Jesus Wants Us to Be Holy

Oct 28

October 30th, 2022

Jesus Christ: the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

In reference to helping his parishioners to grow in holiness, a good priest friend of mine says, “I can’t make anyone do anything, all I can do is offer.” He’s correct in saying that a priest can’t make anyone do anything: unlike the government that can make us pay taxes, serve in the military in wartime, force us to send our children to anti-Christian government schools because they won’t let our tax dollars follow our kids to Catholic schools, etc. With that said, my priest friend’s statement would be more accurate if it was: “while I can’t make anyone do anything, God has entrusted to me the responsibility to try; through example, instruction, inspiration, and warning, to help people grow in holiness.” If you know me at all, then you know this is something I take to heart.

I want you in heaven, I also want your loved ones in heaven. In order for the latter to happen, we need to work on being holy, for others are affected by our example for good or ill. Perhaps you’ve heard this saying: “Give me a holy priest, and I’ll show you devout parishioners; give me a devout priest, and I’ll show you good parishioners; give me a good priest, and I’ll show you so-so parishioners; give me a so-so priest, and I’ll show you bad parishioners; give me a bad priest, and he’ll show his parishioners the way to hell.” To be fair, those statements apply to all of us: “Give me a holy spouse and I’ll show you . . .; Give me holy parents and I’ll show you . . .; Give me holy grandparents and I’ll show you . . .; Give me a holy parishioner and I’ll show you . . .” What each of us do with our lives has a profound impact on our relationship with God – and the relationship others have with God – whether we can see it or not.

Serving God through His Church with our time, talent, and treasure, is a blessing and responsibility that Jesus Christ has bestowed upon each of us. The blessing is in our own sanctification: we receive in the measure we give; there is no greater joy than communion with God, and eternal life with Him. The opposite is true too; there is no greater misery than separation from God, especially in the life to come.

Your parish staff and I pour ourselves out to provide you with opportunities to serve God, and I am grateful and inspired by those of you who respond by volunteering your time, talent, and treasure; some of you significantly! For those of you who are good stewards of Our Lord’s Church, thank you so much. Your sacrifices are doing you and others more good than you realize.

Yet I am perplexed by the lack of response from the majority of Catholics. For example, we have Mass seven days a week – how many who can, take advantage of it? Confessions three days a week – how many take advantage of it? Rosary starts 20 minutes before every Mass – how many take advantage of it? Multiple programs throughout the year for parents and grandparents to put their children and grandchildren in, yet how many kids don’t show up? With dozens of different opportunities to volunteer in the parish – how many take advantage of even one?! God is watching us my friends, and so are our loved ones who ignore God, yet depend on our sacrifices to keep their worldly souls from falling into hell.

You and I were made to be saints, for Jesus says, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt 5:48. One day when we get to heaven, if not before, we will be saints. Yet many will not make it to heaven if people like us don’t do what we can to share our faith through our time, talent, and treasure in this life. That’s not an exaggeration. In heaven we will be made aware of all the souls that made it there because of the sacrifices we made for our faith and the Church in this life. Likewise, we will be made aware of all the souls who didn’t make it (potentially our own) because of our poor example and lack of effort. If God is our highest priority, and He should be, then shouldn’t our day planners and checkbooks reflect that?

Stewardship is the practice of considering and treating all things on earth, including one’s own life (time, talent, and treasure) as belonging to God; and oneself as the manager or ‘steward’ of all that belongs to God. [Mt 25:14-30, Lk 12:42-48 & 16:1-13, 1Cor 4:1-2, 1Pt 4:10] God gifts us, not the other way around, with the stewardship of His Church for His greater glory and the salvation of souls. And this is a precious gift that we can only take advantage of this life, not in the one to come.

If you are registered at Holy Redeemer, you received a letter last week introducing you to this year’s annual stewardship drive. Please take the time to read it and fill out the stewardship brochure. We have a very active parish, yet it takes all of us contributing to make Our Lord’s Kingdom a reality here and now at Holy Redeemer.

At Mass we took the time, if you hadn’t done so already through the mailing we will sent you, to sign-up for some of the ministries and activities that would help you and others grow in their faith. Please prayerfully consider committing to at least one thing; more is better, yet at least one thing.

Of course stewardship is also about tithing. The Church would simply cease to exist without one another’s financial sacrifices. Money manager Dave Ramsey says, “Tithing was created for our benefit. It is to teach us how to keep God first in our lives and how to be unselfish people. Unselfish people make better husbands, wives, [parents], friends, relatives, employees and employers. God is trying to teach us how to prosper over time.”

Prosper into eternity, and help others while we’re at it. God has given us everything, and is so generous that he lets us keep 90% – yet 10% belongs to him. Please remember to continue moving toward Our Lord’s expectation of a 10% tithe of your annual income to his Church: 5% to our parish, 1% to the Annual Catholic Appeal, and 4% to other Catholic charities. If you are not already at a 10% tithe, then take a 1% step this year toward that goal; for example: if you’re currently giving only 1% of your annual income to the Church, commit to increase that to 2%, if 9% then 10%, etc. We receive in the measure we give. Trust God. He will take care of you.

Again, I would like to thank all of you who do give in so many meaningful ways. The varied ministries at Holy Redeemer attest to the sacrifices that many of you have already made for so many. It is because of your sacrifices that we have been able to grow our opportunities for discipleship at Holy Redeemer Parish. Please renew your commitment to the stewardship of the Church and Holy Redeemer Parish by volunteering your time, talent, and treasure; and continue to grow in your faith and to help others grow in theirs. I thank you for your continued stewardship of Holy Redeemer, and the Church at large.

May Almighty God Bless You,