Dr. Robert Jackson, the first long-term headmaster of The Heights, wrote the following note on “almsgiving” during his tenure. Known for being able to convey grand ideas in few words, this note is a continual source of insight.
A constructive way to examine the role of this important dimension of supernatural charity is to follow the scheme developed by the Holy Father in his analysis of work in his recent encyclical (Laborem Exercens). Essentially he makes the important distinction between the results achieved by work and the growth in dignity of the worker producing the results. The whole point of the encyclical is that the second aspect of work far outweighs the former – at the end of the day each of us has to ask ourselves “Has my work today made me a better man?” and not the usual question “What did I get done today?”
Similarly, in looking at almsgiving we can make the distinction between the project furthered by the reception of alms – School Construction, Scholarships, etc., etc., and the growth in supernatural Charity in the person giving alms, and I might add requesting them. As with work the latter far outweighs in importance the former. At the end of each day we have to ask ourselves “Is my almsgiving and that of my contacts making us better men, more generous, more trusting in Christ?” and not the usual question “By how many dollars did I move the project forward today?”
With this framework in mind and using the very specific instructions which Our Lord gives us in the gospel on this whole question of almsgiving, we can go on to make the following points.
- Almsgiving is not fundraising. Fundraising is essentially a task of shopping around for people who may by chance be interested in our project, e.g. most foundations have specific project areas which interest them. Opus Dei will never grow in this country if it has to depend on the constant intervention of attractive fundraising projects for its support.
- Almsgiving can very quickly become non-almsgiving and lose all merit and value. Our Lord is very clear in stating that when the “almsgiver” seeks by one of many ways to achieve public recognition for his “generosity” almsgiving becomes vanity which is not a desirable result. A great deal of “almsgiving” both inside and outside the Church falls down on this crucial question. Similarly the person who gives “alms” but who as a condition seeks to impose his will on the way these “alms” are used, has not in any real way given “alms.”
- A great deal of “almsgiving” corresponds really to the payment of just dues – our support of our parishes is in most cases a support in justice demanded by the services we receive.
- Many people will pay not to give alms – if by giving $100 I can get you off my back and avoid $10,000, I have made a good bargain. We should always ask our friends for a specific amount and it should always cause them to flinch.
Almsgiving like hospitality is a “lost art” of Christian Charity. Almost without exception we find almsgiving painful and the only thing we can think of which is more painful is seeking alms from others. Again, we can pay to forego asking others to give alms by extensive personal almsgiving. There is no question that requesting others to give alms is “a sign of contradiction.” Our Lord went around Palestine telling the people that God was not satisfied by people paying Him off with a few external practices – that He wanted everything. He was crucified for his pains. Our Lord is asking us to follow in his steps – money is perhaps more than everything for most of our associates – ours will be a slow death but like Him we will be given time to win some new apostles.
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