Pope John Paul II’s Lent message emphasizes "charity"

Pope John Paul II delivered his Lenten message on February 6 and emphasized the theme of charity. From the Acts of the Apostles he quoted: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." He said that "Lent is a season of intense prayer, fasting and concern for those in need. It offers all Christians an opportunity to prepare for Easter by serious discernment about their lives, with particular attention to the word of God which enlightens the daily journey of all who believe." He spoke about how many people in today’s society become caught in selfishness; the media in particular exalt the ephemeral and the hedonistic and in general "it is difficult to build a culture of solidarity." He strongly denounced the thirst for gain, which is often at the price of exploitation of others, and the "quest for profit at any cost and the lack of effective, responsible concern for the common good." He said: "our goal should not be the benefit of a privileged few, but rather the improvement of the living conditions of all."

He encouraged Christians to respond to the inner impulse to give themselves to others without expecting anything in return for not only is it "more blessed to give than receive" but there is an interior satisfaction that the giver experiences. All the efforts that Christians make to defend the powerless, feed the hungry, care for the sick and promote justice "draw their strength from that sole and inexhaustible treasury of love which is the complete gift of Jesus to the Father."

"Mercy and love for one’s neighbor must therefore be the fruit of a living relationship with God and have God as their constant point of reference, since it is in closeness to Christ that we find our joy." The Holy Father instructed that "Lent offers us the practical and effective weapons of fasting and almsgiving as a means of combating an excessive attachment to money. Giving not only from our abundance, but sacrificing something more in order to give to the needy, fosters that self-denial which is essential to authentic Christian living." He said that it is only by embodying the charity of Christ that Christians can seek the true good of their brothers and sisters. He concluded that "anyone who helps those in need always enjoys God’s favor."