Means or End?

When it comes to Orthodox Worship, particularly in this Lenten Season, there is usually only one question that all Priests dread hearing – “What time is Holy Communion?”  Our response is most often something to the effect of, “The Divine Liturgy begins at 9:30am.”  Why is this question so bothersome?  The first reason is that we, as Orthodox Christians living in the world, are being influenced by society’s drive for instant gratification.  This is seen in everything from faster communication to fast food.  The Church however, is not McDonald’s, and Holy Communion is not served in the “Drive Thru!”  It takes time to properly prepare, consecrate, and distribute the Holy Eucharist, and this brings us to the second reason.  In our rush for “good” time management and usage, we overlook the importance of the experience.  We habitually confuse the means with the end.  Holy Communion is not an end in itself, but rather a means of union with Christ, and the full impact is lost when removed from the context of the Divine Liturgy.  Our time spent in spiritual preparation during the Divine Services in not just something we have to go through to get to the end, but an important and integral part of the whole experience.  In other words, this time spent is not just “cost,” but “investment” – a solid investment in our spiritual lives!

Let us use the example of the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, conducted on Wednesdays (and sometimes also Fridays) in most Orthodox Parishes during the period of Great Lent.  In the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, there is no consecration of the Eucharist.  It is basically a prayer service that serves as a vehicle for the distribution of Holy Communion.  Many of our people look at this service (either choosing to participate or not), and see just an extra opportunity to “get their commune on” by receiving the Eucharist via this shortened format.  This is a gross misunderstanding of the entire purpose for which the Church offers us this service.  The Pre-Sanctified Liturgy makes use of an additional Amnos (Lamb, or Eucharistic Host), which is consecrated during the full Sunday Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil.  Therefore, there is a built-in connection with the celebration of the complete Divine liturgy, in its entirety, that presupposes the faithful’s participation!  In other words, the Pre-Sanctified is an extension of one’s full participation in the complete Divine Liturgical celebration on Sunday, not a short-cut or a substitute.  It is an additional opportunity for us to prepare ourselves to participate in God’s Divine Grace.

What does this have to do with Stewardship?  Aside from the important point made concerning Time investment above, this can also be translated to our use of Talent and Treasure as well.  This is particularly poignant for those who make a one-time “Stewardship” contribution in a given year.  These “donors” are missing out on the opportunity to connect their sacred giving to the ongoing experience of their spiritual journey.  It’s like celebrating Pascha without going through the period of the Triodion, particularly Great Lent and Holy Week.  It’s about the journey too, not just the final destination!  If you take the time to prepare and participate in the process, Pascha will mean so much more, and so will your Stewardship.  That’s My Two Cents!

Spiritual Connection

“The accomplishment of any worth while goal requires the one who desires its achievement to increase their effort significantly at some point in order to succeed.”  In other words, as human beings (unlike machines), we need to periodically refocus, rededicate, and redouble our efforts in order to successfully accomplish our heart’s desire.  This is precisely the opportunity that the Church provides us with in the Triodion.  We are not called to “give something up” for Lent, as our Western Christian brethren proclaim.  On the contrary, as Orthodox Christians, we are offered the opportunity to regain what may have been lost, set aside, or ignored over the past year – namely, the very presence of Christ, and His Coming Kingdom!

The Fathers of the Church have provided us with Three Great Pillars of Lent, to be erected on the foundation of Jesus Christ, in order to construct our own glorious Temple dedicated to God.  These Pillars of Prayer, Fasting, and Works of Charity are neither ends in themselves, nor solely sacrificial in nature.  They are not items to be checked off a list, as if their accomplishment (in whatever form) makes us “good little Orthodox Christians.”  They are however, tools that can assist us in getting back on track spiritually.  They also have a direct connection to our Stewardship, in that they represent a purposeful and productive adjustment in how we use our Time, Talent, and Treasure.

Time is, as we know, the most precious resource that we possess.  When we choose to spend our Time developing a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer (both personal and corporate), we in effect, strengthen our Stewardship.  When we choose to use our Talents in various means of Fasting, we can’t help but deepen our Stewardship.  When we choose to designate an increasing portion of our Treasure for Works of Charity within the Church, we make great spiritual strides forward in terms of our calling to be good Stewards.  When we choose to follow the Church’s guidance, and combine all three in a concerted way during the Triodion, the spiritual results and rewards become truly exponential!

The Church, in her infinite wisdom, great pastoral care, and exceeding loving-kindness toward us, does not expect us to make these spiritual adjustments overnight.  Rather, our Holy Mother Church draws us steadily closer into her sweet and loving embrace, until she deposits us into the very outstretched arms of our Savior Himself.  This steady increase is exemplified in not only the escalating Fasting regimen that we spoke about last time, but especially in the Gospel Passages of the first three Sundays, and how they connect directly to our Stewardship.  The first Sunday presents us with the Pharisee, who although was tithing (giving 10%) of everything he received, missed out on the blessings of his actions because of both his hardness of heart, and condemnation of his brethren.  The second Gospel tells of how the loving Father gave half (50%) of his wealth to his son, and then received him back again (even after he squandered it), showing that our true inheritance cannot be depleted.  The third Sunday describes how we are all to be held accountable before the Judgment Seat of Christ by providing (or not) for the needs (100%) of our fellow pilgrims.  These images draw our minds to an ever-increasing understanding of our total reliance on, and complete responsibility for, the gracious gifts that God pours out upon us.

The Church reminds us through both these Sacred Passages, and the three Pillars of Lent, as well as their connection to the expressions of our Christian Stewardship (Time, Talent, and Treasure), that everything belongs to God, and we have been given the great blessing of participating in His Grace, right here, right now, through this magnificent period called the Triodion!  This period of the Triodion is not only an opportunity for us as individuals to experience spiritual growth, but is also part of our collective corporate Stewardship within the Church.  May your Stewardship journey toward our Lord’s never-ending Pascha continue to be blessed, both this year, and in years to come, but for now, that’s My Two Cents!

Stewardship Overload?

After reading the title of this article, you might be saying to yourself (or more probably, hear others around you saying), “Now hold on just a minute!  Not another piece on Stewardship!  Haven’t we heard enough already?  We get it!  We are not giving enough, and the Church wants us to give more!  If I hear the word ‘Stewardship’ one more time, I’m going to go crazy!  All this Stewardship talk is starting to turn me off!  I just want to come to Church and hear something positive that will help me grow spiritually!”  How did I do?  (Scary, isn’t it?)

After all this time, if you think that Stewardship is just a new way for the Church to get more of your money, then I’m afraid you have misunderstood entirely.  Stewardship is not a gimmick, or a way to trick you out of your money, or even a tool to make you feel guilty.  It’s technically not a program, or even a philosophy.  I wouldn’t even say that it is a way of life, but rather, that it is the only way to live!  Stewardship is the Authentic Orthodox Christian Lifestyle, and as such, it is both spiritual and positive!  This understanding is reflected quite clearly during the period called the Triodion, which we enter into this month.

The Triodion is a ten-week block of time that leads us up to, and prepares us for, the greatest Feast in the Orthodox Christian Calendar, that of Holy Pascha.  For those of you who are thinking, “Hey, isn’t Great Lent only 40 days?” – You are not mistaken, but that is only a part of the Triodion period of preparation.  The Triodion begins with three weeks of Pre-Lent (22 days actually), that include the Sundays of The Publican and Pharisee, The Prodigal Son, Meatfare (Judgment), and Cheesfare (Forgiveness).  Then we enter into Great Lent proper on Clean Monday, which lasts for exactly 40 days.  The Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday are not technically part of either Great Lent or Holy Week, but serve as a bridge between the two.  The Great and Holy Week of our Lord’s Passion runs from Monday through Holy Saturday, so add another six days.  That brings the total time of our preparation for Pascha to 70 days (22+40+2+6=70)!  This means that almost 20% of our Liturgical Year is spent preparing for this Great Feast.  Compare that to the roughly 10% of the year spent in preparation for the Nativity.

Length of time is not the only difference between these two great periods of preparation.  The Triodion also places a greater emphasis on prayer and fasting, with many additional services and a very specific fasting regimen.  In terms of fasting, the Church does not hit us with its full force from the beginning, like a 2×4 upside the head; but rather eases us into the practice, like cooking a lobster, as it slowly turns up the heat.  The first week of the Triodion is entirely fast free (no fasting even on Wednesday & Friday).  The second week is a normal fasting week (i.e. fasting on Wednesday & Friday).  The third week, following Meatfare Sunday, is when we say goodbye to all meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, etc.), but everything else (especially dairy) is still allowed.  After Cheesefare Sunday, we begin our strict regimen of fasting, and add dairy products, fish, and oil & wine to the prohibited list.  The Church does relax the Fast (a little) on Saturdays & Sundays (allowing oil & wine), as well as certain Feastdays (fish on Annunciation & Palm Sunday).  It is important to consult your Spiritual Father before beginning any fasting regimen, to determine what is best for you!  What does any of this have to do with Stewardship?  Ah, that mystery will be revealed in Part II next week, but for now, that’s My Two Cents!

Barriers to Spiritual Growth

I have never been much of a runner.  Although I played Big Ten College-Level Rugby at the University of Iowa, I was never into running for enjoyment, it was always a fitness thing.  Even today, when I exercise, I prefer the Elliptical Trainer to the Treadmill.  My daughters on the other hand, have both been runners at various points in their young lives.  Mainly they ran Cross-Country, but they also had to participate in the Track Meet distance events as well, and I would go and watch.  The Hurdle Events always held a special fascination for me.  I cannot recall one single Track Meet, where at least one runner didn’t bite the dust, by spectacularly colliding with a hurdle.  It was painful to watch!  On the other hand, with the sprinters running non-hurdle events, I can only recall ever seeing just one girl take a tumble, by basically tripping over her own feet (not my daughter).  My conclusion: you are much less likely to stumble, fall, or have a crowd-horrifying catastrophe, and actually finish the race, if you are running without those pesky waist-high hurdles in your way!  Brilliant, I know.  What does this jog down memory lane have to do with Stewardship?

Well, as we should know by now, Stewardship is essentially the physical expression of our spiritual lives.  Our use of Time, Talent, and Treasure in the world is the manifestation of our Faith through material means.  It is nothing less than Salvation given living flesh, because after all, we are the Body of Christ.  As essentially a spiritual manifestation in the world, our Stewardship is also subject to sin.  As psycho-somatic beings, we understand that sin plagues not only the spiritual self, but the physical as well.  Therefore, in order to obtain the maximum spiritual benefit from our considerable Stewardship efforts, we need to remove all those barriers that keep us from reaping God’s considerable rewards.

This is why our Stewardship should be considered, and dealt with, within the Sacrament of Confession.  That’s right!  Not only asking for forgiveness for not using our material means for our benefit and the glory of God (sins of omission, as well as commission), but seeking guidance from our Spiritual Father as how to overcome those barriers that hold us back.  Sins like greed, covetousness, laziness, anger, and idolatry are like well placed hurdles around the track of our spiritual lives, just waiting to try and trip us up as we run our holy race.  It is only a matter of time before we lose focus for just a moment, catch the toe of our cleat on the hurdle we thought we had easily cleared, and go down with a sickening thud.  One other thing that I’ve noticed from watching hurdles events, is that when a runner goes down hard, they usually don’t finish the race.

It is much easier, and safer, to take the time, and expend the effort, to remove those hurdles from our lane before we are confronted with them in the middle of the race.  Remember, we are not racing against our fellow runners in this case.  The race is with ourselves, and the goal is to finish!  A crown of glory awaits each and every one of us when we arrive, from the hand of the Savior Himself.  By doing our best to remove the obstacles of sin from our path, we can then focus on improving our personal best, as we hit our stride.  Stewardship is not the warm-up lap, but the race itself.  Let us therefore run the race in a way that is not only ultimately successful, but that glorifies God.  We might even find that we can enjoy this spiritual running thing after all.  Happy running!  That’s My Two Cents!

Newness & Renewal

For us as human beings, something “new” always brings with it a certain amount of excitement.  A new technology, a new gadget, a new car, a new home, a new job, even a new diet, all get us jazzed-up.  In the modern world, we have become newness junkies, always craving the next new thing.  The problems begin when the newness starts to wear off.  Suddenly, without any warning, new becomes old right before our very eyes.  This problem of perpetually discarding the used for the new is becoming prevalent in other areas of our life as well.  We create cycles of constantly starting over, feeding our newness addiction, and accomplishing nothing of substance.  In short, we have by and large lost the capacity to follow through on our commitments.  Our new beginnings become a perpetual cycle of dead ends, resulting in a slew of unfinished projects and unfulfilled commitments.

Make no mistake, new beginnings are important, if not essential, for us as human beings, particularly as spiritual people.  We see this most readily in the Sacrament of Confession, where we walk away from the Priest with a clean slate and a renewed commitment to Christ.  The power of this process however, is fully realized in the follow through to our Spiritual Father’s advice.  It is our concerted, consistent action that brings about profound changes and spiritual growth, not just listening to the Priest.  The same experience is felt by those who make a resolution to pray or read Scripture consistently every day, as we should be doing.  Once the newness wears off, how difficult it becomes to consistently follow through.  Our once rock-solid resolve crumbles into a sea of distractions, and we are left with another failed resolution, and all the feelings of guilt associated with such a disaster.

This of course, has profound implications for our Stewardship, financial and otherwise.  How we use our God-given Time, Talent, and Treasure is not immune from this newness phenomenon.  How often do we start off with great aspirations to attend Worship more frequently, and on time; get involved with an important ministry in our Parish; or give sacrificially on a weekly basis; but then after a very short period of time our enthusiasm wanes?  Stewardship, by its very nature, is meant to be a consistent and constant process.  Staying focused and committed however in today’s world of the all-powerful new is, to say the least, challenging.  Is it any wonder that so many people’s “stewardship” is simply a one-time offering?

A life of true Stewardship has the capacity to “renew,” not just be new, an important distinction.  This is why the commitment is so important up front.  Without a solid commitment, all hope is lost for the anticipated follow through!  The battle is over before it is even begun.  This is also why we as Orthodox Christians continually recommit ourselves to Christ.  We were Baptized once, but everything else the Church offers us is intended to either help us recommit, or follow through on that commitment.  This is why the Church asks us to recommit ourselves in terms of our Stewardship every year.  It is for our benefit, so that we may get the most out of our commitment, by being able to follow through with whatever God is calling us to do.  By doing so, we not only renew our commitment to Christ, but He renews our spiritual lives as well.  My sincere prayer is that as this New Year unfolds, you will renew your Stewardship commitment to Christ and His Church, and experience a newness of life, like never before!  Happy Renewal Year!  That’s My Two Cents!

Our Orthodox Christian Tradition

Let me start by saying that what most of us consider Stewardship is really NOT!  The truth is, we don’t understand Stewardship, because we haven’t been taught.  The Church simply hasn’t taken the time, or made the effort, to explain this essential part of Her Tradition.  That is about to change!  WARNING – By continuing to read this article, you will certainly be challenged by it, and it just may change your life!

When most Orthodox Christians hear the word “Stewardship,” they think of the “financial system” that the Church has instituted in order to fund itself.  Like the “dues” of yesteryear, “stewardship” has become some amount of money that we must pay in order to participate in the life of the Church.  How often have families who have not been members for years, coughed up some quick cash, and labeled it “stewardship” so they can have their child Baptized?  This is NOT Stewardship, but rather “dues ala Priceline,” where you can name your own price for Sacraments!

Consistent members of the Church think of stewardship as their “regular” contributions to the Parish.  In most cases, this is NOT real Stewardship
either!  These Parishioners are simply making donations to a tax-deductible charity, in order to receive some sort of “religious” benefit.  It may sound harsh, but what is there to distinguish their contributions made to the Red Cross from those made to Holy Cross?  Those contributions made once (or twice) a year, from our excess income, tiny when compared to our other expenditures, devoid of God’s guidance and input, can in
NO way be considered true Christian Stewardship!

What is Authentic Orthodox Christian Stewardship?  First and foremost, it is the understanding and firm belief that everything, and I mean everything, belongs solely to God.  That’s right!  We own nothing!  You came into this world with nothing, and you will leave it the same way.  What you have in your possession right now will be in someone else’s hands when you’re gone.  In all my years in the Priesthood I have never seen a U-Haul trailer attached to a hearse!  No matter how much you accumulate in this life, you can’t take it with you.  Only God, the Creator of the world, and everything in it, is the One Who truly possesses anything.  Like it or not, this is the truth, the eternal reality.  If you can’t come to accept this you might as well stop reading right now, because the rest of this article won’t make any sense to you.

Now that you have chosen to accept reality, a second question emerges.  What about us?  If everything belongs to God, what is our role within creation?  God has created us to be caretakers, or Stewards, of His creation, which includes the material world.  He has placed the whole world in our hands and given us a sacred responsibility.  As His trusted servants, we are to be accountable to Him, but we will also be rewarded for our service.  The more worthy we are found to be, the greater the reward, and the greater the responsibility.  With your Baptism and/or Chrismation, like it or not, you were enrolled in service to Christ as a Steward.  Now you have a job to do!  The good news is that it’s never too late to start.

You may be asking yourself, “What are my specific responsibilities?”  God has given you a Stewardship over three specific areas in your life – Time, Talent, & Treasure.  All three are gifts from God.  He has first of all given you a certain amount of time on this earth.  You did not determine when you were born, no more than you can determine when you will draw your last natural breath.  Each of us is a unique creation, endowed with particular gifts and talents, specifically geared toward helping us accomplish our mission in life.  All of us have been given, yes given, a certain amount of God’s material resources in order to sustain us in this materialistic world.  Whether you slave away just to get by, inherited a bundle from your wealthy family, or find yourself somewhere in between, there is no doubt that the opportunities present in your life to make money come directly from God.  Be thankful that you are not living on less than a dollar a day like much of the developing world!

After giving us these three abundant blessings, God only has two expectations of His Stewards (3 for 2 – not a bad deal).  First, that we use our gifts wisely, not wasting our Time, Talent, & Treasure.  Second, that we give a portion of those gifts back to Him.  The first expectation is
usually understood fairly easily.  The second however, seems to draw some confusion and cause quite a bit of stumbling in our effort to be good Stewards.

Once you realize that what you “have” really doesn’t belong to you in the first place, that you are just the caretaker of someone else’s goods (namely God), it becomes absurdly easy to give some of it back to Him!  He was even kind enough to give us the Church for that very purpose!  We therefore have a vehicle, in the Church, to offer back to God, in concrete ways, a portion of what He has blessed us with.  For those who have traveled the road this far, the question in your mind right now is, “but how much?”  How much are we called to return to God?

Like most Orthodox Christian Theological and Spiritual issues, the answer is – it depends.  Yes, that’s right; Stewardship is both a theological and a spiritual issue!  We have covered the theological aspect, that part pertaining to God.  The spiritual part has to do with you!  How much is your salvation worth?  How much do you really love God?  Where is the evidence in your lifestyle?  I think all of us would agree that our eternal salvation is priceless by any worldly measure.  Thankfully, that’s God’s free gift to us (no payment necessary).  Our thanksgiving gifts to Him, for all that He has done, and continues to do, have everything to do with our spiritual maturity.

What we return to God in terms of our Time, Talent, & Treasure is the single greatest indicator of not only our Faith, but our faithfulness as well!
Our Stewardship is the evidence of Christ in our life!  Now it is time for you, the reader, to put this into perspective in your own life.  How much time out of each day do you devote to God?  What ministries are you invested in?  How much of your annual income do you contribute to the Church?  Examine the balance sheet of your life in all three areas, and determine if there are things you are placing before God.  Are we unwittingly worshipping temporal idols instead of the One True God?

Authentic Orthodox Christian Stewardship means putting God first.  Putting God first takes sacrifice.  Sacrificially offering back to God a portion of His blessings is our responsibility as Stewards of the Faith.  Take this opportunity to take a fresh look at your Faith, your life, and your Stewardship!  That’s My Two Cents!

There is a Difference!

When it comes to Stewardship (like so many other Christian Practices), people often confuse principles with methodologies.  There is a clear difference.  Principles refer to those timeless, unchangeable tenets of our Faith, that apply to every time and place throughout the Church’s history.  Methodologies on the other hand, refer to the practices of the Church that reflect It’s concrete principles, but are entirely moldable and utterly changeable.  Principles are part of the timeless foundation of the Church, whereas methodologies are the tools which the Church uses to make those timeless truths relevant to each and every generation.  How does this then apply to Stewardship?

Principles

The Principles of Christian Stewardship are part of the Orthodox Church’s timeless and eternal nature.  Because they deal with our fundamental relationship with God Himself, and the world that He has created, they are not up for debate or dispute.  They simply are.  The following three examples are by no means exhaustive, but will give you a solid understanding of what I mean.  First, everything belongs to God.  God Himself is the Creator, and we are part of His creation.  We come into this world with nothing, and we will leave it the same way.  We truly own nothing, and that leads us to principle number two.  We are simply caretakers of God’s estate.  He has given each of us a job to do according to our ability.  He places portions of His property into our hands for us to manage.  This is in fact our primary responsibility as Orthodox Christian Stewards.  We are called to be good and faithful Stewards of everything that God provides us with, leading finally to principle number three.  We have a responsibility to return a portion of what God has given us in thanksgiving to Him, for His magnificent generosity.  God gives us so much, and all He asks is that we give Him His fruit in due season, that we remember Him and His great love for us.  These three examples of Stewardship Principles have applied, and will continue to apply, to every generation of Orthodox Christian, until Christ returns to the earth and inaugurates the fullness of His Heavenly Kingdom.  How these principles are expressed in each particular Parish Community however, may vary widely.  Let’s look at some methodologies.

Methodologies

Like the Principles enumerated above, all methodologies must reflect the timeless truths of the Church.  Unlike the aforementioned Principles, that reflection can be expressed in an infinite number of ways, as long as it remains true to the Principle.  You can think of it in terms of Faith and Praxis.  Our Orthodox Faith is unchanging and unchangeable, forever the true expression of God’s revelation.  Our Orthodox Praxis on the other hand, is constantly growing and developing to meet the needs of the faithful.  One only has to look closely at the development of our Orthodox Worship to see the truth in this.  How does this then apply to Stewardship?  The following are three examples of good Orthodox Stewardship Methodologies for this generation, that while differing from past methodologies, still remain true to their principles.  The first, is the message that Stewardship is primarily a spiritual exercise, and can lead to greater spiritual growth.  In past generations, Stewardship was seen as an obligation of belonging to a Parish.  While that may have been effective in the past, it simply doesn’t work for this particular generation.  Using Stewardship as a catalyst for Spiritual Growth has shown to be particularly effective in this modern consumeristic world.  Second, giving Stewards the freedom to be generous.  In the past, Parishioners were told how much to give (ala dues) in order to belong to the Church.  Today, true Stewardship allows for the faithful to decide not only how much to give, but when, how often, and in what form.  This freedom has been demonstrated empirically to have spurred a greater generosity than was ever believed possible, thus benefitting both the Church and the cheerful giver.  Finally, maximizing the use of technology.  As more and more people routinely pay their bills online, using not only their computers, but their tablets and smartphones as well, the Church should take advantage of these trends.  On my own Parish website, you can not only fill out your Stewardship Card electronically, but also contribute toward your commitment, by setting up recurring payments in any amount, at any interval.  And this is only the beginning!

Conclusion

As you can see, it is important to understand the distinction between Principles and Methodologies.  This critical understanding will enable you to consistently develop Stewardship Methodologies that not only reflect their true Principles, but will be considerably more effective in meeting the needs of both the Church and It’s people.  The freedom to be creative in expressing our Faith, while remaining within the bounds of the Body of Christ, has been one of the greatest features of the Orthodox Church throughout It’s long history.  As part of that living history, we are called to continue to grow the Church, expand It’s ministries, and continually develop new methodologies to reach the world for Christ, who perhaps today more than ever, desperately needs to hear and accept His message of love and salvation.  May the Lord bless all of you with a spiritually rewarding New Year, and for the first time in 2012, that’s My Two Cents!

2012 – Year of Our Lord

Lose weight and get fit…get out of debt and save…get organized and learn something new…spend more time with family…travel and enjoy life – we’ve all been there before.  Are you in the habit of making New Year’s resolutions?  Or perhaps you have given up on the practice, after several failed attempts, claiming that they just don’t work for you.  Whatever your past history, 2012 brings us an opportunity to make a change.  The real question is, will we take advantage of it?  You see, there is nothing wrong with making resolutions out of a genuine desire to improve ourselves, and life around us.  The problem is usually the type of commitments we make, and just how committed we actually are (not very) toward implementing them. 

The human being’s desire for growth is not only natural, but it is one of the greatest gifts given to us by God Himself.  God became Man (Jesus Christ), so that we might become like God (Theosis).  Our destiny as Christians is to continually grow in the Image and Likeness of God, and everything about the Orthodox Church is designed to assist us in that goal.  Commitment and resolve have everything to do with our Life in Christ, but without focus they will fade faster than a politician’s campaign promise!  In our desire to make a real and lasting change in 2012, we therefore need to not only have the right goals in mind, but also a support system to ensure their implementation.  Let us then briefly look at the “what,” and the “how.”

First of all, this year instead of making a bunch of small resolutions, make just one big one.  Resolve in 2012 to “Live Your Faith!”  Let that be your mantra for the year.  Let it encompass everything you do, every aspect of your life.  In order to fulfill this resolution, you will need you break it down into achievable goals.  See the difference?  You are resolved to live your Faith, and you will accomplish that in various meaningful ways.  Look at your life in terms of Stewardship.  Spend time in daily prayer, Worship, and Scripture reading.  Use your talent in ministry, find your passion in service, explore fasting, and teach your children or grandchildren.  Give of your abundant treasure in thanksgiving to God, and for the work of the Gospel, in ways that are both sacrificial and meaningful.  The opportunities are endless.  Find a way to connect Christ and the Church to every aspect of your life.  Live Your Faith!

Secondly, you need some help.  You are not in this by yourself.  Belonging to a Parish means that we have a Christian Family there to help us and support us in our desire for Christ-like growth.  The success of our resolution, and the accomplishment of our goals, rest on our willingness to be accountable.  Accountable not only to God and ourselves, but to one another.  The importance of a Spiritual Father relationship cannot be understated!  The Priest is there to help us and assist us in our desired spiritual growth.  It may also be beneficial to have a fellow layperson, or small group, commit to supporting each other in their efforts.  Whatever the mechanism, accountability is key, so take advantage of the opportunities.

If you want to do something that will really make a difference in your life this coming year, resolve for 2012 to Live Your Faith!  Take advantage of what the Church has to offer, it’s all there for you!  Connect God to your life, set spiritual goals, be accountable, and rely on your support system.  Above all, have a blessed and spiritually rewarding New Year!  That’s My Two Cents!

“To give, or not to give?” 

That’s not often the question!  The real issues usually surround price, availability, shipping, and finding just the right present to bring a little joy and happiness into the life of its recipient.  We give because it feels good, but it can also be extremely stressful.  When are we going to find the time in our super-busy holiday schedules to fight traffic across town to our favorite retailers?  There is also a question of our aptitude for finding the right gifts.  If those thoughts don’t stress you out, just try and think of how you are going to pay for it all!  Some savvy shoppers have turned to the internet for help.  Almost ten percent (10%) of the anticipated $465 Billion in retail holiday sales will be conducted via computer, tablet, and smart phone!  If we just focus on questions of “how” this year, we will miss something very important.  So let’s turn our attention to “why.”  What is the reason for the season?

As Orthodox Christians we know the answer.  No lengthy encyclical is necessary here to remind us that Jesus Christ, and the Salvation that He brings, is the greatest gift God has ever given the world.  Each and every one of us receives that gift at our Baptism and/or Chrismation.  It is out of our great joy and thanksgiving that we give each other gifts, and thereby express our love for Christ, who is found inside each one of us.  But what about Christ Himself?  What gift have we prepared for Him this year?  Is there nothing under the tree for the Savior of our souls?  The re-gifted fruitcake from your aunt, reserved to save you the embarrassment of not having a present for the unexpected house guest, is simply not going to cut it in this case!

The truth is that we spend an inordinate amount of time, energy, and money on gift giving during the holidays.  In our over-exuberance, and over-indulgence, we tend to overlook the importance of this time in our spiritual lives.  Along with Snow and Santa, we need to consider our Stewardship.  While your chestnuts are roasting, pour yourself a peppermint latte, sit down and really reflect on your life through the lens of spiritual giving.  Think about all the time, effort, and hard earned cash you are expending this holiday season, and compare that with your Stewardship.  Are you spending more time shopping this month alone than you do in prayer all year long?  Are you putting more effort into finding your kids the toys they desire than teaching them how to live the Gospel?  Finally, are you spending more money on gifts that will soon be discarded than you give to support the mission of the Savior through His Holy Church?

Right now you may be saying to yourself, “bah humbug!”  This message is not meant to dampen your giving spirit, but on the contrary, help you get the most out of it!  The greatest joy this holiday season is found in our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.  When we give back to Him, in thanksgiving for what He has blessed us with already, He showers us with presents beyond the imagination of any wide-eyed child on Christmas morning.  If you want a sure fire way to get the most out of your gift giving this year, make Christ a part of every aspect.  Give your time to the Lord, through daily prayer and attending the Divine Services.  Give of your talent, by finding just the right ministry to get involved in, bringing both joy to others and a sense of fulfillment to yourself.  Give of your abundance, to ensure that the mission and ministries of Jesus Christ continue to be offered through His Church.  True Stewardship is the greatest gift that we can give to the Greatest Giver ever known!  A Blessed and Merry Christmas to all!  That’s My Two Cents!

Jump Start Your Faith

In the previous two installments of this series on Stewardship & Spiritual Growth, we have determined that not only is there a connection between our Financial Commitment to the Church and our own spiritual growth, but in fact, our Financial Stewardship Pledge is the best empirical indicator of whether growth is actually taking place in our lives on a consistent basis.  Today we are going to learn how to use that knowledge for our own benefit.  As I stated earlier, aside from being the primary indicator of spiritual growth, our Stewardship Commitment can also serve as a powerful catalyst for our desired Christian Development.  In order to accomplish this however, we must first have the desire to grow spiritually (assumed), and also be willing to make the appropriate financial changes necessary to spur our desired spiritual increase. 

No Excuses

Once we have decided on this course of action, the first thing that we have to do is put aside all excuses for not doing it!  Particularly the three primary excuses that I enumerated in Part II – Habit, Enough, and Not Enough.  We must resist the temptation for excusive thought and behavior in our spiritual lives, because it is deadly!  What excuse will we be able to give Christ on the day of judgment, when He has given us every thing that we need.  When tempted toward excusive behavior, particularly in terms of Stewardship, read The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).  It becomes quite clear, very quickly, that Jesus is having none of that!  Drill into your head that old Nike slogan, “Just Do It!”  Then actually do it!

How Much

Once you have made the decision to increase your Financial Commitment to the Church, and have set aside all excuses and obstacles to actually doing so, the question becomes, “How much should I give?”  As an Orthodox Christian Priest, particularly one who deals with Stewardship as part of his responsibilities, I get this question a lot.  I will tell you what I tell my own people – “I can’t tell you how much to give.”  Stewardship, ultimately, is between you and God.  You are the one who is going to stand before His Awesome Judgment Seat and have to answer for your actions, as I will for mine.  I also don’t know your complete circumstances, so practically, I wouldn’t be able to offer the appropriate guidance to you.  Stewardship, like most spiritual disciplines, is something as Orthodox Christians that we have to wrestle with, as we work out our Salvation in this life. 

Guidelines

Although I am not able to offer specific dollar amounts, in your particular case, fear not!  What I can offer you are some guidelines to increasing your commitment, that have proven beneficial to a number of others in your circumstance.  This is consistent with what the Orthodox Church does, offering It’s faithful guidance on everything from prayer to fasting, and then expecting them to exercise their free will for their own spiritual growth.  Orthodox Christianity is certainly not simplistic, neither does it leave us to fend for ourselves.  The Church offers us the right balance of discipline and freedom, so that we can maximize our opportunities for spiritual growth, and reap the benefits of Christ’s glorious Kingdom which has come into the world.

Three Solid Suggestions 

The following three suggestions come with my personal guarantee, that if you apply them earnestly and consistently over the next year, they will in fact serve as a catalyst for at least some small measure of spiritual growth in your life.  In other words, if you do these three things, and I mean really DO them, you cannot help but grow spiritually.  Furthermore, the more that you apply them in your life, the more growth they will produce.  So what are you waiting for?  Let’s get started!

1) Make Your Increase Significant – The most important factor in using Stewardship as a catalyst for spiritual growth is that it must be truly significant to your financial life.  In other words, you can’t afford to be giving God the leftovers!  This does not mean, on the other hand, that you should harm yourself (or your family) financially.  Your commitment should however, be significant enough to be felt, causing you to think regularly about not only what you have committed to, but why.  This “reminder factor” cannot be understated.  Using our material sacrifice to bring God to constant remembrance is a significant catalyst to spiritual growth.  We also tend to become “invested” in the things that we are actually invested in.  So our financial investment in this process will lead to investing ourselves in other areas of spiritual growth as well (Matthew 6:21).

2) Think In Percentages - The second important factor is thanksgiving.  We need to remind ourselves of how much that God has blessed us with, and our responsibility to return a portion of that bounty back to Him.  The easiest, and most significant way to do that, is to give based on a percentage of your income.  Giving based on percentage also insures that you fulfill factor number one (significance).  One penny out of every dollar that we make doesn’t seem like a lot at first, but when you sit down to do the math, it’s probably more than you have been giving (sometimes a lot more).  Increasing our commitment on a percentage basis not only makes our decision process much easier, but also has the added effect of super-charging our growth catalyst.

3) Compare Expenses – Finally, compare your Stewardship Pledge to your other expenses.  This will help put your spiritual life in perspective.  If you are spending more on your pleasure activities than you are on God, can you really consider Him to have the primary place in your life that He deserves?  Try moving Him up a notch or two and see if that doesn’t increase your awareness of Him on a daily basis!  This reality check will round out your perspective as you look to jump-start your spiritual growth.

Final Analysis

The bottom line is that just by increasing your Financial Stewardship Commitment, you make the statement to yourself, your Church, and most importantly to God, that you want to grow spiritually.  God will certainly honor our intension, and He will do everything to assist us in the process.  The old maxim is certainly true – “You cannot out give God!”  So let go of your fear, put away those excuses, and step into those spiritual Nikes in order to start exercising your Faith on a new level.  Remember this – in business terms, your Financial Stewardship is NOT cost, it’s investment!  Invest in your spiritual life.  That’s My Two Cents!