Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Browsing From the Pastor

The Difference Between Reacting and Responding

    We all know what it means to react. For many of us, we begin the day by reacting to an alarm clock that goes off. We react to the weather by dressing accordingly. We react to getting bills by paying them in a timely way. Many of our reactions are impersonal.

   On the other hand, responses are more personal. Someone invites us to a party and we respond to the person(s) who invite us. Another is in need and we respond to that individual as we are able and willing to do this.  

   The Lord is the initiator of all things. He takes the first step in reaching out to all persons. God reaches out to us day in and day out, not on the basis of what we deserve, but because of His loving concern for us in our neediness. He gives without expecting to be repaid in the manner in which He helps us.

   We are created in the image of God. One of the highest ways in which we can express our gratitude to the Lord for all that we are and have is by imitating Him. A powerful way of doing this comes to expression in the way that we relate to the money that has been entrusted to us. The Lord frees us to be responders rather than simply be reactors in regard to the finances that have presently been entrusted to us.

   We are invited and empowered to imitate God in His generosity towards us by resolving to give to the Lord through the Church from right off of the top of what we receive. In this way, we acknowledge the Lord to be the Source of all that we are and have. Giving in this manner enables the Church to continue its unique mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to explore and share its implications for our lives.

   Based upon our experience that God’s love for us is consistent and not sporadic, we will want to reflect this in our financial giving. On-line giving promotes this. For those who do not give in this way, we are invited to express our gratitude by giving on a regular basis, whether it be weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually, as many of us are already doing.

   In the Scriptures, we are offered a goal for which to shoot in expressing our gratitude to the Lord with our financial means, namely 10% of all that we receive. For those of us who are not there yet, we might prayerfully determine a percentage of our income to dedicate to the Lord this year. Then, each year, we might increase our giving for the Lord’s work by a given percentage until we arrive at 10%. For those who have already reached this level, let’s not stop there.

   Fruits of giving as responders rather than as reactors to the Lord include the following: 1) We will discover that in regard to money matters, things fall into place in our lives as individuals and as parishes. We will have the financial resources for what the Lord wants to do in and through us. 2) We will greatly reduce and hopefully come to eliminate the need for fundraisers in our Parishes.  3) In regard to money matters, we will grow in the ability to be at peace with ourselves both as individuals and as parish communities.  

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Nelson Beaver - Pastor

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