When I arrived at St. Thomas More Parish this past June as pastor, we were in the midst of the quiet phase of a capital campaign. How is it possible to remain the spiritual father of a parish and also raise a significant amount of money for needs in the parish?
The answer is: sacrificial giving.
Jesus tells us in the Gospel, “Anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Jesus is speaking about how He must be the One we trust. He must be the One on whom we rely. He must be our only true possession. Jesus is more important than even mother, father, children, brothers, and sisters.
The reason we give to our parishes and other charitable organizations is to help us have a moment of conversion. Giving is always a moment of conversion. We are turning away from money as being our “god” (with a small “g”) and finding Christ, who is the One True God.
Many weeks ago, I attended a Day of Recollection for Priests. The preacher of one of the meditations said: “You can only keep what you give away.” He was speaking of storing “up treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 19:20). When we give, we invest in Heaven.
This summarizes the true spirituality of sacrificial giving: “You can only keep what you give away.” Giving to a capital campaign, to the parish, or to any other charitable organization should affect our life of faith, keeping in Heaven what you give away on earth. Remember, “You can only keep what you give away.”
How can giving be sacrificial?
Jesus says in the Gospel, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). With the eyes of faith we ask, “What is the place of money in our lives?”
As Jesus says, we need to “renounce all our possessions” – in other words, do we possess our possessions or do our possessions possess us? Are we willing to give in a sacrificial way, carry the cross, that puts our trust in God and not in the fleeting things of this world?
Think of the needs being fulfilled by sacrificial giving. Are they not worth our sacrifice? Can we not think less of ourselves and more of others in need? This is part of the conversion so necessary for us to live our Catholic faith in a vibrant and joyful way.
For each individual and family, the amount given will be different, depending on their own financial situation. Sacrificial giving is not based on equal giving but on equal sacrifice. A good examination of conscience and one’s own financial situation and responsibilities can help us consider what would be sacrificial.
When we give sacrificially, we give with the cross. Giving with the cross means that we are close to Jesus, dispossessed of our possessions, and have an opportunity to experience true joy, “for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
You are not going to become poorer by giving in a sacrificial way. Sure, money will leave your bank account and enter that of the parish or charitable organization. But you will store up for yourselves treasure in the one place where it counts – Heaven.
By Monsignor Andrew Baker, Pastor of St. Thomas More, Allentown.
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