My dear brothers and sisters,

          As you heard last week we are in a difficult bind as regards our Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA).  As of the latest update, it was brought to my attention that there were 69 donors in St Lucy Parish, achieving just 18% of our assigned goal.  I am very grateful to them.  I know that we are all living in challenging times and for most of us a financial struggle is part of our lives.   But I do also know that there are many who can help us out, but for some reason do not.  Please know, I am not taking your generosity for granted, but I do believe that we can achieve this goal, because we have always achieved our goal.

          At the very foundation of generosity is the fact that God has created everything.  God is the rightful owner of everything—we own nothing. Mankind was created to manage all that God places in our hands, and we have to make a decision to be a good manager or a bad manager. God is looking for people who will be good stewards and manage what he has given us according to his commands.

          At the heart of Christianity is giving. “For God so loved the world, he gave . . .” (John 3:16). We are never more like God than when we give.  When we give generously and sacrificially, it’s not because God needs anything, but because we want to show our love for him. Giving is an expression of obedience, yes, but also of gratitude, trust, and increasing joy. God seeks out and recognizes those who worship him.

          When we give from our heart, we increase the circulation of abundance and love in our lives. If we feel diminished when we give or we give grudgingly, then the gift is not truly given. Anything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given. The monetary value of the gift doesn’t matter; it is the intention behind your giving and receiving that is the most important thing.

          True giving means giving to God with no expectation of return. True giving is a marker of real faith, because though we are giving to a person or organization we can see, we are doing it in a surrendered way that signals our deep mind and heart to a God we can’t see.    My friends, I leave you with this truth: Giving expresses the mindset of Christ, giving demonstrates the fellowship of the gospel, and, giving is a fruit of spiritual growth.

With every good wish,

Rev. D. Brian Horgan PhD

Pastor