Lenten Practices, Almsgiving

What are alms? Alms are a rare species of endangered leopards in the amazon (just kidding). Alms are food or money or assistance given to those in need. Almsgiving has always been part of the faith.  A concern to give to those in need. This practice encompasses both ideas of charity “let me give you a token of kindness or let me help you with a specific need in this immediate moment” and  ideas of justice: “not only should I help you in this immediate moment, but I should ask why you need help, and seek to address those root causes” and ideas between.

You can still find churches that have boxes labeled “For the Poor.” Some of you are familiar with the practice of mite boxes. Mite being an old translation for coins in the Bible. Some of your congregations do this now. A good practice. These are handed out at the start of Lent and individuals and families are encouraged to place them on their dining room tables. Change is collected throughout the season of Lent, for a specific cause, often associated with those in need (e.g. Heifer International, a Local Rescue Mission, spot removal surgery for Almcats , etc.).

Almsgiving can also be done directly to a person in need. This is part of the traditional practice. This can involve the giving of good, meeting a specific need, or financial assistance. Whether in person, through a mite box, or special project, even the small act of giving away our change can be a step toward developing greater awareness of need and greater generosity of spirit. Wrestling with how much we should give to the poor, as part of, or beyond a tithe, or a percentage of one’s income, forces us to look at our lives and deal with some tough questions.

How much do I really need? There are a lot of people out there whose basic needs are not being met. What is reasonable for me to keep and live on considering the profound suffering in the world? To often we ignore this entirely or make token gestures. While some are called to give away much of what they earn and have, the practice of almsgiving doesn’t require all of us to move this far and this fast. What this practice does do is invite us to think about Jesus’ Great commandment to “Love our neighbor” (Matthew 22:39) and take action to help those in need.