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If you can help a person – help, if you cannot help – pray, if you do not know how to pray – think about the person in a good way! And this will already be a help, because godly thoughts [towards others] are also alms! ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovich
And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites [very small copper coins] So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” ~ St. Luke 21:1-4
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7
It often seems those who possess the least (materially), are the most generous with others. Digging deeply into the pockets of their hearts, they’ll happily give away their own last “widow’s mite” to someone else… who, to them, appear to be in greater need.
God’s blessings abound, when we (without judging what others may do with what we give them, and without expecting anything in return) give from our needs, and not from our surplus.
It’s doubly blessed to give alms in memory of someone by saying, “Please accept this in memory of (Name).”
If we have no material alms available to give, we can always share the Gladsome Light and Love of Christ – through a warm smile, a kind word, and heartfelt prayer offered to God, on their behalf.
…And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ~ Acts 20:35
For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ~ St. Matthew 25:35-40
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ~ St. Matthew 5:7
