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It is important to remember that every good thing
that we possess in this life is nothing more than a gift from God, a
gift for which we should feel profound gratitude. As our liturgy says,
we should always give thanks to Him, "the Father of Lights," from Whom
comes "every good and perfect gift."
Our pledge to our Stewardship Drive will, in
essence, return to God the fruit from the gifts He has given to us. It
will assist our Church's mission of teaching the word of God to all who
hunger for it. Moreover, our personal commitment of our time, resources
and talents will serve as our anchor to Christ and help to lead us to
greater spiritual fulfillment.
The proportion of the gifts we commit should stem
from the love and concern we have for our Church, our willingness to
make personal sacrifices and our ability to recognize the needs of the
Church even beyond the local level. Each of us must determine our
response according to our love of God. Then, and only then, will we
discover the true meaning of Christian Stewardship.
We all need to give. Without giving, we can never
grow. Some give until it hurts. Others give until it feels good. But
underlying either approach is the basic premise that the blessings God
has bestowed upon us demand a loving and generous response.
St. Paul wrote: "The point is this: he who sows
sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will
also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do as he has made up his mind,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8
And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that
you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance
for every good work."
The greatest gift that we will ever receive is the
gift of God's only begotten Son. In the midst of all the frenetic
busyness and materialism of modern life, let each of us pause and
consider the question that should be uppermost in our minds: in the face
of God's most holy and magnificent gift to us, what can we offer Him in
return?
If you have not given for
Stewardship, please sign up today.
If also you have not pledged for the building fund please do that also.
We need your help!
And you need to help! |
