As we enter Holy Week, our Lenten journey is coming to a close. Whether you feel that you have met your goals for Lent or not, we still have time to focus on the three pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving over the coming days. In particular, almsgiving, the topic of this week’s reflection, is one that we can truly strive for during these final days.

In a unique way, almsgiving works together with the other pillars to help us grow. As theologian Dr. Tim Gray states, “almsgiving and fasting are deeply related, and they frame prayer which is our relationship with God.” 

He explains this further, saying, “Fasting names the ability to deny oneself – to give up – for others and for God … and almsgiving is the result of the sacrifice … generosity to others … They create the conditions for deep intimacy with God because they name the kind of charity and selflessness that draws us closer to God who is love. … Our prayer is more effective when we are more charitable.”

Being charitable is much more than giving away large amounts of money. Jesus clarifies this point when the poor widow contributed two coins worth less than a penny, in comparison to the large donations of rich people who gave of their surplus: “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.” (Mk 12:43–44) She gave her all, trusting that God would provide.

Financially, almsgiving can easily be linked to fasting, since if we are giving up certain foods or drinks that we usually purchase at the store, we can use this money to give to charity. In her article “Generosity and Almsgiving,” Maggie Ciskanik writes, “The spiritual and emotional effect of fasting—allowing us to focus less on self and more on others—can be linked to Jesus’ command to love our neighbour.” Almsgiving, even more directly than fasting, fosters love for our neighbours.

Charity and generosity can be financial through giving alms, but they result from giving of oneself. Ciskanik cites Alejo Jose Sison, a professor of business ethics at the University of Spain, who “makes a distinction between simply ‘giving’ versus true generosity: ‘True generosity means time, attention and making yourself vulnerable … being generous even when no one’s looking.’” Sison states that “charity becomes a virtue when it springs from the heart, becoming a habitual disposition of character.”

Ask the busiest person you know to do something for you, and chances are they will! Like the poor widow, they are often willing to draw on their limited resources to give whatever they can muster. Their charity is a virtue: giving unconditionally, with no strings attached. Strangely, when I make time for someone, even when I don’t think I have any to give, I often find myself blessed with more time in the end. Praying for the ability to give generously enables us to grow in relationship with God and with each other. As the poor widow shows us, we need to trust that God will provide.

Furthermore, generosity improves many other aspects of our lives. Ciskanik refers to a report by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley: “In one study of over 1,000 participants, any type of giving (time, effort, or goods) increased participants’ overall health, including blood pressure, hearing, and sleep quality. Whether volunteering, taking care of loved ones, or offering emotional support to others (not just family members), other studies showed correlations with increased subjective well-being, feelings of vitality, and self-esteem,” the article states.

God wants us to give generously of our time, talent and treasure. He wants us to communicate with him through prayer, seeking ways to know, serve and love him, including through donations, charity and service. He wants us to focus on our need for him through fasting, and in so doing, free up some money or time to assist someone else.

Even if you have waited until Holy Week to give alms, it is not too late! May the three pillars of Lent – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – sustain you physically and spiritually as we enter this holiest of seasons, and all throughout the year.

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