On Being Blessed
I'm a convert and always believed that the Catholic Church had more money that I would ever have, so they didn't need by contribution to be significant. A sermon a couple of years ago given by Fr. Fest caused the light bulb to go off and I became one who tithes... "The measure you meansure with is the one by which you will be measured." Suddenly it all made sense. How could I withhold from God what He had given to me? It is all there in Scripture so I really didn't have to depend on any man to tell me what my responsibility is to God. I claimed to be a woman of faith and now I have the chance to put my faith into action. The first check I write each week from the paycheck I get from the work provided for me by God is my tithe. And you know...there's always enough money for all the other stuff I have to pay since I started ordering my finances this way...
Cathy B.
St. Veronica Parish

On Tithing
"One night before bedtime prayers with my 8 and 10 year old daughters, I told them that I was incredibly rich. There were a little surprised, knowing that being rich meant living in a big house with fancy cars and such. I went on to them that I was really worth more than two billion dollars. Now, I really had their attention! Then I went on to explain that since I would not exchange either of them for a billion dollars or any amount for that matter, I was worth at least that much and even more. Sometimes when I get bogged down in life's troubles, I step back and realize that I am so blessed by God. I stop dwelling on what isn't quite right or what I hope for in the future and I focus on finding joy in the great privilege of life's little moment.
Tom S.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ellicott City

A Truly Eternal Perspective
In an interview with the parents of Asia Cottom, one of the children killed on Flight 77 on September 11, her mother Michelle Cottom gave a powerful expression of faith. In a few words, she spoke from the deepest part of her heart the essence of the message of stewardship.

"I believe Asia was a gift.
She wasn't mine in the beginning.
She belonged to God.
She was on loan to me
and I bless God for the time
that he allowed me to nurture his flower.
I have a peace that even I can't explain."
Michelle C. - Mother of young 9/11 Victim

Another Testimony
Fifteen years ago, I was at a very difficult point in my life. Seeking God's will and working to live as a "good" Christian, I found myself very frightened and very discouraged. After ten years of marriage, I felt I was a complete failure as a husband and provider for my family. In spite of being a successful Naval officer with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, I was forced to work a second job and have my wife work so that we could make ends meet. I wanted to give more to my church and various charities but it took every penny we made to meet our monthly expenses. I found myself financially trapped. Because of the money worries, my wife and I argued frequently and my relationship with God was distant at best.

It wasn't a drive to become wealthy nor was it even purchasing frivolous possessions that had caused our debt; rather, it was simply purchasing a home we could not afford coupled with the financial pressures associated with living a middle-class lifestyle that was beyond our means. Nonetheless, my possessions had stripped me of my freedom to "seek first" my relationship with God and to love those around me, especially my family. I felt I had reached the end of my rope. Through the loving guidance of a close friend, I was lead to Luke 12:22-34. After reading this passage, I knew, like Peter, I had nowhere else to go. So I fell on my knees before our Lord, begged his forgiveness and asked him to show me what to do. A few days later that same friend led me to a passage in the book of Malachi (3:8-10), which discusses tithing. From these two passages, I understood, for the first time in my life, that nothing I have belongs to me. We are merely stewards called to care for the gifts given freely to us by our Father in Heaven. God calls us to look to him for all our needs and share whatever gifts he gives us in ways that he will reveal. From that day forward, I began to share whatever I had. Trusting that God would see to my needs, I gave away 10% and sometimes as much as 30% of all the money I made to various charitable organizations, my church and sometimes just to homeless people I met on the street. The money I was giving away was money that, in months before, was barely enough to pay my bills. Yet, through the grace of God, I never missed a payment to any of my creditors.

I was not seeking to get rich, or even to test God. I was merely trying to respond to God's call to keep him first in my life. In 1985, I turned to my Heavenly Father as a frightened child and he took me in his arms. For me, it was a total surrender. However, God's response was quite surprising and a cause for constant prayer and diligence - for God's gift to me has been wealth. In the ensuing years, it seemed the more I gave away, the more came back to me. In fact, the money I give away each year far exceeds what was my total annual income in 1985. It has occurred to me that in some ways I am living the parable of the steward and the talents. I must remind myself everyday that I am just a steward and that all I have belongs to God. It is my responsibility to use his gifts to further his kingdom and to be ever mindful that to whom much is given, much is expected.

Mine is not an isolated story, for God is no respecter of persons. The challenge each of us face is having the faith to trust God to keep His promise. I urge you to take time to read and pray about God's words in Luke 12:22-34 and Malachi 3:8-10. And since it is such a short book, you will also benefit to read the book of Haggai. Our Heavenly Father is simply asking us to take His hand and trust.
Patrick B.
St. Elizabeth, Crofton MD

On Tithing
My name is Molly Hubbard. I have been a member of St. Casimir Faith Community for almost three years. When Fr. Ross introduced tithing two years ago, with the help of the McKenna Tithing Program, I was a bit skeptical. I had heard of tithing and knew there was a reference to tithing in the Bible, but I really didn't think it was something that Catholics did and I guess, for selfish reasons, I was happy that we did not practice tithing.

My husband Bill and I came from a parish that had Stewardship Sundays. Once a year the pastor would talk about the parish deficit and ask for an increase in giving through the use of pledge cards. When the speaker from McKenna talked about tithing, what impressed me was that tithing was so straightforward. It asks us to give to God the first ten percent of our income ‑ 5% to our church and 5% to other charities or persons in need. There are no pledge cards and our gift is between God and us. However, I must admit it sounded like a big sacrifice.

Bill and I have always been supportive of our parish and other charities, but in reality what we gave was from what was left after we paid our bills and took care of our family's wants and needs. We were giving God the last fruits and not the first fruits of our labor. Now that we tithe we are giving God the first fruits and trusting that He, who gives us everything, will take care of us.

As Bill and I discussed our decision and prayed about it, a very simplistic way to think about tithing came to me. If Jesus called us and said he was coming to our home for dinner, I very much doubt that we would serve him leftovers. Bill and I would buy the finest food and drink we could find, never considering the cost. While I know that Jesus will not be coming to dinner, I also know that He resides in each of our hearts and is always with us. He has given us His all and He certainly deserves our trust and generosity. For me, tithing is not about the money, although I know that what we give to St. Casimir is spent wisely and for the good of all in our Faith Community. And the money that goes to charities helps those in need. The ten percent that we give, whether it be a very small amount or a large gift is not the issue. The real issue is the sacrificial spirit in which we give back to our Savior who has given all for us.

When tithing was introduced Bill and I made a decision, as a couple, to give it a try and for us it was a good decision. Tithing has become an integral part of my spiritual journey. My life has not changed in dramatic ways since we tithe, but it has changed for the better. We don't have more money–there has been no multiplication of the loaves and fishes. As a matter of fact we have a little bit less to spend on ourselves. However, I have become much more appreciative of the things that money can't buy–friendships, flowers, sunsets. I definitely trust in God more and this trust has led to a quiet joy in my heart. Tithing has also helped me realize that material goods “stuff” as I now call it, does not make me happy. Bill and I worry a lot less about money and to Bill's delight; I visit the malls much less. These life giving changes are the small miracles in my life. When you give from your heart the rewards are countless and the gifts received are far more precious than gold.

If you already tithe, think about the small miracles that have happened in your life and share them with a friend. If you don't tithe as yet, give it your prayerful consideration and listen for the quiet voice of God that speaks to your heart and give tithing a try. The most important thing to remember about tithing is that it is not about money–it is about a trusting relationship with God who has given us all that we have. As the prophet Isaiah said in today's reading. “If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted then the light shall rise for you in the darkness.” God Bless You.
Molly H.
Faith Community of St.Casimir

Another Perspective on Tithing
Tithing is a practice that I always associated with other religions, particularly Mormons. It wasn't something the Church promoted until I came to St. Casimir.

When I heard the speakers two years ago I told myself to try and keep an open mind. Like most of us I listened thought about it and when I got home my wife, Molly and I talked about it some more. Since I am a person who does things cautiously or gradually, I increased our contribution a decent amount and I never missed it. So I then decided to take a big leap toward tithing and see how it went. It went fine, but something more important happens.

I believe that when you open yourself to the tithing journey, you begin to open yourself to more of God's blessings and love that He has for all of us. We become less selfish, more understanding, friendlier to one another, jealousy begins to wane, material goods take on a different meaning, and more importantly we find ourselves having more time for quiet conversation with God. I guess what I am saying is we become healthier both spiritually and physically.

Change, or old habits,are sometimes very difficult to accept or break, but I think that if you get on the tithing journey you will be pleased with yourself and God will be pleased because you are doing it freely. I think of myself as a work in progress. I am on the way but not there completely because my offerings have come more from my excess than my perceived needs. Please pray for our Faith Community that we will be open to tithing and the benefits it bestows on all of us.
Bill Hubbard
Faith Community of St. Casimir

Thoughts from Our Lady of Grace Parish
We found the first letter from Father Nick and the blessing material very helpful. It made us think of our many blessings and how we take them for granted, blessings like being preserved from the terrorist attacks, our children and their good health, our being together as a family, and the fact that we are both employed. We love Our Lady of Grace and we do our best to help out in things like Vacation Bible Camp, Grace Our Table Ministry, and assisting in our children's Religious Education classes. The Annual Offertory Renewal seemed reasonable. My first reading of Father Nick's letter found me saying, "Oh, here we go again. The church is always asking for money, but on reflection, I realized we could meet the challenge of increasing our weekly giving by one percent of our household income. We began to think of ways to do it, simple things like making a cup of Cappuccino at home, instead of spending $3.00 for it in a coffee shop. With some very simple cost saving measures we could find a weekly increase of $10 easily enough. You get used to what you give to your church and, as your salary goes up each year, your offering to the church does not. We find that if we don't plan to give, we will end up giving what's left over. It shouldn't be that way with the works of the Lord.
Bill and Myrna D.
Our Lady of Grace

More Thoughts from Our Lady of Grace Parish
After reading the first letter from Father Nick, we felt grateful. The little exercise made us think about all of our blessings - our family and friends, health, jobs, and our parish. We really can't imagine having a better life. One of the strongest ways that we are blessed is our involvement with Our Lady of Grace. We feel welcomed here. We believe we are amongst people who have similar values to ours. And what a wonderful experience it is to know we are part of a community that reaches out to the surrounding community. By reaching out I believe we are making a difference in our world. How fortunate we are to have so many opportunities to share in our time, talent, and treasure here. And then we received the second letter from Father Nick. Well there it was. We were being asked to assess how much we were currently giving and consider increasing our contribution. We were being challenged to give in proportion to the blessings that the Lord has bestowed on us. How much were our blessings worth to us? We discussed the matter and came to a decision together. We had the usual issues - bills to pay and things to save for. We also have the newer expense of tuition at Our Lady of Grace School. We saw challenges, but not obstacles. We decided to answer the call and raise our contribution by the 1% that had been requested from us. Talking about finances can turn into a volatile situation for us, but I was surprised that our strongest feeling was one of grace. The event was not as stressful as I had originally anticipated. God was definitely present throughout our decision-making process. We would invite each of you to make stewardship a way of life by being good stewards of your time, talent, and treasure. Become involved in one of the 58 parish ministries here at Our Lady of Grace It's a situation where the more you give, the more you get. We also invite you to look at your offertory as a response to your blessings and put your faith in God.
Jim and Michele R.
Our Lady of Grace