The sounds of praise and worship echoed through the Bronx Thursday evening as the New York Regional Encounter opened its three-day conference at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church.

We are halfway through our Lenten journey, and as we reflect on things we can do to grow in holiness during this time, we turn to one of the pillars of Lent: almsgiving.

Several times during the course of the liturgical year, we hear today’s Gospel in various forms, but the question posed to Jesus is the same.