Almsgiving: The Neglected Practice of Lent

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord” Proverbs 19:17

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” 1 John 3:18

Lent is a beautiful time of preparation. It is a time when we ready our hearts for the amazing work of God’s redemption on Easter Sunday. Throughout Lent, we mark our time with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. While there is a great focus on prayer and fasting in Lent, we don’t hear much about almsgiving.

Lent is not just about personal sacrifice, it’s a season of generosity and service. As we fast and pray, we are reminded that true devotion to God is inseparable from love for our neighbor. This brings us to the third pillar of Lent: almsgiving, love in action.

From the earliest days of the Church, caring for the poor has been central to Christian life. In Galatians 2:10, when Paul met with the apostles in Jerusalem to confirm his ministry, they had just one request:"Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." Of all the things they could have emphasized, this was what they asked of Paul—showing just how vital generosity is in the life of faith.

When Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan doesn’t just pray for the wounded man, he takes care of his needs. He bandages his wounds, carries him to safety, and even pays for his continued care. That is love in action.

Almsgiving isn’t just a nice thing to do; it’s a response to the mercy we have received. Jesus gave everything for us, and in turn, we are called to be generous with what we have.

Almsgiving goes hand in hand with fasting and prayer, forming the triad of Lenten disciplines. Prayer turns our hearts toward God, fasting deals with our inner man, while almsgiving turns our hearts toward others. What we deny ourselves, whether it be food, luxury, or time, we freely give for the good of others.

Jesus sums it up perfectly:"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

Almsgiving also reminds us that everything we have is a gift from God, entrusted to us for His purposes. When we practice generosity, we loosen our grip on material possessions and realign our hearts with what truly matters.

Ways to practice almsgiving during Lent:

Traditionally, during the season of Lent, to collect alms, alms boxes are placed on a table right when you walk into church and in a prominent place in your home. As we give up things for Lent, we take the money we would have spent on those things and place the money in our alms box. It is exciting to watch the box fill up as Lent progresses! And there is so much joy at the end to see how much money you have raised and to decide on the way that you will give it away.

• Set up a “Lenten Giving Jar” and set aside money each week to donate to a charity, a food pantry, or a local family in need at the end of Lent. (Tutorial for Family Alms Jars coming tomorrow!)

• Find a service project—volunteering, making care packages, or helping a neighbor in need.

• Practice small, daily acts of generosity—Cover someone’s coffee, bring a meal to a neighbor, or write an encouraging note.