Feb 11, 2008
Can I get an AMEN for Lent? Well it is underway and I hope we all have decided to let the Lord have His way with us this Lent. Remember not to let another day pass by without making the choice to let the Lord into your heart this season. This week we take some love from the Holy Father and talk about what charity and giving have to do with Lent.
“Every time when, for love of God, we share our goods with our neighbor in need, we discover that the fullness of life comes from love and all is returned to us as a blessing in the form of peace, inner satisfaction and joy” –Pope Benedict XVI
Often times during Lent we get this understanding that this season is all about us. We talk about what WE are giving up for Lent and forget about the piece of Lent that the Church calls almsgiving. The focus of almsgiving is not to stay with our eyes focused on ourselves put to look to our brothers and sisters in need around us and reach out to them with great love and compassion.
As Lent is a time to realize our sinfulness, St. Peter tell us in his letter that, “Charity covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Reaching out to others in love can help us overcome the sin in our lives and leave it behind. Helping our parents around the house, taking out the trash, cleaning our rooms, playing with our little brothers and sisters, saying hello to the person who is lonely at school or even sitting by them at lunch, not gossiping about others or putting others down behind their backs, or donating a portion of your allowance or pay check, are a few examples of how we can reach out to others in almsgiving.