Money in the Church

Fr. Michael Gillis 

Money. Why does the Church talk about it so much? Shouldn't we focus on spiritual things instead?

Well, there are two answers to these questions. The first answer is that the Church is both a divine and a human institution. As such, the Church - like any group, club, or organization - needs money to pay its bills and its staff. The Church in North America has no source of income except the donations of its members. If the members do not support the Church, it will go bankrupt.

But the second answer is more important: Christians give to the Church because giving is one of the main ways we show by our actions that we are indeed Christians.

A short look at the New Testament confirms this fact. For example, more than half of Jesus' parables in the Gospels mention money. There are the widow's two cents and the stewards' talents; the rich man and Lazarus; the servant forgiven a great debt; and the woman with ten coins, to name a few. In addition, Jesus discusses such money matters as paying taxes, counting costs, and storing treasures. Then there is the rest of the New Testament. In Acts 4-­5, giving money is one of the ways the Holy Spirit (not man, but God) distinguishes between true and false believers. Moreover, in most of St. Paul's letters, he mentions giving generously. It is St. Paul who quotes Jesus as saying, "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).

God speaks so much about money because money is the stuff of which material life is made. In this world, our spiritual life has no form of its own. Our spiritual life is revealed by what we do with our material life. Someone may say, "Love is more important than money." These words sound noble and are easy to say. But their proof is not in the words, but in how he spends his money ­especially in relations to the ones that he says he loves. A man is either deceived or lying if he says that he loves his family, but spends his money on his own pleasures while his family lacks adequate food and clothing. If we cannot deceive our families by empty words, how can we deceive God?

Everyone cannot give the same amount. Some are richer, some poorer. This is why God has established a fair plan of giving so that the burden is spread out evenly. This plan is called tithing. Tithing means that you give ten percent - ten percent of a lot or ten percent of a little - and it is one of the most spiritual things a person can do. In fact, I think many people pray harder when they write out their tithe check than they sometimes do in church. Tithing requires faith - faith that God will make up the difference, faith that the Mother of God will intercede for our needs, faith that God sees our sacrifice and knows our needs. However, along with tithing comes one of the greatest promises in the Bible:

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing, that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, " says the Lord of hosts " (Malachi 3:10-11).

This is the only place in the Bible in which God invites us to "try" something to see if He will or will not keep His promise. God invites us to try tithing to see if He will do two things. First, God promises to bless us, both materially and spiritually. Second, and this one is the most exciting, God promises to rebuke the "devourer" or the destroyer (satan) on our behalf. That is, God will rebuke who­ever or whatever attacks our business and investments or destroys our hard work.

 This is an awesome promise of God, and Christians for two thousand years have accepted this challenge and experienced God's blessing. However, God is not a businessman; He is our heavenly Father. God is not offering us a contract that can be manipulated. Rather, as our loving Father, He wants to teach us the principle of giving generously by faith and receiving His blessing in return. God wants to teach us to take a small risk, a small step of faith, so that we can learn that He truly is watching us and is eager to bless us in return.

Jesus Himself makes this promise: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38). I urge you to accept Jesus' words. Take a chance, trust God. Try and see if God will not keep His promise and bless you.