A Matthew 25 Lent

As we prepare for the start of Lent, Monica Portogallo shares how the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel guided her Lenten practices last year.

Last year during Lent I was pregnant (and nauseous), so I wasn’t able to fast or give up certain foods as I usually would. I decided to emphasize the other two traditional Lenten practices, almsgiving and prayer, to compensate.

During the first week of Lent, I was praying with Scripture and Matthew 25 jumped out at me:

Then the king will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 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." (Matthew 25:34-36)

I thought this could make a good blueprint for how to focus my almsgiving, instead of just mindlessly donating to the same charities I always do. When I realized the six conditions Jesus mentioned could correspond to the six full weeks of Lent, I knew this was the right practice for me.

Each week of Lent, I prayed in a special way for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. I also searched for reputable charities that served the week’s group, then chose at least two charities for my donations, ideally three: one local, one national, and one international.

donation jar

The first two weeks were pretty straightforward. I picked local and national food banks, and an international food charity on week one to feed the hungry. For the thirsty on the second week, I chose one national and one international organization that served those without access to clean running water. After that, I had to be a bit more creative.

The third week, welcoming the stranger took the form of a local organization that supports kids in foster care and a national organization that serves immigrants.

On week four, to clothe the naked I supported groups that provide coats locally, diapers nationally, and shoes internationally.

For visiting the sick in week five, I donated to a local nursing home run by religious sisters, an organization that delivers meals to those with chronic conditions, and an organization that trains therapy dogs.

Finally, during Holy Week, I selected a Catholic prison ministry and a local community center that provides free space for 12-step meetings, since addiction is sometimes described as a personal prison.

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Take up a meaningful practice this Lent, even if circumstances make some Lenten practices impossible. #catholicmom

I share what I did last year not to show off my almsgiving, but to encourage others to take up a meaningful practice this Lent, even if circumstances make some Lenten practices impossible. When I started, I had no idea how fruitful this process would be for me. I had never found a Lenten practice so engaging before this.

Praying for others and researching charitable organizations brought me out of my self-centered ways to focus on the needs of Christ’s family in the world. Though I couldn’t afford to make lavish gifts to each of the worthy charities I found, I know my modest contributions made at least a little difference in the lives of others—and a big difference in mine.