'Christ made Himself poor for you' (2 Corinthians 8-9)

This year's Lenten Message of Our Holy Father Benedict XVI focuses on almsgiving.  We are reminded that our possessions should be used for the good of others and that we should always seek to help our neighbours in need:

...If, in accomplishing a good deed, we do not have as our goal God's glory and the real well being of our brothers and sisters, we place ourselves outside of the Gospel's vision...Almsgiving is not mere philanthropy: rather it is a concrete expression of charity...When we do things out of love, we express the truth of our being...By drawing close to others through almsgiving, we draw close to God....

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