32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Next weekend is “Stewardship of Treasure” Sunday, and we will be invited to renew our commitment to Sacrificial Giving (tithing) as the principle means of stewardship within the parish. Stewardship is based on the spiritual principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Stewardship is a way of life based on the premise that all that we have and all that we are have come from God and, as a way to thank God for all His many blessings, we return a portion of the time, talent, and treasure that have been given to us. Stewardship encourages a spirituality that deepens our relationship with the Lord. Stewardship involves intentional, planned, and proportionate giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

A few weeks ago, I included the parish’s annual financial statement in the bulletin, and it showed that 85% of the financial support received by the parish comes from the offertory collection. Your level of giving in your offertory envelopes directly affects our ability to provide for your spiritual needs. The costs associated with operating a parish of this size are enormous and we need your support in order to do so. Even more importantly, your act of tithing is an expression of gratitude for the blessings that God has bestowed upon you and an expression of solidarity with your fellow parishioners. When we give generously, we are also able to receive gratefully.

The spiritual benefits of Sacrificial Giving (tithing) are many and include: (1) a sense of peace and satisfaction that comes from generosity; (2) an awareness that God comes first in our lives, even in decisions about money; (3) a deep sense of pride in our parish’s progress made possible through tithing; (4) an ability to distinguish between wants and needs; (5) a deeper awareness of society’s materialism and consumerism; (6) a keener appreciation of the world’s poor and how we can lessen their pain and poverty; and (7) a quiet confidence in the Lord’s protective care. In Sacrificial Giving we place ourselves confidently in God’s hands, and are strengthened by the words revealed to Saint Faustina when Jesus gave to her the image of Divine Mercy – “Jesus, I trust in You!”