Giving Alms to Those in Our Everyday Lives

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. … Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." ~ Matthew 25:35-40

I wrote Lucy and the Forsaken Path for Catholic Teen Books’ Lenten anthology, Ashes: Visible & Invisible, to explore the character of Lucy, one of the most significant figures in The Harwood Mysteries, my six-book young adult medieval series from Loyola Press.

My story takes place during Lent in March 1185 A.D. At its core, The Forsaken Path explores the difficult relationship between an angry teen and her widowed father. By setting the story in an isolated commune of lepers in England, however, I was also able to illustrate a theme at the very heart of Lent: almsgiving.

Giving alms is another one of the hallmarks of Lent. Almsgiving has been a longstanding practice in the Judeo-Christian tradition, offering our money, time, and service to those who are poor and suffering as an expression of our desire to love God and neighbor. Recently, Pope Leo XIV explained in his Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te, that almsgiving “offers us a chance to halt before the poor, to look into their eyes, to touch them and to share something of ourselves with them.”

In The Forsaken Path, Lucy discovers the importance of giving of herself to benefit those who are poor and suffering. She learns this lesson powerfully and personally in her own life when she realizes that it is not only the leper she meets who needs her love, but also someone who is suffering in her own family.

When we think about our lives, and reflect on the amount of needy and impoverished people all around us, we may come to realize that there are many ways we can give “alms” to those in poverty this Lent. Giving time or money to a homeless shelter, food bank, or other charity is one important path for us to take during Lent, but it isn’t the only path.

If we look closely with the eyes of love at those we encounter each day, we will also find many

other ways to give the alms of simple kindnesses and comforts to those in need. We don’t need to go far to find those who are poor, either in material goods or in spirit. Often, those people are living in our households.

I pray that my story, Lucy and the Forsaken Path, will help you to think about the varied and wondrous ways you can give alms to those in need around you this Lent.

Questions for thought or discussion

Where can you find the poor and needy in your everyday lives this Lent?

Can you think of one act or kind word that might improve the spiritual, emotional, or material health of an impoverished person that you encounter in your life on a regular basis?

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Join us on March 28^th as T.M. Gaouette reflects on her story, Bread Alone.

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About the author: Antony Barone Kolenc (“Tony”) is the author of nine novels, including his latest release, Begotten, Book 2 in The Incarnate Series published by Chrism Press. He is also the author of fiction for youth, including his middle-grade novel, Penny and the Stolen Chalice, and his teen historical fiction series, The Harwood Mysteries, which won over fifteen book awards. He is also the host of The Shepherd's Pie radio show and podcast. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps after 21 years of military service. He currently teaches law at Ave Maria School of Law, and he speaks at writing, legal, and homeschool events. Tony and his family live in Florida.