Read: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”
Reflect:
This part of Paul’s second letter to Corinth is encouraging the church to take up a collection for the church in Jerusalem, which had been struggling under famine conditions. In fact, Paul also just casually happens to mention what a great job the church in Macedonia had been doing with THEIR collection goals, and wow, he’s just SURE Corinth will be able to do the same. It’s transparent manipulation, and it was probably effective. Nothing quite like a little civic competition to increase engagement!
But just the same, Paul is careful in his admonishment. He has great faith that God will provide abundant blessings to those who give, but he knows that not everyone shares that depth of faith. So he asks that they give what they can give cheerfully—carefully considered, after conversation with God and one’s own worries. And that’s what we hope for from St. Clarians as well—consider your own needs, consider the needs of the church, consider the blessings that can be spread into the world by the application of money (for alas, money still does make this capitalist world go ‘round), consider the blessings that might return to you. And pray—not only for your own discernment and that of your fellow parishioners, but for God to guide church leadership in creating a 2026 budget that uses our funds wisely and compassionately.
Pray:
Holy One, we know that all we have comes from you. Guide us in the right use of your blessings so that we may help those blessings increase on the earth. Preserve us from loving wealth for its own sake, but instead teach us how to use our wealth as a tool that helps us in the tasks you have set for us. In your most precious name we pray. Amen.