Tithing Reaffirmation Weekend

This weekend our parish reaffirmed its commitment to tithing as a means of stewardship and discipleship.  Here are the talks from this weekend:

Witness Talk – Susan & Don Pyatt

We are Susan and Don Pyatt and we are proud members of Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish and family.  Father Bateman has asked us to speak to you today to briefly share with you our personal experience since we made our commitment to tithe.  Perhaps like many of you, we understood the definition of the word “tithe” but never truly considered it to be a “Catholic” practice…until the presentation by the McKenna Stewardship Ministry in September 2009.  Suddenly, the word “tithe” took on a whole new meaning…a life of its own…a spiritual life. 

We admit that this whole idea of committing to the concept of tithing was very scary indeed.  Let’s face it….when we talk about money, we are talking about our basic survival in this world.  It is how we put a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, clothes on our backs.  And shamefully, in this world, it has become the only yardstick by which we measure our self-worth.  So we discussed, we argued, we fretted and we prayed…..how can we do this, can we survive this, is this right for us? You see, at the time, we were a one income family instead of two.  But finally, agreeing that if we take our relationship with God seriously, then we must take this step.  Because we are so much more than the money we make….because it is a total affirmation of our trust in God.  And because it is right and just. 

And so now, two years later, we can stand here and tell you that it was the best decision we ever made and the blessings just keep on coming!  A few weeks after we made our decision to tithe, we became, once again, a two income family.  We are now a “Catholic” couple as Don came into full communion with the Church in April 2010.  We have a new found freedom that has lessened our money anxieties and raised our spirits!  And, as hard as it may be to believe, we have given up nothing financially….and it feels like we have more…like the loaves and fishes….miraculous!  It is right and just.  Don and I will be forever grateful that God brought Father Bateman to this place and that Father Bateman gifted us with tithing….to completely and unconditionally trust in God in all things.  God Bless you. 

Tithing Talk – James Clement

            Hello, my name is James Clement and I want to share with you my tithing experience and how it has helped me grow closer to God.  There has always been a presence of tithing in my life. I first learned about tithing from my parents, but the terminology they used was charity and almsgiving.  Dad would always give the youngest child in our family the envelope to place in the offering basket at Church.  Even though it was not really my money, he allowed me to participate in his giving.  That is the first principle of tithing: what we are giving is not really ours but ultimately God’s.  We owe our very being, our existence, and thus all that we possess to Him.  He doesn’t even charge interest!  In fact, he only asks for 10%, the first 10%.  In this way, we can participate in God’s charity and giving just as my dad, in a sense, gave me the opportunity to participate.

            I decided that when I made any amount of money from any source, I would give 10%.  My first true opportunities came 6 years ago when I helped a friend with a paper route.  It wasn’t much of an income, but it was a start.  The beginning was sort of rough.  I would usually give the last 10% or less to God.  Though this was not a perfect tithing, God saw my desires and blessed me with a mowing job the following year that paid better.  This time I would give the middle 10% or so and usually a week or two after I made the money.  Still, I was getting better and God saw this and blessed me with a job to detail cars with a friend, which I still do by the way, on top of the mowing.  By my senior year in high school, I had 3 lawn jobs, animal sitting jobs here and there, and detailing cars here and there.

            Since seeing God working in my life and blessing with more income, every single time I received any money, I immediately saw it as an opportunity to give 10% away, a way to help someone in need.  My tithing would consist of 5% to the Church, and 5% to charity.  Charity being any cause that helps one grow closer to God: Pregnancy Ministries, Pro-Life Ministries, or a family who is financially hurting, just to name a few.  This giving needs to come from a good, infinite desire to help someone else and to give glory to God; it does not seek attention from others like the Pharisees in the streets.  I placed complete trust in God.  He has repaid the favor 10 fold each time and it wasn’t necessarily a financial reimbursement.  In fact, the best gift God has repaid me has been in my spiritual growth.  I grew closer to God and learned to place all my trust in God.  I attribute this tithing for spiritually and mentally preparing me for the death of my mother 6 months ago.  All seemed lost and I felt at times unable to continue on.  I asked myself, “When do I wake up?” and “Will our family or even I be able to push through?”  But I continued to place my trust in God even in the moments of doubt, what else could I do?

God answered, and he answered most generously.  My family grew closer together.  I was offered a full time 8 to 5 job this summer internship with Penn DOT.  I was still able to go to World Youth Day which had a tremendously positive spiritual impact on my life, more than I had originally expected.  College does not seem so overburdening anymore, and in fact, I love my classes.  I accepted the position of Sophomore Retreat Leader, which has a huge load of duties on top of school, extracurricular activities and work.  But I was thrilled to accept the position and secretly wanted an opportunity like that.  I am not overwhelmed anymore.  I still have my small worries, but peace has come into my life!  I see God in everything and everyone I meet, even if it’s small.  These are just a few of the many abundant blessings God gave me and in return, I want to keep giving more and more so God can keep surprising me!

How are we supposed to give?  That’s the second principle.  Each person will be able to give in different amounts and in different ways according to one’s capacity.  Do not worry; there are plenty of unique ways to give.  If you consistently pray to God, talk with Him, and ask for guidance from Him and others, the tithing will become good habit instead of being observed as a burden.  It will take time and it may be hard to adjust at first, but once you do and do so with a genuine heart with complete faith, God will work wonders in your life even in the roughest of times.  God will never give you more than you can handle so long as we ask for his help.  Jesus tells us not to be afraid.  Furthermore, scripture tells us that God will never be outdone in generous.  This is the only time you can, and rather are encouraged to test God, with a good heart of course.  So go ahead, give the first 10% and test God to out due you in generosity!  I attest to this truth!  Let go and let God.

Tithing Talk – Andrew Knepper

“Death itself died when life was slain on the tree.” What a powerful statement, right? This statement is actually my favorite antiphon in the Divine Office. While it is just a few words, it carries a great deal of meaning and complexity. In fact, I believe this antiphon perfectly sums up our great faith. It's about Christ dying for us so that we may have eternal life. It's about perfect love defeating all of the evil we, as sinners, have ever committed. Ultimately this antiphon is the paramount mystery—or paradox—of our faith. It's so important, in fact, that it's the first Glorious Mystery in the Rosary!

Of all of the mysteries that our faith holds, I've found a common denominator among them. And Scripture tells us this little tidbit of knowledge, too. What is this tidbit of knowledge? Well...If we give of ourselves, then we receive so much more in return. Just think...

v      if we give our entire being to God, we receive eternal life.

v      if we give ourselves totally to our spouse, we receive the fruits of sweet love.

v      if we give our time, talents and love to friends, we receive the gift of friendship

v      and the list goes on and on and on...

Well, there is another area—an area that has impacted me a great deal—in which we also can give of ourselves. And this is through the giving the gifts of material wealth to God. Now, this of course seems to be a tall order, but hear me out...  I first heard about tithing from one of Father Bateman’s homilies while I was in college. I remember Father Bateman emailing all of the college students asking us to read THIS homily because it was particularly important! Well…being a college student…I procrastinated. One day, I finally opened up Father Bateman’s email and decided to finally read his tithing homily. I didn’t exactly treat this homily with an open mind at the time—I didn’t think it applied to me—because I was a poor college student! Makes sense, right? Well…I soon found out that tithing is much different than I thought and the great thing about it is that it helps us—all of us—no matter our current state in life!

Father Bateman’s words inspired me to begin tithing. And in college I “started” although I was far from practicing it perfectly. When I graduated, I decided that I would try much harder to practice tithing…and I did. After I took my first full-time job, I started to tithe. This experience has been one of the most important of my life….Let me explain:

Tithing has allowed me to grow towards a more virtuous life. Technically all of MY money is really God’s money, but tithing has allowed me to share some of my portion with our Church and with those organizations who lend a helping hand where it’s most deserved. Tithing, in a nutshell, has allowed me to think less about me and more about my brothers and sisters in Christ and most importantly about God. Tithing has allowed me to tear down the material bonds that encompassed me for many years. I personally believe that tithing allows us to realize that there ARE needs beyond our own and as soon as we come to this realization, we reach a whole new level of spirituality.

Since I have started tithing, I have gained a new outlook on life. No longer am I focused on my plans or what I can do for myself. Now, tithing has allowed me to open my heart to God’s eternal call to communion with him and all of the great things that come with this journey. I’ve also realized that I am completely dependent on God. Without God, I am nothing. I’ve realized that if He does not will my next breath, then I will die now, in an instant. But dependency on God is a beautiful thing. There is a piece of art that depicts Christ, holding a lantern, knocking on someone’s front door. But there’s a catch! This front door has no door knob on the outside but only one on the inside. What does this mean? As Scripture tells us, we have to invite Him into our lives. And tithing has allowed me to do this more perfectly. I am truly free and able to live my life in the light of Christ and according to His will.

In closing I want to return to the antiphon that I mentioned earlier: “Death itself died when life was slain on the tree.” This paradox signifies that Christ gave Himself—all of Himself—for us. And He is now asking us to give of ourselves to receive His love and redemption. After all, this is what our Faith is all about. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that tithing will help you enter more fully into the mystery of our faith. It will allow you overcome the burdens of materialism while allowing us to materially (and spiritually) support our Church and our brothers and sisters. I hope that as you go home today you will consider the spiritual fruits of tithing and will take this small step that will yield great eternal rewards.

FROM THE PASTOR – September 25, 2011

I offer my thanks to our parishioners (Andrew Knepper, Susan & Don Pyatt and James Clement) for taking time from their families to share their personal experiences with us.  I know you’ll be inspirited as I have been.  They have volunteered to share with us today how stewardship has had a profound impact on their lives.  You know them – they are part of our parish family – and they are evidence of how our response to God, difficult though it may seem, opens us up even more to God’s great gifts.  They will be in the rear of the church after Mass to answer any questions you might have for them. 

   Today in our country, the Catholic Church continues to depend on all kinds of fundraisers for support.  Despite all the effort, it never seems adequate.  That is why I’m re-presenting, for your consideration, an approach to Church support that has its foundation in God’s inspired word.  We call it “God’s plan for Giving.”  And I truly believe that becoming a tithing parish has been the backbone of our parish’s spiritual growth and life.

Tithing in the Bible… Tithing is mentioned more than 40 times in Scripture.  Many Old Testament stories recount how God asked that the first ten percent of the land’s produce be set aside as a sign of gratitude for His goodness.  The early Church didn’t have a tithing system, but as it grew, so did its material needs.  Gradually, the Old Testament model of tithing was adopted.  A number of regional Church Councils and finally the Council of Trent made the “tithe” Church law.  With the later separation of Church and State, the law of tithing was abandoned.

And Today… In our time, the difficulty of raising funds for the growing needs of the Church has led to a modified and voluntary system of tithing.  Since 1977, more than 1000 Catholic parishes, most of them east of the Mississippi River, have become tithing parishes.  For example, my former parishes of Sacred Heart in Lewistown and Saint Jude in Mifflintown, Saint Joseph’s in Hanover and Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Palmyra.  And we know the impact that our introduction of tithing two years ago has had on our own parish!

What is a Tithe?  The word tithe means tenth.  A tithe is the first tenth of a wager earner’s income regardless of economic situations or forecasts.  As I heard one person put it: “Tithing means equal sacrifice.”  It’s giving back to God something God gave in the first place.  Tithing is not any tenth; it’s the first tenth of one’s income – salary, dividends, interest – income from any source.

How Does Tithing Work?  Five percent of one’s income is given to God through the parish church.  The other 5% can be used for the Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal, Catholic school tuition, care of one’s parents, special diocesan collections, and your own favorite, private charities.  The spirit of tithing, the most important part of the program, means giving to God, not to me, your pastor, or to this church.  And it means giving to a point of sacrifice, for the word sacrifice means “to make holy.”  The spirit of tithing means not caring what anyone else gives.  It is spiritual giving in every sense.  What you give to God is between you and God.  The ideal tithe of 5% to God’s church and 5% to His other words can best be explained by an example:

If your income from all sources before taxes is $300 per week, the 5% Sunday Mass offering would be $15.00.  You might give the other 5% to private charities, parish school tuition, and diocesan extra collections. 

Tithing is really very logical.  Everything we have comes from God, and when we give back the first 10% of our earnings, we’re saying to Him, “Thank you, God, for letting me use the other nine-tenths!”

What Are the Benefits to the Tither and to the Parish?  You know from our own parish experience over the past two years that when a parish adopts this method of giving, its spiritual and material status is greatly improved.  There are even entire Dioceses where, after adopting tithing, every child attends Catholic school free of cost – the stewardship of all the people of the diocese makes a Catholic education possible for anyone who wants it.  While I don’t know that that will happen here at St. Andrew’s tomorrow – it IS possible.  But what tithing will immediately do for you, individual, is tell you what God expects.  But the most important thing is the spiritual effect.  Tithing helps establish a proper sense of values.  It helps us to remember that God comes before all else and that everything we have comes from Him.

What Do We Do Now?  Nothing.  Just listen with an open heart and mind.  No one will ever call on you to ask if you are tithing; you will never be asked to sign anything.  If you have already embraced tithing as a way of life, thank you for hearing and responding to the Lord’s invitation – I’m sure that you can resonate with our witnesses today.  If you have begun, but with less than a full tithe (10%) – I invite you to trust completely in the Lord – He will never abandon you.  If you have yet to implement the idea of tithing your lives, the Lord invites you to today to recognize, as Saint Paul says today, that we must “do nothing out of selfishness… looking out [only] for our own interests.”  Rather, have the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.  Seek God’s will through earnest prayer.  And when you pray, please remember that the true purpose of tithing is to secure not the tithe, but the tither; not the gift, but the giver; not your money, but you – for God.