Readings for
All Saint's/Stewardship Sunday
Matthew 5:1-12
11/06/2005
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
My hope is not based on some kind of optimistic mind-set which sees something positive in all situations (e.g. cheer up, look at the bright side). My hope is based on the undeviating reliability of God's power working through the created order to transform lives. "Behold, I am making all things new." This is the promise of the New Testament. I have hope because there are still people in the world who, in spite of all odds and forces in society, are willing to be marked as Christ's own forever. Today we will witness "hope in the making" as Alicia's parents set her aside to be marked as Christ's own forever. Whenever we make or reaffirm baptismal promises, we are basically saying: My life no longer belongs to me but to Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. This means that God becomes the center of our universe, not our own desires, passions, and egos.
To be marked with the sign of the cross implies an obligation to resist those values in the world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God. To be marked with the sign of the cross implies an obligation to be conformed to the likeness of the crucified Lord- to love as he loved, to give as he gave, to obey as he obeyed, and to be prepared to accept the consequences. To be marked as Christ's own forever means to see the world as God sees it: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." [Mt. 5]
As we promise to support Alicia in her life in Christ and as we renew our own baptismal covenant, we become agents of hope. Hope is engendered when a group of committed Christians promise to continue in the apostles' teaching, to break bread together, to persevere in resisting evil, to repent of wrong doing, to proclaim by word and example the good news in Christ, to seek and serve Christ in all persons- loving our neighbor as ourselves, and to strive for justice & peace & the dignity of every human being. This is such a hopeful posture in a world wracked by cynicism, selfishness, fear, and injustice.
So, is there any connection between our baptismal promises and stewardship? Yes. There is a big connection. When we are marked as Christ's own forever, it means first and foremost that our lives belong to God. When we truly understand this intimate connection, giving generously of our selves and resources becomes a way of life, not a duty or an imposition. We give generously because we have made a commitment and this commitment offers hope.
Fifty-one years ago, I was marked as Christ's own forever. I don't remember that day (except through photographs) because I was only two months old. But by the time I was seven years old (under the watchful tutelage of the Church) I knew that my life belonged to God and not to myself. Since that time, I have had periods of faithfulness and periods of self-centeredness. During those years when I remained faithful to Christ, my life seemed to have more meaning, more peace, and more joy. During those years when I became self-focused and made selfish choices based on my own passions and desires, my life seemed to become more chaotic, darker, and somewhat nebulous. It has always been easier for me to share my gifts, my talents, and my time in serving others. But it has been much more difficult for me to give generously of my money to the mission and ministry of the Church.
My "giving history" began as a little girl. Each Sunday, my mother would give me ten cents to put in the plate. As I became older and earned money of my own, I increased my giving to $1.00/week. When I became more active in my church community, I began to give $5-$10/week, which was about 1.5 % of my salary. Then one day, I offered to drive a fellow parishioner to a retreat center in Marin County. Jean was an older woman: large, extroverted, and somewhere in her early 80's. She was always thanking God during the prayers of the people for the many blessings in her life. She was very generous in giving, both of herself and of her money. I thought she was rich; one of those well-to-do San Francisco retirees. As I drove up to her home to take her to the retreat center, I noticed that she lived in large apartment building, not exactly in the best part of the city. But as I entered the lobby, I realized it was a more like a boarding house. When she opened her door, I was shocked. She was living in a tiny, one-room studio, shabbily furnished and poorly painted. It was an eye-opening experience for me. The truth of the matter was, she was living on a meager pension, yet felt so blessed and gave so generously. It was then I realized that generous giving was a spiritual matter, not a financial matter.
From that year on, I began to tithe the first 10% of my salary to the Church. Why to the Church? I give the first fruits of my labor to the Church because it is the only institution whose primary mission is raising up disciples of compassion. Raising up disciples of compassion is a source of hope to me and to the future of the world. My standard of living is determined not only by what I earn, but by my tithe to the Church and my additional giving to other charities. It is a blessing to have hope and to give until it feels good.
| Updated 11/15/2005 |
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