It is interesting that Jesus starts not from fasting, which we associated so closely with Lent, but from almsgiving. To quote St Leo the Great: “In the matter of almsgiving not only the rich and affluent but also those of average means and the poor are able to play their part.” The prophet Isaiah (58:5~9) tells us that “the fasting God wants means sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” This means letting go of selfishness and recognizing the hunger of others, hunger not only for bread but for love and justice. We can offer not only material help like money, food, and clothing, but we can also answer the interior needs of others by offering our time, a listening ear, and a helping hand.

As for prayer, St John Chrysostom says: “I do not mean the prayer of outward observance but prayer from the heart. When we are carrying out our duties, caring for the needy, giving generously to the service of others, we should long for God and call God to mind, so that these works may be seasoned with the salt of God’s love.” In this sense he calls prayer “a partnership and union with God.” Prayer thus combines with almsgiving so that our interaction with others allows God to reach out to them through us.

Finally, fasting. Fasting immediately suggests abstaining from food to some degree, and that is what the Church urges us to do during Lent. But this should not be confused with dieting for the sake of our health, although Lent might be a good time to make the effort to cut back on food and drink, not only for our health but also to leave us with a little more money to pass on as alms. However, fasting concerns more than giving up excessive food and drink. It refers also to the various ways we tend to ignore the needs of others while pampering ourselves with material luxuries and even the questionable pleasures we can so easily find in the media.

To sum up, almsgiving refers to our openness to the needs of others, prayer allows God to work through us, and fasting purifies our relationship with material goods. Jesus reminds us that these three pillars of Lent, indeed of our whole Christian life, must be done from worthy motives, not to be seen or praised by others. “When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. … When you pray, enter your room, close the door, and speak with your Father in secret. … When you fast, do not look gloomy or appear to others to be fasting. … And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”  

Robert Chiesa SJ