We cannot gather in our beautiful church because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to be in our domestic church - our church of the home. On the LA Archdiocesan website, www.lacatholics.org, there is a list of things we can do at home each day of Holy Week. The suggestion for today, Holy Tuesday is to tithe or give to our parish. I wondered how that suggestion could draw me into the journey Jesus is taking on these holy days. Tithe? How can this suggestion draw families with young children to Jesus?
Many years ago I heard a pastor of a small Christian church give a sermon on tithing. It blew my mind! He talked about how God asked that we tithe in Scripture. We had our Bibles and would go to the different verses this pastor directed us to. Tithing is not about sacrificing out of my love for God, it is about trusting in God's love for me. Tithing is not about me giving God part of my blessings, it is about me thanking God for my blessings. Tithing = Trusting God + Thanking God
God knows trusting in His love isn't always easy for us. He knows our thoughts aren't always thoughts of gratitude. Out of truly knowing us, God asks us to tithe, to help us grow in our trust in Him and to be thankful. As a family talk about what it means to really trust God, especially in the face of what we are living through right now. Then make a commitment to begin each day with prayers of thanking God, either together or on your own. And as a family, grow in your trust in God by tithing. Let your children know that together you are giving your church money to show your trust in God's love.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus and His disciples are around the table of the Last Supper. Jesus speaks of one who would betray Him, who we know is Judas. Judas was the treasurer. He took care of the money Jesus and His disciples had. In yesterday's Gospel reading Judas got upset that Mary, Lazarus' sister, anointed Jesus' feet with perfumed oil. He said it should have been sold for lots of money. Judas didn't trust Jesus. Judas was not grateful for Jesus. Again, I don't believe in coincidence. The suggestion for us to do this Holy Tuesday is to tithe - give to our parish.
Remember, Tithing = Trusting God + Thanking God.