The Sunday of Last Judgement (Meatfare)

Meatfare Sunday, also referred to as the Sunday of the Last Judgment, announces that we are one week away from the beginning of Lent. The Gospel reading provides us with many examples where Christ has illustrated that when our brothers and sisters are in need and we fail or refuse to help them, we are failing and refusing to help Christ. “Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”

St. John Chrysostom in his Homily LXXIX on Matthew 25 says… “And in return for what do they receive such things? For the covering of a roof, for a garment, for bread, for cold water, for visiting, for going into the prison. For indeed in every case it is for what is needed; and sometimes not even for that. For surely, as I have said, the sick and he that is in bonds seeks not for this only, but the one to be loosed, the other to be delivered from his infirmity. But He, being gracious, requires only what is within our power, or rather even less than what is within our power, leaving to us to exert our generosity in doing more.”

God asks us to provide for our Church through the Stewardship of Time, Talents and Treasures but God also reminds us that to be gracious “requires only what is within our power” – we must give freely from our heart, unconditionally and in any way that we can to help our Church, those in need and the many ministries that our parish provides.

Great Lent and Humility

On Sunday, February 5, the Gospel reading about the Publican and the Pharisee focuses on humility. In reflecting on these verses, we are asked to consider which person do we typically act like? Are we humble in our actions with family, at work, with fellow parishioners?

In Father Alexander Schmemann’s book entitled Great Lent-Journey to Pascha – he says “Humility – be it individual or corporate, ethnic or national – is viewed as a sign of weakness, as something unbecoming of real man. Even our Churches – are they not imbued with the same spirit of the Pharisee? Do we not want our every contribution. every good deed, all that we do for the Church to be acknowledged, praised and publicized?”

God asks us to consider our Stewardship through prayer and focus on how we act as Stewards with all He provides. This should be done with humility, between the Steward and God. The key is that our Stewardship should be done secretly, without fanfare, without attention, without recognition, without a pat on the back. Human nature places us in a position to look for acceptance, to feel good about what we do, to have others look at us favorably. But all one needs to focus on is whether what he or she does is pleasing to God.

Matthew 6:1-4

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Reflection from a Parish Priest…

A parishioner recently inquired, “Father, is there any sort of financial support system in place for a small older parish such as ours to turn to in an emergency?  Or what about if we needed to do some major repairs or renovations?  Is there anyone we could ask for help?”

This is a question that gets to the heart of Stewardship.  The True Cross (crux) of the matter, if you will.  In a parish with a healthy understanding of Christian Stewardship, we understand that God has blessed us with our local parish, and given it to us to care for it until His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.  So, in essence, the question is a little misguided.  We should never be looking for the outside world to care for our responsibility.  And yet, don’t we do that every single time that we have a fundraiser, or a benefit banquet,  or a dance, or a bake sale?  I know what the parishioner was asking:  what if we can’t support ourselves anymore?

The answer may be a little complicated, regarding when the Bishop gets involved, and how the Diocese helps out struggling parishes (which, yes, does happen on a regular basis!)…but ultimately, there is not anyone else that we should be asking.

When we place God first in our lives, He provides the means for us to ensure that He is glorified in His Creation.  Didn’t He give the man with five talents the wherewithal and ability to make five talents more?  Didn’t He give the “shrewd” steward the talent to make something happen when his back was against the wall?  Of course He did!  And He does the same for us–even in the bleakest of circumstances.

If we find ourselves asking the same question as the aforementioned parishioner, maybe it’s time for us to put God first in our lives.  Maybe it’s time for us to become regular participants in Christ’s Body and Blood.  Maybe it’s time for us to make the first line-item in our monthly budget our Church commitment–instead of the left-overs.  Maybe it’s time for a Christ-centered life!

Great Lent and Our Desire

We very soon will begin the preparation period before Great Lent (referred to as the Triodion) with Zacchaeus Sunday. As we reflect on the Gospel reading, it focuses on Zacchaeus’ “desire” to see Christ – as a man of short stature, this desire led him to climb a tree. As we approach Stewardship, we also must ask ourselves what our desire is related to the support of our Church and the various ministries it is responsible for?

St. Dorotheos of Gaza’s reflection on giving says… to bear one another’s burdens, to give alms and the like is well pleasing to God not when a man acts mercifully on account of some human consideration but because the act is good in itself… The thing is perfect when a man gives alms without meanness or reluctance, without despising the recipient… giving freely as if he were receiving, doing a kindness as graciously as if a kindness were shown to him.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic says… He to whom material wealth is given, and shows himself to be selfish, hard, proud, merciless and godless, to him spiritual wealth cannot be given.

Our Stewardship is a reflection of our spirituality and our faith and as we begin to prepare for Great Lent, let us reflect on our Time, Talents and Treasures and identify areas where we can “give freely” to support our Church.

Resolutions and Stuff!

New Year’s Resolutions (a reflection from a parishioner)

As I sat down to focus on my personal goals for the New Year, I pulled out one of the four computers that sit in my home (not including the two that the children have, the iPad and the Nook -or- the cell phones with full capabilities as well) and began to create a list of items that I wanted to review… my Orthodox faith, exercise and nutrition, career goals for 2012, family vacations, etc. Then I stopped to think about whether I wanted this review on paper, my Google calendar or should I download a really cool app that tracks my goals for me.

Then, I stopped and thought about my parents… they didn’t have all of this stuff. No cell phone, no computer, no book reader, no HD TV, no iPod with wireless speakers (they had a stereo that actually was a piece of furniture) and what really made me think was that they got through life without all of the stuff and all of the expense, time, and processes necessary to manage it. Then, I thought, what did they do with their time, how did they communicate, how did they socialize? During the 60′s, the Church community was the focus – they were at the Church often and in most cases, they were giving of their Time, Talents and Treasures.

Their time was spent working at their jobs, with their families and at Church (I remember the Christmas bazaars when I was a kid)

They communicated the old fashioned way – a conversation, a letter or a phone call
They socialized through activities related to the Church… weddings, baptisms, the Pascha banquet
I look back now as I reflect on my life (and as I receive another text from my daughter) and wonder, maybe the simplicity wasn’t so bad… maybe it provided the time we needed to be involved with our family and with our Church. My parents set great examples for me but I didn’t realize it until now. With all the Church provided for them, they knew it was necessary to support the Church. Whether for their Salvation and the Sacraments or simply breaking bread and having fellowship with another parishioner – they set the example for Stewardship.

Simplifying my life, getting rid of the stuff and focusing even more on my faith and Stewardship suddenly became the only resolution for 2012.

God is and always will be here for us – are we here for Him?

Many parishes are embracing Stewardship at a moderate pace, but without Stewardship, we would not be able to support Christ’s Church and the many ministries it provides. Our opportunity for salvation and eternal life is given by God through the death of His Son for our sins.

As our faith spread in the early days of Christianity, Jesus selected Apostles to do His work and spread the faith as He realized that more could be done with a larger group. First twelve, then 70 and then thousands. We read this in our Bible and the many Scriptures related to the Stewards who supported our faith by helping the Apostles… they provided a meal, opened up their homes, gave clothing, poured a drink of water and tended to those who were ill. Stewardship is not new but has been practiced for over 2,000 years and continues to be the best example of our unconditional love for God and His Church.

God has never and will never turn His back on us – our salvation is possible through the Church and its Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and Holy Confession. Let us not turn our backs on our Church but fully support it so that we all can do His work while here on earth.

We can’t emphasize enough the funds necessary to support the Church (and yes, the topic of money and financial support does come up often), however, we all must ask where does everything we depend on within our parish come from? The Sacramental Wine, olive oil for the vigil lights, electricity for air conditioning in the summer, children’s activities throughout the year, cleaning services to beautify the Church, heating during the cold winter months, the gas and utensils necessary to support the activities in the kitchen – all of the items and functions that we know will be there for us to partake in and enjoy when we come to Church on Sunday or for that special service or celebration of a Saint.

Once again, we really must focus on our support so that the many ministries the Church provides can continue.

God’s Bounty to me… is everything in my life!

What shall I render to the Lord, for all His bounty to me?  I will lift up the Cup of Salvation, and call on the Name of the Lord… (Psalm 116)

So many times, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we forget that “every good gift and every perfect gift” is from God. All of our hard earned treasures.  All of our time.  All of our talents.  All of every single thing we consider to be “ours” is from God and belongs to God.

A man was illustrating this very point not too long ago.  One of his friends was very well-to-do agnostic, and they always maintained a playful banter about the role of God in life.  As is tradition when visiting the friend’s house, the man always brings a gift.  This time, however, he decided that his gift would be a lesson in God.

 Approaching his friend’s house empty-handed, upon entering, he very casually walked over to a beautiful Tiffany lamp in the foyer, unplugged it from the outlet, turned to his friend and said, “Check out what I have for you!  A beautiful Tiffany lamp.” His friend, thinking that he had truly stepped off the deep end, replied sarcastically, “Uh…thanks…for giving me my lamp?”

At this point the man began to explain just what his gift meant.  “You see,” the man said, “anything that we give to God is already his to begin with.  And yet, rather than sarcastically saying thanks, God rejoices with each and every thing we offer Him.”

 This is why we sing the 116^th Psalm.  It is a succinct example of the fact that everything we offer to God comes from Him.

 May our Benevolent and Perfect Giver bless us with the ability to emulate Him in our giving.  May He solidify our understanding that He has given us everything, and strengthen our resolve to freely offer to Him all that is His:  our everything!