Since we are now into Lent, let's take a look at the 3 main methods of penitential practices we are encouraged by the Church to embrace during these 40 days of Lent: prayer, fasting and alms-giving; or to put them in the order Jesus does in the Gospel of Ash Wednesday: alms-giving, prayer and fasting.
Alms-giving is giving to God more than what we owe Him in justice. And what do we owe Him in justice? Ten percent of what comes in as earnings. This 10% is called tithing. Anything less is not tithing. Less is partial tithing. So, who actually tithes? Not many. But alms-giving is giving to God beyond what we owe Him, beyond the 10%, and this portion of giving is to be given to help the poor. And why does Jesus ask us to give alms? To break our selfishness and move us to care about people who are in need. Some people like to cut to the chase and just give alms, that is, just give to the poor. But this is not alms-giving because it leaves out what we owe God in justice. Just giving to the poor, without giving what we owe in justice, can be an exercise of control. So, you can see why this alms-giving thing is difficult indeed. To read what Pope Benedict has to say about alms-giving, click here.
Prayer is hopefully something we do everyday, even many times a day. But in Lent we are asked to increase our prayer. If we are not accustomed to pray the Rosary, then start. If we are unaccustomed to reading the Bible, then read a section of one of the Gospels everyday and work your way through that Gospel over the 40 days of Lent. Or, as St. Theresa of Avila taught, all you really need to have down are the Our Father and the Hail Mary. Praying these prayers over and over like a mantra can lead you into becoming a mystic; that is, becoming someone who is open to listening to God and learning to heed God's nudges. But why does Jesus want us to pray? So we can get to know Him, and love Him and learn how to serve Him.
Fasting is going hungry. In my last posting (the Mardi Gras blog) I gave details on what fasting looks like. The short version is - letting ourselves experience hunger. Why does Jesus want us to experience hunger? For 2 reasons: to become hungry for Him; and to become more aware of the people in the world who are literally hungry, every day. Aha, that brings us full circle to alms-giving. If we through fasting become more aware of the poor, then our fasting has been done well. (A bit different from dieting.) I recommend Catholic Relief Services for your alms-giving. They are worth reading about, so click here. They are usually the first on the scene to help people suffering in worldwide disasters.
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