This is a key aspect of incarnation: that the Lord God made visible in this here and now world his eternal Word of Love... in the flesh and blood of Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord Jesus was not purely spiritual being: He worked in this physical world; he worked for his living, as a teen and as a young man, supporting his mother in their needs and responsibilities.
We live in this world as disciples of the Lord Jesus. We, like our brother Paul, are called to spread the Light by reflecting the Light. With Paul and the Lord Jesus, we follow God's way in the real world, as workers, making our way.
St. Paul was a tentmaker. He worked to make his way in the world, just as you and I do. Though he was completely dedicated to the call of evangelization, to spreading the Light of Christ to all, our brother Paul needed to work, to seek an income. Aside from those that live on alms as a dimension of their spiritual call, the great majority of Christians work, using the income received for necessities and for all else.This is a key aspect of incarnation: that the Lord God made visible in this here and now world his eternal Word of Love... in the flesh and blood of Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord Jesus was not purely spiritual being: He worked in this physical world; he worked for his living, as a teen and as a young man, supporting his mother in their needs and responsibilities.
We live in this world as disciples of the Lord Jesus. We, like our brother Paul, are called to spread the Light by reflecting the Light. With Paul and the Lord Jesus, we follow God's way in the real world, as workers, making our way.
This parish and this Archdiocese are not purely spiritual entities. The Catholic Church in Lilburn and throughout north Georgia must secure funds to carry on the work of Christ. YOU are the means... YOU provide the funds necessary to keep this wonderful parish family and the Archdiocese of Atlanta alive... and capable of serving the Lord as instruments of His peace.
At every Mass today, we will watch a DVD prepared by the members of Archbishop Wilton Gregory's Chancery staff. We will be asked to commit ourselves to Archbishop Gregory and to the ministries of the Archdiocese through the 2008-2009 Archbishop's Annual Appeal. We will make this commitment at next week's Masses (18-19 October).
In the same way that each of us must work for our livelihood, so each one of us must offer financial support to our parish and our Archdiocese... if we hope to keep the work of Christ alive and bearing much fruit (John 15.5).
My friends, I ask that you join me in the biblical principle of tithing, by following the recommendation of our Archbishop:
- to offer 5% of your income to the parish family of St. John Neumann
- to offer 1 % of your income to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal
- to offer the remaining 4% of your tithe to our Building a Legacy of Faith project
Our parish is expected to offer our fair share to the financial needs of the Archdiocese. If our parish pledges and pays more than what has been asked of us (our fair share), then we will receive back every dollar over the set goal. But if we fail to meet the goal set for us, then I will have to take the deficit out of our operating budget... the budget that pays for our staff and for our programs and for our facilities. If every one of you reading this column offered that biblical tithe... 1% of your income for the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, we would see a great return. And if everyone of you reading this column offered 5 % of your income to the parish and 4% of your income to our BLF project... then we would see the extraordinary abundance of the Lord... building all we need for a future of faithful living.
We are not purely spiritual beings. As followers of the Lord Jesus, we are called to live in this world, hoping to build the Kingdom promised us, always depending upon his grace. As members of this parish family and this Archdiocese, we are called by the Lord God, to support the work of his Church... in the commitment of a portion of our income... to the work of bringing all to Christ. Join me in this... to be faithful to the Lord's call.
AMDG
Msgr. David Talley
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