As you know, I enjoy movies and two that I recommend are UNPLANNED which you can find on Netflix, which deals with abortion. A very powerful message. The other is a movie currently out on the big screen: HARRIET. It’s about freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery and led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom on the Underground Railroad just before the Civil War and all that tension.
There’s a scene in the film where Harriet is running away for her own freedom. She goes to an African American pastor named Reverend Green who gives instructions on where to go. And before she leaves, he tells her “Fear is your greatest enemy. Trust in the Lord.” That’s a great line not only for her, but for all of . . . our greatest enemy is fear.
The gospel reading today seems to be about fear and the end of the world. As we wind down the Church year, the readings always seem to be about doom and gloom. But actually the gospel is not so much about the end of THE world, but the end of THIS world. The real message is for people of Jesus’ time to consider stopping their normal way of life and to enter into a new world, a new chapter, a new time.
Rather than being a scary message, it is actually a comforting message. That is, to put an end to the way that you are currently living your life, put away your fear. Put closure to the worry and “woe is me” mentality. Enter into a BETTER DAY, which is the theme of our seed mosaic right here.
Of course we can stay with a “business as usual” mentality and stay with fear. For if things are working for you, go ahead do things as usual. I recently received a tip on how to cut down on your Christmas gifts expenses this year . . . when you are at your thanksgiving meal, bring up politics! I guarantee that you’ll have less people to buy for.
Stop doing those crazy things!
But if you want some things to improve, that is, to get better with relationships or with your life . . . maybe this is your time to heed the gospel. Put an end to your old way of living. “Fear is your greatest enemy. Trust in the Lord,” as the movie quote says.
We have been doing that as a parish, specifically in how we try to be KIND (i.e. welcoming to all) and in how we are generous (i.e. collecting money to help out those in need. I invite our Finance Coordinator, Tammy Creasy, to come up and give us some details.
[Tammy comes to ambo to talk about recent budget items.]
Of note is that not only have our donations to other charities and organization increased, but so has our regular collection. That is great news.
This weekend, we invite all of you to make a pledge for kindness and for generosity.
Activist Jacoby Ballard, notes that generosity is an important practice for communities:
Generosity is a response to injustice . . . we know in our hearts that there is a different way to be, a different way to live. Our generosity with one another is indeed resistance to the greed and fear that oppresses us. We provide for one another out of love for each other and love for ourselves. When we give, we acknowledge that all beings want to be happy.
Your giving allows us to give. And in giving you also receive. I know this to be true due to the biblical notion of TITHING. [I invite Tammy to say a few words about her personal tithing.]
All your contributions are valued. Everything you give is an investment in the future of our parish and the future of the Catholic presence in this area. We also thank you for the volunteering that you do, the time that you share with us and the generosity in giving to the Capital Campaign. Remember, your goal for tithing does not include you contributions for the new church. That is a separate cause, but still worthy.
I invite you to pass out the Yellow Sheets at this time. These sheets are copies of the bulletin cover of last weekend. We ask you to make an intentional contribution for 2020. Your giving is not to be merely a “whatever is leftover” in my budget, but intentionally giving back to God.
10% is the goal, with 5% going to the church, 4% to all those other great charities and 1% to the Diocesan needs.
Now, please pass down the PLEDGE CARDS and pens. We ask that every household fill one out. Figure out the commitment that you can make to our parish for the calendar year 2020. Then tear off the smaller portion to keep for your records. In a bit we are going to invite all of you here to proceed to the back of our space to commit yourself to KINDNESS and GENEROSITY. There is a large banner that we want all of you to sign (even little kids). We are all in this together.
[All sign]
Notice that on every bit of currency we have (dollar bill or coin) there is a phrase on it. Go ahead look at a coin or bill. It says, “In God We Trust.” We pledge ourselves to do that very thing . . . trust God.