Dear Parishioners,
Our tithing is about our relationship with God, not just giving money and how much to give. It is a practical consequence of our love for God. When a young man loves a young lady, his wallet is open for her. Many grooms go into debt to purchase beautiful engagement rings and wedding rings for their beloved brides. This is a consequence of their love. It is their love that motivates them. Love is our deep desire for fulfillment, and one of the most fulfilling things for us is to help others, giving without expecting in return. When you truly love someone you try to align your will with theirs, and form a truly family plan. That is what God wants for us, He wants us to truly integrate into His family, and so tithing is not only an expression of love for God, but about doing His will, about getting to Heaven. The giving of our time, talent, and treasure in joyous stewardship for the benefit of others is uniquely designed for the attainment of this goal.
The greatest commandment of Holy Scripture is designated by Jesus in Mk. 12/28-31. In these verses, He says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, with all your mind, and all your strength, and then to love your neighbor as yourself. Our stewardship, our care for others in our parish and wider community, is where the “rubber hits the road” of our love for God. Where our love passes from theory and “lip service” to practical reality: from “I wish” and “I should” to “I do” and “I did”.
In addition to the above passage, I would also have you contemplate the following one using your Lectio Divina technique or any other mental prayer form you know: 1 Timothy 6/17-19. “Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth, but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.” So we continue to bring our tithing and stewardship to prayer, as our most real and practical response to the love of God, in order to discern His will for me and to find my road to Heaven.