The Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, B November 11, 2018
Fr. Albert St. Peter’s, New Iberia
Money. Everyone needs it. Everyone wants more of it. But, no one likes it when the priest talks about it. It’s probably one of the most off-putting things a priest can do: talk about money from the pulpit. Well, I hope you’ll forgive me because that’s exactly what I’m doing. I don’t exactly enjoy the subject either, but I didn’t bring it up; Jesus did.
So, let’s not focus on what I think about money. See what our savior says. We know that he condemns greed. We know that he told many people to give away all they have and follow him. We know that he chose to be poor, that he asked us to follow his example. Yet, he also has followers who still seem to be rich, like Joseph of Arimathea.
Really, Jesus is not all that concerned with the money itself. Just last week, Jesus told us to love God with our whole hearts, minds, souls, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Though this might seem obvious, I’ll say it anyway. Jesus is really only concerned about love. Money only matters in relation to love.
And an important part of love is trust. In the first reading, the prophet Elijah does something pretty obnoxious. Right after this woman tells him that she is about to starve to death, he says “feed me first.” Really? How is that a loving thing to say to a poor person? Because even more than a drink and a bit of bread, what he wanted from her was faith: trust and love of God. Her wealth, or lack thereof, was only incidental to the equation. The measurement that mattered was not flour or oil, but a love of God that is also trust in God.
We aren’t told how much the rich people are offering in the gospel, but Jesus seems unphased. If Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos were to give a billion dollars to the Church, do you think Jesus would be impressed? I don’t. In fact, I know he wouldn’t because he says so right here. For all the good Fr. Blanda and I could do with millions or billions of dollars, it means very little for the rich person who gives if it’s all excess anyway.
No, Jesus is impressed by one thing and one thing only: love. The Temple in Jerusalem was literally decked out with gold. A vine-shaped sculpture made of pure gold – a probably weighing hundreds of pounds – used to decorate the front of the Temple. As the heart of Jewish culture, the Temple was the economic center of the country and always plenty rich. With such wealth, another pound of gold didn’t mean much, much less the two cents that the poor widow dropped into the collection.
And isn’t it absurd for this woman to make herself destitute by contributing a paltry sum to an organization that is rich and – as with any religious organization – full of corruption? In an instant, Jesus goes from saying “watch out for the greedy scribes” to praising a woman for giving all she had to the very people he’s warned about. What gives? Love, love is what gives and that’s why Jesus praises the giving that comes from love.
Like the widow with Elijah, this widow loves God and trusts him. For all it’s faults, the Jewish religion was the true religion established by God. For all it’s limitations, the Temple and the Priesthood were the official representatives of God. She knew and Jesus knew that giving to the temple was not about giving to corrupt men, but giving to God despite the corrupt men, not to mention all the honest priests and scribes who really did use her money in service to God.
Jesus is not interested in the numbers, calculating risk and reward. He tells us to love and he knows that the way we use our wealth – the way we spend our money – is usually one of the best indications of what we love. Money is nothing but a tool, an instrument. If it is used in love of God – by contributing to the needs of his church – or used in love of neighbor – by providing for those in need – then it is good. Otherwise, it is meaningless, no matter how much there is.
So, what am I saying to you? That you have to give money to us? Not to us personally, but to the Church. It’s not for my sake and not for Fr. Blanda’s. Some churches have a tithing requirement and even require you to submit tax returns to prove you are giving ten percent. The Catholic Church does not have a minimum giving requirement in order to be a member.
In all seriousness, I don’t look at who gives how much. Fr. Blanda and I both avoid looking at the records unless absolutely necessary. It’s just one reason that the Pastor isn’t the one doing the bookkeeping. As parishioners and as God’s people, all of you have a claim to our service, period.
How much you give, however, does matter to you. Your generosity is an expression of your love and your trust. It’s not about the amount, so never let anyone guilt you for not having more to give. The Church does not specify an amount or even a percentage. Tithing 10% is biblical and not a bad rule of thumb, but it’s not strictly required. The precept says you should contribute to the needs of the Church. It doesn’t even say you have to contribute money, but you do have to contribute something. Still, if you have money, then you should contribute money, even if it hurts.
Look, I get it. Why trust us? Why trust the bishops, especially now? I’m not saying you have to. In fact, please do hold Church leaders accountable! That’s why we are required to have a finance council. Still, it’s not about trusting us with money. Whether you personally give or not, the Church will survive. Maybe with less parishes and programs, but she will endure. What matters is your love. I hate talking about money, but money talks and what you do with it says a lot about who you are and what you love.
Giving money to St. Peter’s is a risk and giving money to the diocese is a risk. I’m not asking you to trust us blindly. We publish what we do with the money and you are right to hold us accountable. But no one, no one is right to think they can control the Church with their money. Or hold the truth hostage with their offerings. Each of us must answer to God for everything we do, including how we handle our money. The timing, placement, and amount you give will be up to your conscience, so I can’t really be more specific. And maybe the parish can afford it if you don’t give, but the real question is this: if Jesus is so proud of this widow and her two cents, can you really afford not to give?