Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Agenzia Fides) - “Almsgiving, coming to the aid of others brings us closer to God and can become an instrument of true conversion and reconciliation with Him and with our brothers,” says the Archbishop of Trujillo and President of the Peruvian Bishops Conference, Archbishop Hector Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte, in his message for the initiation of Lent in which he offers a reflection on almsgiving.
According to the Archbishop, this practice offers “a specific way to assist those in need and, at the same time, exercise that self-denial that frees us from attachment to worldly goods." Almsgiving can help to overcome this temptation towards worldly goods, if we “accustom ourselves to looking out for the needs of our neighbour and sharing what God’s goodness has given us.”
The President of the Episcopal Conference reminds the faithful that, “we are administrators, not owners, of the goods we have.” Therefore, we should not consider them our exclusive property. Instead, they should be, “a means provided by Divine Providence to help my neighbour.”
Moreover, this almsgiving should have a special character in itself: “it should be a secret.” The only concern we should have in almsgiving is that God be glorified. Thus, “if we carry out any good work without the glory of God and the true good of our brothers as its purpose, we are only trying to satisfy a personal interest or obtain others’ approval, and we lose sight of the Gospel.” “Almsgiving, according to the Gospel, is not simply philanthropic work. It is a specific expression of charity.” When we act in this way, “we express the truth of our being.”
“Lent, therefore, invites us to ‘train’ ourselves spiritually, including through the practice of almsgiving, in order to grow in charity and recognise in the poor Christ Himself,” the Archbishop of Trujillo concluded. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 8/2/2008 righe 24, parole 302)
