Lent Should Be a Time When We Practice Our Charity

Charity is not just giving alms, though that should be part of our Lenten discipline. It also means love and kindness toward others and ourselves.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

While God asks us to be charitable at all times and in all places, Lent is a particular time when we can practice and perfect our charity towards others.

Lent is often talked about by the Church as a time for prayer and fasting. That may be true, but sometimes we forget or neglect the third pillar of Lent: charity.

This doesn't only refer to saving money to give to people in need. Charity means being charitable to everyone, the rich and the poor, but above all, our enemies.

No limits on charity

St. Leo the Great speaks about the important of being charitable during Lent in a sermon featured by the Office of Readings:

Any time is the right time for works of charity, but these days of Lent provide a special encouragement. Those who want to be present at the Lord’s Passover in holiness of mind and body should seek above all to win this grace, for charity contains all other virtues and covers a multitude of sins.

Generally speaking it is easier to say a few extra prayers, or to abstain from meat on Fridays, than to say a kind word to a co-worker.

We need to take advantage of Lent as a time for spiritual renewal, focusing not only on our prayer life, but also on our virtuous actions.

St. Leo again connects the need to be more charitable to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross on Good Friday.

As we prepare to celebrate that greatest of all mysteries, by which the blood of Jesus Christ did away with our sins, let us first of all make ready the sacrificial offerings of works of mercy. In this way we shall give to those who have sinned against us what God in his goodness has already given to us.

Our charity should include acts of kindness towards others, as well as support of the poor and most vulnerable of society.

The good news is that the more we practice charity, the more we will be at peace with God and others, as St. Leo explains:

The giver of alms should be free from anxiety and full of joy. His gain will be greatest when he keeps back least for himself. The holy apostle Paul tells us: He who provides seed for the sower will also provide bread for eating; he will provide you with more seed, and will increase the harvest of your goodness, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

Lent is a unique time of year when we can double-down on our Christian way of living and practice what we preach.

Pictured: Allegorical personification of Charity as a mother with three infants by Anthony van Dyck, (ca. 1627–1628)