and wholeheartedly.

Perhaps, we can learn what almsgiving is about, as our way of loving God through loving our neighbor from St. Elizabeth of Hungary or St. Teresa of Calcutta. 

Maybe our almsgivings may not be as grand as these of these Saints of charity. Nevertheless, we can practice it in light of this poem of Emily Dickenson, "If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking":

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

My favorite Lenten hymn, composed by Fr. Ricky Manalo, CSP, “In These Days of Lenten Journey”, sings the spirit of almsgiving in light of the Scripture Readings of Monday of the First Week of Lent (Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18; Matthew 25:31-46).

Refrain: In these days of Lenten journey

we have seen and we have heard

the call to sow justice in the lives of those we serve.

1. We reach out to those who are homeless,

to those who live without warmth.

In the coolness of evening we’ll shelter their dreams;

we will clothe them in mercy and peace.

2. We open our eyes to the hungry,

and see the faces of Christ.

As we nourish all people who hunger for food,

may their faith in our God be renewed.

3. We open our ears to the weary

and hear the cry of the poor.

To the voices that echo the song of despair,

we will show our compassion and care.

4. We call on the Spirit of Justice

and pray for the righteousness’ sake.

We will sing for the freedom of all the oppressed;

we will loosen the bonds of distress.