Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies. (Tobit 12: 8-10)

Giving to the poor, accompanied by righteousness, is the key to a full life. The Greek and Latin is even more exuberant. Not just full, but satiated with life is the sense of these ancient texts.

It is through our connection with others, recognizing our relationship with others that we approach the potential for righteousness.

Terese of Avila wrote, "The journey into God begins in self-knowledge." In my experience self-knowledge is not possible without making ourselves vulnerable to others.

In claiming our shared identity with the most vulnerable - through almsgiving - we are spurred to greater self-knowledge.

To begin to know our self is to begin to know the one in whose image we were created.