One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. Acts 3:1-2
“If we should be saved and become saints, we ought always to sit at the gates of the divine mercy to beg and pray for, as an alms, all that we need.”
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) in Saints’ Quotes: Holy Quotations for Purification of the Soul, Collection on Alms.
Alphonsus got me thinking about the scene in today’s Scripture with this quote.
He’s right. Like the lame man in the text. We must see ourselves as helpless and imagine ourselves at the gate where our Lord dwells, asking for alms, all that we need. And, once we receive all that we need, we must in gratitude, give generously to all in need.
On this Lord’s day, let us pause to give thanks for the fact that when we were helpless, we got help because of divine mercy. And let us help others generously. Click here to view learn about the Palmful of Maize effort among the poor in Malawi.
This clip is what the national news station said about this vision spreading across Malawi. In their words, it’s breaking down the dependency syndrome. In so doing we are building disciples together.
If you want to give alms to help the work of GTP lifting up the poor in Malawi, click here to give. Even as God has helped you, give to help others in Jesus name.