In the last line of today’s Gospel from John 14 Jesus says in effect, “If you love me, I will reveal myself to you.” It’s true, God reveals God’s self to us in many ways and if you look hard you’ll see it happening all over the place
It’s like the angel walking down the street with a torch in one hand and a pail of water in the other. So, someone asks. “So, what’s with that? The angel tells him, “With the torch I’m going to burn all the mansions in heaven and with the pail of water I’m going to put out the flames of hell and then we’ll see who really loves God.”
And isn’t that the way it goes? There are those who do things more out of either fear of punishment or hope of reward than out of love. If anything, if you don’t do it out of love it won’t work. It will only make you resentful.
On the other hand today I want to talk to you about an opportunity
to do something that doesn’t have to be nor should be done out of fear of penalty nor with the hope of reward, or for that matter should it be done with the hope of striking a deal with God. What I want to talk to you about today is something that if given in the right spirit can make us all the more grateful for what others have, simply because we’ve shared a little of what we have. And yes, as you do that God will reveal himself to you in ways that may even surprise you. That’s the joy off it.
Today we are launching our annual stewardship drive. As we prepare to enter our 167 -year as a parish family you are invited to make or renew your commitment to support the work and mission of St. Victoria.
You can do so with your pledge of financial support which you can indicate by filling out the commitment card found in the pews. Pass them down as needed. Know that whatever the gift is that you make it will help us provide the resources we need to continue our mission, to be a parish family that reaches out as the face and hands of Jesus. Thank you for your commitment card. It will support the work you make possible by your generosity.
In addition, as I mentioned two weekends agon when I informed you of my decision not to sell the land, that if all of us roll up our sleeves, we can tackle the remaining $700.000 debt. Once that is out of the way, we’ll be able to get to the work that God is calling us to do all the sooner.
I want to say without even asking, several of you have already come forward with gifts of 1000 dollars and some even more. If you felt the call to do if you were to join them with a gift of the same amount the debt that has hung over our heads for so long will be gone in no time, hopefully within the year.
What Jesus said to his apostles he says to us. “If you love me, I will reveal myself to you.” May the God of all consolation reveal himself to you in the loving generosity you offer to this parish. Thank you for all you do.
