What's In The Offering?

Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from October 9, 2005

"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son." Matt. 22:1

"WHAT WILL THE NEXT LIFE be like?" "How will it be in heaven?" This question often raises anxiety. Jesus' favorite image of the Kingdom of Heaven is the wedding banquet.

A wedding reception is a time of love, when family and friends share in a couple's joy. It is a time of sharing, food, good wine, music, song and dance. Usually gifts are exchanged. In some ways this is close to what the Eucharist is: Christ's love is celebrated with similar elements of a wedding feast. The church is called to image the coming Kingdom. This joy is not just for ourselves. We are called to share our love with the whole of our society, especially the needy. The task is to prepare our world through the promotion of love for a heavenly feast to which all are invited. "Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.. They gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.:Matt 22, 10

For the parish of St Charles to pursue this mission we need members. By being here you have already answered a call. Let's think of our Mass-going less as a guilt motivated obligation than a joyful invitation. "Happy are those who are called to his supper." There are 16 members of our RCIA process who are seeking full membership in the Catholic Church though this parish. Last weekend 1, 500 of you signed cards indicating your desire to belong. Three hundred of you said you wished to become registered members!

Beyond members we need disciples, active members. At Our Ministries Fair, 165 people joined our corps of volunteers, assisting with our ministries in the areas of social justice, liturgy education, community life and many other programs.

Disciples share time, treasure and talent. With regard to treasure, I have already reported to you that on one weekend recently you donated over $60,000 to St. Charles, $40,000 for hurricane relief. This remarkable expression of solidarity would be impossible for any of us individually, but demonstrates what we can achieve when we all band together.

The parish will consider our regular offertory program over the next week. You will receive a brochure informing you on the parish's finances. We ask you to reflect on how you are sharing God's blessings in an ongoing way. Have a look at the circumstances of your life. First of all, if you used to have a good salary but are recently retired and living on a fixed income, you may want to reduce your weekly donation. If you have established a pattern of giving when you found your first job and lived in a one-bedroom apartment, and if you find yourself in better circumstances now, you may want to adjust the amount of your weekly gift.

Fr. Tony Casey a former pastor here and a good friend used to tell a yarn about a little Scottish boy. He was given two three penny bits by his grandmother as he set out for Sunday Mass. One coin was for sweets and the other for the offertory basket. Tripping along the lane in Glasgow on his way to church, he was tossing up his coins in the air, when one dropped and disappeared into a manhole. He clenched the remaining three-penny bit in his fist, raised the other hand to the clouds and said, "Sorry God!"

As well as a review of our changed circumstances we need to check our priorities. Where do we spend our money and how does our spending reflect our values?

Let us pray over these questions this week and be ready to make a new commitment next weekend.

Come to the feast! The work of the kingdom is not for the chosen few, the clergy, religious and special laity, it is a task for all. I know each of you will respond to the invitation to share in the banquet of life and love and the wider call to bring that feast to all who are in need. Come let us build the Kingdom. Thy Kingdom come.