The Importance of Tithing

Trust can be difficult, even with God, whom we know desires our happiness. When we stop to reflect on whether we trust in divine providence or if we are stubbornly maintaining control, do we consider that how we spend our money reflects our trust or lack of trust? After all, Jesus warns us about a divided heart in Matthew. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Only a few verses later he warns us that it is impossible to serve both God and money. Will you, like Joshua in the Old Testament declare, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)?

How does one determine what the right amount to give is to show their trust in the Lord? A helpful place to start is to consider tithing (from the Hebrew word for "a tenth"). We first hear about tithing in scripture in Genesis 14 when, after rescuing Lot, Abraham gives a tithe to Melchizedek, King of Salem who offers a thanksgiving of bread and wine to the Lord most high. Through the prophet Malachi God challenges us to “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” (Malachi 3:10) And Proverbs declares, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce; Then will your barns be filled with plenty, with new wine your vats will overflow.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)x

If we strive to offer a tenth of everything to the Lord, it causes us to pause and evaluate our needs versus our wants, and what we hold most important. Is God our first priority? Do we trust in the power of the Lord or trust in the power of money? Maybe we are being asked to give more than a tenth. In Mark and Luke, Christ points out that the wealthy were only giving out of their surplus, maybe they trusted in the power of the Lord, but their giving didn’t reflect that. Rather Jesus praises the widow who “from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” (Luke 21:4). We should never think our offering is too small or insignificant, for it all adds up. The importance is to evaluate what God is asking you to give based on the number of gifts that he has entrusted to you. We are all called to give sacrificially out of gratitude for the gifts the Lord has given to us.  “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deut. 8:18) Our offering is part of the worship we give to God and our participation in the mission of the Church.

What does a tithe look like?

What does my commitment mean?

Things to Remember as you pledge

• We have worked things out with the diocese so that everything pledged stays at St. James
• Your pledge includes however much you can sacrificially give between now and the end of February 2024 including both your current 2^nd collection offering and whatever you can add to that.
• All contributions to the campaign are fully tax deductible for those who itemize their taxes
• Pledges are not legally binding, but instead an indication of your intention to donate
• Make checks payable to St. James with Capital Campaign written in the memo line
• You may return the pledge in the weekly 2^nd collection, bring it by the parish office or mail it to St. James Catholic Church, 49 Crosswinds Dr. Charles Town, WV 25414
• You may also give via our online giving platform

Questions?

Call the parish office at 304-725-5558 or email Marie Nuar at mnuar@stjameswv.org