The third of Fr. John Parker's reflections in advance of our special collection to support the work of the Florence Crittenton Home on Assumption Day:

When You Give Alms

Fr. John Parker

The term ‘almsgiving’ is very, very rich in New Testament Greek. In the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to St Matthew, it is written, “When you do acts of mercy”—poies eleimosyne. The first word is the verb “to do”, from which we gain our English word “poem”, and the second, from the word “eleos”, “mercy”. Most of us are familiar with the Greek, “Kyrie, Eleison”—Lord, have mercy. Well, as the Lord has mercy on us, so we are called to extend the same mercy and grace to others; thus, to “give alms”, or better, “to do acts of mercy”, is an outward and visible, and often tangible way of demonstrating our gratitude to God for his mercy by sharing the same with our neighbor (whomever God puts in our path is our neighbor) along the Way.

Almsgiving can indeed take the form of a monetary donation (such as we are asking for on August 15 for the benefit of the mothers‐tobe of the Florence Crittenton Home), but it surely can be—and often is even better if it is—an act on our behalf. That is, instead of a few dollars sending a beggar on his way for his own meal, the purchase of the meal, and eat with him. Instead of some money for groceries to a needy person, shopping with them. In other words, a real effort! God’s mercy and kindness to us is incarnational. He became man to save us. So, too, it is good when our alms—our acts of mercy—are incarnational: sharing in the humanity of the needy. There are times and places for all of the above—money is as needed as time and good ol’ human contact.

But let’s not be trapped by the limited English phrase, “give alms” into thinking that it *simply* means writing a check or giving some cash for charity, especially if that means we “feel better” because we have given a little something, by way of avoiding personal contact. Perhaps our financial offering to the Florence Crittenton Home could act as an “Act 1” in a multi‐act gift, one which proceeds with visits from us to the Home to clean or tutor or cook or...who knows? Let’s ask! Among the important facets of our Christian Life is to become human again. And we are all too trained to “get on with business”, missing the gift of the person the Lord has put before us. Sometimes, giving alms can be as simple as saying “Please”, “Thank You”, and “Hello”, in our fast‐paced, on‐to‐the‐next‐activity existence.

The Florence Crittenton Home is engaged by its very existence in almsgiving. Its mission is an ongoing act of mercy. Thankfully the Florence Crittenton Home exists to help unwed pregnant women—women who are inconvenienced, financially burdened, physically endangered, emotionally and politically buffeted, and scandalous (still) to many by their pregnancies resultant from poor or uninformed choices or the violence committed against them. The Florence Crittenton home helps them CHOOSE LIFE. Let’s give generously above our tithes this Sunday to join the Florence Crittenton home in their wonderful work.

May the Lord multiply our humble effort to help, guide, and protect these unwedded, pregnant women and the children they bear.