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‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’
On Thursday, 6 February, the Holy See published the Holy Father's
Message for Lent that he signed on 7 January. The Holy Father pointed
out that the three activities of Lent arc prayer, fasting and concern
for those in need. For his meditation this year, he took the phrase from
the Acts of the Apostles (20,35): "It is more blessed to give
than to receive". The Holy Father summed up the connection
between the new evangelization and the Gospel of charity: "For
those who are 'far-off', service to the needy can be a providential path
leading to an encounter with Christ, since the Lord abundantly repays
the good deeds done to one's neighbour (cf. Mt 25,40). It is my
fervent hope that believers will find this Lent a favorable time for
bearing witness to the Gospel of charity in every place, since the
vocation to charity is the heart of all true evangelization". The
Holy Father also pointed to the need for divine charity to transform our
social assistance. "The efforts of Christians to promote justice,
their commitment in defence of the powerless, their humanitarian work in
providing bread for the hungry and their care for the sick by responding
to every emergency and need, draw their strength from that sole and
inexhaustible treasury of love which is the complete gift of Jesus to
the Father. Believers are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus
Christ, true God and true man, who, in perfect obedience to the will of
the Father, emptied himself (cf. Phil 2,6 ff), and humbly gave
himself to us in selfless and total love, even unto death on a
cross". Here is an official English translation of the Holy
Father's Message.
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
1. Lent is a season of intense prayer, fasting and concern for those
in need. It offers all Christians an opportunity to prepare for Easter
by serious discernment about their lives, with particular attention to
the word of God which enlightens the daily journey of all who believe.
'It is more blessed to give than to receive' (Acts 20,35)
This year, as a guide for our Lenten meditation, I would offer a
phrase taken from the Acts of the Apostles: "It is more blessed to
give than to receive" (Acts 20,35). What we have here is not simply
a moral exhortation, or a command which comes to us from without. The
inclination to give is rooted in the depths of the human heart: every
person is conscious of a desire to interact with others and everyone
finds fulfilment in a free gift of self to others.
Our goal must be to build a culture of solidarity that replaces the
emphasis on greed
2. Our age, regrettably, is particularly susceptible to the
temptation toward selfishness which always lurks within the human heart.
In society generally, and in the media, people are bombarded by messages
which more or less openly exalt the ephemeral and the hedonistic.
Concern for others is certainly shown whenever natural disasters, war
and other emergencies strike, but in general it is difficult to build a
culture of solidarity. The spirit of the world affects our inner
propensity to give ourselves unselfishly to others and drives us to
satisfy our own particular interests. The desire to possess ever more is
encouraged. Surely it is natural and right that people, by using their
own gifts and by their own labour, should work to obtain what they need
to live, but an excessive desire for possessions prevents human beings
from being open to their Creator and to their brothers and sisters. The
words of Paul to Timothy remain relevant in every age: "The love of
money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some
have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many
pangs" (1 Tim 6, 10)!
Exploitation of others, indifference towards the suffering of our
brothers and sisters, and the violation of basic rules of morality are
just a few fruits of the thirst for gain. Faced with the tragic
situation of persistent poverty which afflicts so many people in our
world, how can we fail to see that the quest for profit at any cost and
the lack of effective, responsible concern for the common good have
concentrated immense resources in the hands of a few while the rest of
humanity suffers in poverty and neglect?
Appealing to believers and to all people of good will, I would like
to reaffirm a principle which is self-evident yet often ignored: our
goal should not be the benefit of a privileged few, but rather the
improvement of the living conditions of all. Only on this foundation can
we build that international order truly marked by justice and solidarity
which is the hope of everyone.
Draw strength from inexhaustible treasury of Divine love, the gift of
Jesus to the Father
3. "It is more blessed to give than to receive". When
believers respond to the inner impulse to give themselves to others
without expecting anything in return, they experience a profound
interior satisfaction.
The efforts of Christians to promote justice, their commitment in
defence of the powerless, their humanitarian work in providing bread for
the hungry and their care for the sick by responding to every emergency
and need, draw their strength from that sole and inexhaustible treasury
of love which is the complete gift of Jesus to the Father. Believers are
called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, true God and true
man, who, in perfect obedience to the will of the Father, emptied
himself (cf. Phil 2,6 ff.), and humbly gave himself to us in selfless
and total love, even unto death on a cross. Calvary eloquently proclaims
the message of the Blessed Trinity's love for human beings of all times
and places.
St Augustine points out that only God, as the Supreme Good, is
capable of overcoming the various forms of poverty present in our world.
Mercy and love for one's neighbour must therefore be the fruit of a
living relationship with God and have God as their constant point of
reference, since it is in closeness to Christ that we find our joy (cf. De
Civitate Dei, X, 6; CCL 39: 1351ff).
Love of God has to inspire and transform who we are and what we do
4. The Son of God loved us first, while "we were yet
sinners" (Rom 5,6), with an unconditional love which asks nothing
in return. If this is so, how can we fail to see the season of Lent as a
providential opportunity to make courageous decisions inspired by
altruism and generosity? Lent offers us the practical and effective
weapons of fasting and almsgiving as a means of combating an excessive
attachment to money. Giving not only from our abundance, but sacrificing
something more in order to give to the needy, fosters that self-denial
which is essential to authentic Christian living. Strengthened by
constant prayer, the baptized reveal the priority which they have given
to God in their lives.
The love of God poured into our hearts ought to inspire and transform
who we are and what we do. Christians must not think that they can seek
the true good of their brothers and sisters without embodying the
charity of Christ. Even in those cases where they might succeed in
improving important aspects of social or political life, without charity
every change would remain short-lived. The possibility of giving oneself
to others is itself a gift which comes from the grace of God. As Saint
Paul teaches: "God is at work in you, both to will and to work for
his good pleasure" (Phil 2,13).
Sense of compassion, Gospel of charity
5. To modern men and women, often dissatisfied with a shallow and
ephemeral existence and in search of authentic happiness and love,
Christ offers his own example and issues the invitation to follow him.
He asks those who hear his voice to give their lives for others. This
sacrifice is a source of self-fulfilment and joy, as is seen in the
eloquent example of those men and women who, leaving all security
behind, have not hesitated to risk their lives as missionaries in
different parts of the world. It can also be seen in the response of
those young people who, prompted by faith, have embraced a vocation to
the priesthood or the religious life in order to serve God's plan of
salvation. It is likewise the experience of the growing number of
volunteers who readily devote themselves to helping the poor, the
elderly, the sick and all those in need.
Recently, we have witnessed a praiseworthy outpouring of solidarity
for the victims of floods in Europe, earthquakes in Latin America and
Italy, epidemics in Africa, volcanic eruptions in the Philippines, as
well as for other areas of the world scarred by hatred, violence and
war.
In these situations, the communications media play a significant role
by allowing us to identify with and offer ready help to the suffering
and those in distress. At times it is not the Christian command of love,
but rather an innate sense of compassion which motivates our efforts to
assist others. Even so, anyone who helps those in need always enjoys
God's favour. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that the disciple
Tabitha was saved because she had done good to her neighbour (cf. 9,36
ff.). The centurion Cornelius obtained eternal life on account of his
generosity (cf. ibid., 10,2-31).
For those who are "far-off", service to the needy can be a
providential path leading to an encounter with Christ, since the Lord
abundantly repays the good deeds done to one's neighbour (cf. Mt 25,40).
It is my fervent hope that believers will find this Lent a favorable
time for bearing witness to the Gospel of charity in every place, since
the vocation to charity is the heart of all true evangelization. To this
end I invoke the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church and pray
that she will accompany us on our Lenten journey. With these sentiments
I affectionately impart to all my blessing.
From the Vatican, 7 January 2003.
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