Sirach 35:12-17
This is the time of year in my old church where the pastor would speak of money. To his credit he only spoke of money once a year. He tried to encourage people to make a conscious decision about giving to the church. It should not be an afterthought. It should be budgeted like so many other bills we have because in fact the church has many of those same bills. What parishioner doesn't like a comfy seat in an air conditioned church? Who doesn't want teachers to direct classes or a music director or a director of outreach? We had all of those and more. It was a great faith community of 5000 families, no mortgages on anything and some sterling services.
The word our pastor invoked was 'tithing'. This is more associated with fundamentalist churches since it is in fact mentioned 32 times in scripture. To get a middle class Catholic community to even come close to tithing is brill. Our pastors version was simply to strive for five percent because he 'knew' that most people give generously to many causes outside of church which he reasoned would make up that other 5%. Again, though, he only asked that you to strive for 5.
I don't think there is any question that we should support the church or some form of ministry that we can embrace. In a parish that has bills and outreach and that is not attempting to make a profit, I think giving is crucial.
Just as we are to use all the talents we have been graced with in intellect or artistry, we are to use what money God has graced us with even if we have fallen prey to the notion that "I earned it".
Here's the rub, why do we really give? We all have had horrible or troubling things happen in our lives. If we haven't we certainly know someone who has and we know it can happen to us also in the blink of an eye. Do we give as an insurance policy? Do we expect to give so that God doesn't 'zap' us , punish or so that he keeps us safe from harm? If this is our intention in giving I think it is good for the church (monetarily) and that is all. When we ask "is the 5% (or 10%) net or gross"? we are completely missing the point. If we feel a desire in our hearts to say thank you to God then even 10% would simply be a starting point.
What this passage conveys is that we should give with a free and a full heart as much as we can. Not as an insurance policy but because we are extremely thankful and we wish to love and help others as much as we can. As much as we have been blessed by God. Think about all we have been graced with. Think of those who have not been so graced, who have little or no opportunity for change or who are slaves of one sort or another. Are they not our brothers and sisters? Are we not to help them as much as we can in any way we can?
So strive for five but dig deep in your pockets. Better yet, write a check or auto-pay.
This is the time of year in my old church where the pastor would speak of money. To his credit he only spoke of money once a year. He tried to encourage people to make a conscious decision about giving to the church. It should not be an afterthought. It should be budgeted like so many other bills we have because in fact the church has many of those same bills. What parishioner doesn't like a comfy seat in an air conditioned church? Who doesn't want teachers to direct classes or a music director or a director of outreach? We had all of those and more. It was a great faith community of 5000 families, no mortgages on anything and some sterling services.
The word our pastor invoked was 'tithing'. This is more associated with fundamentalist churches since it is in fact mentioned 32 times in scripture. To get a middle class Catholic community to even come close to tithing is brill. Our pastors version was simply to strive for five percent because he 'knew' that most people give generously to many causes outside of church which he reasoned would make up that other 5%. Again, though, he only asked that you to strive for 5.
I don't think there is any question that we should support the church or some form of ministry that we can embrace. In a parish that has bills and outreach and that is not attempting to make a profit, I think giving is crucial.
Just as we are to use all the talents we have been graced with in intellect or artistry, we are to use what money God has graced us with even if we have fallen prey to the notion that "I earned it".
Here's the rub, why do we really give? We all have had horrible or troubling things happen in our lives. If we haven't we certainly know someone who has and we know it can happen to us also in the blink of an eye. Do we give as an insurance policy? Do we expect to give so that God doesn't 'zap' us , punish or so that he keeps us safe from harm? If this is our intention in giving I think it is good for the church (monetarily) and that is all. When we ask "is the 5% (or 10%) net or gross"? we are completely missing the point. If we feel a desire in our hearts to say thank you to God then even 10% would simply be a starting point.
What this passage conveys is that we should give with a free and a full heart as much as we can. Not as an insurance policy but because we are extremely thankful and we wish to love and help others as much as we can. As much as we have been blessed by God. Think about all we have been graced with. Think of those who have not been so graced, who have little or no opportunity for change or who are slaves of one sort or another. Are they not our brothers and sisters? Are we not to help them as much as we can in any way we can?
So strive for five but dig deep in your pockets. Better yet, write a check or auto-pay.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you, and as generously as you can afford.
For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.
Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it;
and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no partiality.
He will not show partiality to the poor; but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.
He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan, or the widow when she pours out her complaint.
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