Can giving money away be seen as a form of penance for people that deal with greed

[AltarSoldier]

I have been very greedy with my money a lot lately. Mainly to people in my family that could use my help and have reached out to me for some financial backing. I really hate this because I know charity is something very fundamental to living your Christian Life and imitating Christ. Penance is a sacrifice and usually something that we otherwise would not want to do but is necessary to cleanse our soul and to atone for our sins. Can letting go and giving needy loved ones financial help be considered penance?

 

[Fauken]

Can letting go and giving needy loved ones financial help be considered penance?

I don’t see why it couldn’t. But I’d be careful with how often and how much I’d be giving out; while you don’t want to be stingy, you should still be prudent. Maybe you could ask your priest about it?

 

[Bluebright]

I agree with Fauken. It sounds like a sacrifice but do look deeper at what’s going on underneath in you family. And ofcourse go to confession for the sanctifying grace to help you act with moderation and wisdom. God bless

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I have been very greedy with my money a lot lately.

I have no idea what you mean by this.

have reached out to me for some financial backing.

What does “financial backing” mean here?

Can letting go and giving needy loved ones financial help be considered penance?

1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer , and almsgiving

That being said, I’m not sure that giving money to family is considered almsgiving. It certainly isn’t if that family is your responsibility to care for, like children or a legal guardianship situation, etc.

 

[AltarSoldier]

Well me and my mother don’t have the best relationship at all. Toxic for lack of a better word. We don’t get along at all and I live with her. I live with her because of school and where I live housing and cost of living is expensive. Her house is very run down and is always under some sort of problem or repair. I help my mom with the electric bill and a bit of gas from time to time but it for this case she wants me to give her 380 dollars to help fix back up sewage in the basement (for the second time this season)

 

[edward_george1]

Are you really being greedy, or is your mother guilting you into thinking you are, so you’ll be more compliant?

-Fr ACEGC

 

[1Lord1Faith]

Are you saying that you or your mom has already spent money to unclog a sewer line once already and it backed up again, or are you saying it’s the second time that it’s backed up and your mom now wants to get it fixed so it doesn’t happen again?

 

[AltarSoldier]

Little bit of both I believe Fr.

My mom has had a few rough years where our stepdad was arrested and after two years of fighting was still found guilty and was sentenced to 20 years. My mom since then has been infatuated with this other man that ended up in prison himself for armed robbery tho he claims innocence. My mom is retired from both military and her job of 25 years as a transit bus driver.

My mom still works a part-time job and in her free time she spends it visiting her boyfriend now fiance in prison and spend several hours a day going into the late-night doing paralegal stuff on the computer trying to help his case or whatever. I’m not joking she has piles and piles of papers in tbe living room over this.

The past 4 years have put a real divide between me and her because she doesn’t like the fact that I’m 26 going to school and I tend to be very frugal with my money. I don’t do drugs and I don’t bother anybody. I live a very simple life of work going to the gym and in my free time aside from that I watch movies and play games when I’m not in school.

Given her generation and her being in the military for 20 some years she sees me as a lousy son and someone who doesn’t want to help her. I wish our situation at home was different but I dont want to sacrifice my life to help her and maintain a house she and my stepdad wanted to renovate almost 20 years ago

 

[Irishmom2]

OP, if you are 26 and living in your mom’s home, no wonder she is asking for money. If you don’t pay rent there, and are just paying for electric, that seems a bit unbalanced. Perhaps you should pay her a fixed offering each month for living in her house and eating her food and whatever else you are getting for free…
If you don’t want to help her, perhaps you should move out and live on your own.

 

[AltarSoldier]

OP, if you are 26 and living in your mom’s home, no wonder she is asking for money. If you don’t pay rent there, and are just paying for electric, that seems a bit unbalanced. Perhaps you should pay her a fixed offering each month for living in her house and eating her food and whatever else you are getting for free…
If you don’t want to help her, perhaps you should move out and live on your own

A. I buy my own groceries. She doesn’t cook. Hasnt cooked for anyone for the past 3-4 years. I pay for my own car insurance, credit card balance, phone and internet as well

B. On top of paying the electric bill I do already give her a fixed amount so that’s an extra couple hundred added.

C. I go to school do volunteer work and work so a lot of times I’m not home all day and when I am home I do my best to keep my room and Stuff like the kitchen organized with the 6 cats she has around. I should have said that earlier she has multiple cats

 

[JanR]

I would look at it as more an act of love than penance. If your loved ones are truly in need, I would think you would want to help them out of love for them. You can still do this prudently, like maybe combining financial help with good advice on how they can help themselves and/or prevent getting into future binds.

You say you’ve been greedy with your money. It sounds more like you’ve been stingy than greedy.

And if you do help them financially, the true charity of it would be to give them the money instead of loaning it to them. A loan has to be paid back. That might put them into a deeper financial hole. Their love for you should be enough. Give them what you can afford to spare, but don’t put pressure on them to repay it. Love doesn’t expect to be compensated.

 

[po18guy]

If you lend, do so with no expectation of repayment. If you are greedy (avarice), the corrective virtue is generosity.

Prudence is also a virtue. If family is a bunch of slackers and just want to leech the cash, then maybe not.

Prayer and spiritual direction can always help you.