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October 22, 2020Our first and most important identity is we are sons and daughters of God. All that we are – all that we have – is all a gift from God to us as his children. He has created us in his image and likeness, which means not only that we look alike and have his dignity, but that we are, indeed, his children.
Genesis says that God has created us in his image and likeness (Gen 1,27), but in Genesis also we see that this really means that he has made us his sons and daughters (Gen 5,3).
Not only are we sons and daughters of God, but he makes us trustworthy to give us all that we are and have. It is not enough to know that we can trust God, we also must know that God trusts us, as his children. And, since he believes in us, he has entrusted us with everything we have and everything we are.
We are nothing but stewards of the many blessings of God. We are stewards of the gift of being parents, of the gift of being mothers, of the gift of being sons and daughters, brothers, friends, husbands, wives. Stewards of our own life and talents. Stewards of our time and stewards of our treasure.
Even the material goods we possess are a gift from God. They are his and we are only the stewards to whom God has entrusted their care. His love for us is so great that he not only makes us his children, but literally entrusts us with his most precious gifts. So, we can be good and faithful stewards.
As we realize this reality, the best and only way we can fairly respond is with gratitude. That is the reason why the Eucharist means thanksgiving. Because we come to him in thanksgiving for the gift of being his children, for the gift of our whole life, our family, our blessings in general. All of our blessings.
Gratitude is the minimum gesture that would be expected of a son or daughter who has received all kinds of gifts from God. And gratitude is demonstrated with acts of love and sacrifice. It's the best way to show someone that you care and are grateful to them. Loving him back and with concrete gestures of love.
My brothers and sisters, when we come to Mass on Sundays. We come to thank God our Father who has made us his children worthy of his trust and entrusts us with all that we are and have, so that we can be good stewards. That is why we come to offer our gratitude with acts of love and sacrifice.
In Spanish, we mistakenly refer to the offering at Mass as almsgiving (limosna). Like giving leftovers. Like giving to someone in need in the streets. But, what we should really bring to Mass is an offering. A sacrifice. A concrete gesture that shows our Father God how grateful we are as his children worthy of all his trust.
Historically, Hispanics have had problems in the way we relate to the money that we offer to the Church. Historically, we are children of a mission Church. We never understood that an act of love is repaid to with another act of love. We have believed that we should not give to the Church because the Church does not need it. However, we do not give an offering because the Church needs it, but because we need to say thank you to God and show it to him with a concrete gesture and sacrifice. It is not giving to a need but having the need to give – with genuine gratitude.
The next time you come to Mass, make sure you don't leave your house without having meditated, in prayer and in honesty, “How can I show the Lord my gratitude?” “What will be the amount of my offering?” Teach your sons and daughters the value of generosity. Giving them a coin to throw in the basket is not enough. Teach them the value of giving, to be generous, to give in gratitude.
We are in a time of pandemic and many families struggle when it comes to having secure jobs and income. Your parish is going through a similar situation. But, above all, you need to show God your love and gratitude as a good son and daughter who understands that love is repaid with love. Literally.