When Did We See You?: A Lenten Exploration of Poverty and Wealth

by Elizabeth Mae Magill

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?” … “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these … you did for me.”—Matthew 25:37, 40

An Honest Lenten Study on Money, God, and Faith

Like so many of us, Elizabeth Mae Magill struggles to wrap her head around the tensions involving wealth, responsible planning for the future, and how God wants us to care for those less fortunate than ourselves. How does a Christian with money respond and act in a country where over 36 million people live below the poverty line?

In When Did We See You?, Magill invites us into an honest conversation about faith, money, and community, posing hard questions about poverty, wealth, and what it means to follow Jesus in an economically divided world. With candor, grace, and deep pastoral insight, Magill wrestles with her own material privilege and encourages us to do the same.

Grounded in scripture and the author's own life and experience, this study explores how wealth shapes our relationship with God and neighbor and calls us back to Christ's radical way of love, justice, and solidarity with the poor. Reminding us that all that we have belongs to God, Magill leads us through a revelatory journey as we

Our relationship to money and concerns about having enoughBiblical teachings on money, charity, justiceA faithful response to those in our community who have lessHow spiritual poverty brings us closer to God and othersWhat Jesus' teachings call us to do—and who they call us to becomeWhen Did We See You? can be used for individual study or small groups, and

A chapter for each week of Lent, with reflection questions for each dayLitanies for Ash Wednesday and Good FridayStories from real congregations wrestling with poverty and hopeConcrete ideas you and your community can use to alleviate povertyIn a world of both abundance and inequality, When Did We See You? guides us through a crucial and timely conversation about our money, economic justice, and God's call for a world with enough for all. This Lent, may we have eyes to truly see Christ in our neighbors, and respond with love and action.

When Did We See You? is perfect

Lenten small-group studiesChurch-wide reading programsPastors and leaders looking to open dialogue on money, justice, and discipleship

175 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 14, 2025

About the author

The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Mae Magill is a writer, pastor, and workshop leader living in Berlin, Massachusetts. Liz is all about food and how it helps us to connect to one another. She lives and breathes church as a place to create belonging. He workshops are some form of how mission and evangelism are all about proclaiming good news of love and acceptance of each other. We can share in in God's work to create God's rule here on earth!
The founder of Worcester Fellowship, an outdoor church reaching adults without homes, Liz has an MDiv '02 from Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA and DMin '17 from Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth,TX. Ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) she works as an Interim Pastor for the United Church of Christ in Massachusetts.
​Liz loves crafts, music, skiing, travel, and her husband Ken.