The Church is now well into the season of Lent, a special time of preparation for the celebration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Our Lord. Traditionally, Lent is a penitential season marked by the practice of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for the purpose of conversion of heart towards God. Our Holy Father focused on almsgiving in his Lenten message from 2008:
“In inviting us to consider almsgiving with a more profound gaze that transcends the purely material dimension, Scripture teaches us that there is more joy in giving than in receiving (cf. Acts 20:35). When we do things out of love, we express the truth of our being; indeed, we have been created not for ourselves but for God and our brothers and sisters (cf. 2 Cor 5:15). Every time when, for love of God, we share our goods with our neighbor in need, we discover that the fullness of life comes from love and all is returned to us as a blessing in the form of peace, inner satisfaction and joy. Our Father in heaven rewards our almsgiving with His joy… In gratuitously offering himself, the Christian bears witness that it is love and not material richness that determines the laws of his existence. Love, then, gives almsgiving its value; it inspires various forms of giving, according to the possibilities and conditions of each person.”
– Pope Benedict XVI, Message for Lent 2008(click here)
So why is it that “there is more joy in giving than in receiving?” Our Lord tells us, “whatever you do for one of these least brothers of mine, you do for me.” (Mt 25:40), and St. Jeanne Jugan reminds us, “Never forget that the poor are Our Lord.” The joy that radiates from our “Little Family” at St. Augustine’s home comes from a real encounter with Our Lord. Many generous benefactors, volunteers, and family members give of their time, talent, or financial resources seeking to bring joy to our residents, only to find themselves filled with joy after this encounter with Jesus.
The smiles you see in this slideshow(click here) give evidence of the joy that surrounds our home. These pictures are from activities around the home over the past few months, most made possible because of the generosity of our benefactors, volunteers, and family members. We hope you enjoy it, and have a blessed Lent!
You did it for me