Trust and Tithe

Learning and living the golden rule of giving

03/10/2019

Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Moses spoke to the people, saying: "The priest shall receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God. Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God, 'My father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as an alien. But there he became a nation great, strong, and numerous. When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,  and he heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil  which you, O LORD, have given me.' And having set them before the Lord, your God, you shall bow down in his presence."

Over the course of twenty-three years as a priest, I have had to raise money for all kinds of programs and projects, for rectories and renovations, for buildings and even books. And I have learned there is one “golden rule of giving,” namely, people do not give to projects, they give to persons, persons they trust. That is why I so easily throw away those generic solicitations in the mail every day, and I hope you do too! If I don’t know the person who’s asking, I do not give to the project. And knowing the person who’s soliciting really requires building a relationship with that person, a relationship built on trust. In other words, no trust, no tithe.

A pastor fell out of favor with his church council over various church policies and procedures, including how the finances were handled. After bitter arguments and many nights of lost sleep, the pastor decided to leave the congregation to take a job as a prison chaplain. Before he departed, he preached his last sermon at the church on John 14:1, “Behold, I go to prepare a place for you.” So, if the bishop appoints me to prison ministry, you will know there is something seriously wrong here at the church: I’m going to prepare a place for you. I am convinced that no church in the world ever really has money problems, no matter how poor their congregations. Rather, churches do have pastor problems because of a loss of trust. When the people do not trust the pastor, they do not tithe to the parish.

In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses explains why people should give to support their religion. Moses, the great law-giver, was not unaware of the golden rule of giving. He commanded: “The priest shall receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the Lord, your God.” But he also explained why they should give, namely, because they can trust God to take care of them. He went on: “He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm…he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil, which you, O Lord, have given me.” In other words, people knew they could trust God, and so they gladly tithed their first fruits to the priests, who placed them before the altar.

This weekend I am preaching on the subject of stewardship, specifically, our financial stewardship to support the parish. You should have received a letter from me asking you to pray about how much you give, and if possible, to give a little more in the coming year. I personally signed each one, so you better not have thrown it away, like generic solicitations! I don’t like to ask others to do something I am unwilling to do, so I will increase my personal tithe by $50 a month. I am not above using a little Catholic guilt to get you to give. Would you please return your pledge card by Easter, April 21?

But I also know the golden rule of giving, like Moses: people give to persons rather than to projects. So you should know I am not the only person you trust to when you tithe to our church. You also give to Dc. Greg Pair, who conducts a tireless ministry to the poor. You support Sharon Blentlinger, who has increased our school’s enrollment over 270 students in K-6, and loves each students as her own child. You make possible the precise financial management provided by Cindy McNally and Linda Maestri. You finance fearless Surennah Werley who has taken over 90 confirmation candidates on weekend retreat thanks to your tithe. Cecilia Garcia keeps our presence on social media vibrant and our religious education on track because you underwrite her ministry. Loretta Collins carries on weekly youth ministry programs teaching trusting and tithing to the next generation of Catholics. Mariella Araujo oversees our growing Hispanic community, muchas gracias for your gifts!

Patty O’Brien and Doreen Williams make sure our church is decorated beautifully and truly glorifies God thanks to your gifts. George Post maintains our machines and motors that keep us comfortable because of your stewardship. Your money makes possible our music ministry let by Mat Burkepile and other talented musicians.  Pam Seiter’s smiling face greets everyone who walks into the church office. And I don’t want to forget Peggy Brandebura who gently guides like the Good Shepherd people who want to be Catholic. None of these ministries would be possible without your money, and I gladly place your gifts before the altar of God.

In 2002, the clergy sexual abuse scandal exploded in the Catholic Church like an atomic bomb, and church collections plummeted like never before. Why? Simple: because that is the golden rule of giving, whether in the book of Deuteronomy or in the twenty-first century: people do not give to programs; they give to persons they trust. Or, they don’t give. Only if you trust the leaders of this parish will you financially support our parish. Otherwise, I might have to start looking for a job in prison ministry.

Praised be Jesus Christ!