Trying to tell me something

So, I'm pretty sure God is trying to tell me something. I recently helped out with a class at church on Corporal Works of Mercy- I led the group in Spanish and it was a really great experience. The reading we focused on was about how we need to help other people by feeding, clothing, and spending time with them and how Jesus says, "that which you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me."

Then, I decided to go to mass with my parents on Sunday and admittedly, I haven't really been going regularly. The gospel? The same exact one we worked on a couple weeks ago. Coincidence?

On Saturday, I got a letter in the mail from St. Mike's reminding me to make a commitment for tithing for this coming year. Juan Carlos and I do share our money but tend to do it in big chunks on a personal basis, rather than weekly to church. I thought we had shared a lot this past year- bought stuff his mom needed, gave a couple hundred to someone struggling with cancer, and another several hundred to different families who had lost loved ones (often the providers in their families) here and in Mexico.

Yet, when I saw how much we were supposed to be tithing, well, even 2% of what we could be tithing, I was shocked. This would definitely feel like a sacrifice. Yet, I felt like I needed to go for it, in spite of our current financial situation...

Then, yesterday, I was listening to a podcast on real estate investing- the guy has like 70 and I happened to listen to number 65 or something- kind of random and the one I happened to listen to was about the man's journey into real estate investing and the role of his faith and God in it. He said whenever he hit a downturn, and finally remembered to do a re-evaluation of his life, he would realize his faith life was struggling, either because he was not tithing or he was not praying or something... he also mentioned the importance of generosity and how when he would start to give more of his money and his time, it would always come back to him many times over.

One of the Rich Dad CDs I was listening to mentioned the same thing- that when you want something, give first and then it will come back in buckets.

The idea always reminds me of a time I was in Mexico on my first mission trip. I was 16 years old and feeling left out and lonely. I was looking through the railing on a banister we were repainting and I saw a statue of St. Francis of Assissi and immediately the familiar tune started to play in my head. Make me a channel of your peace.... and the lines, "Oh master grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul." And it occurred to me maybe I should reach out instead of expecting everyone else to reach out to me... I have often forgotten but often remembered this lesson in my life and it has always served me.

So, maybe, just maybe, God is trying to tell me something...sometimes I think He may not be so subtle. I think we need to base our decisions, our meetings, our financial future in His hands and pray a little more... maybe a lot more. I think I am being called to be more generous, not less... As promising as financial freedom sounds, I think I'm being reminded that unless God is at the center of what I'm doing, I'll be lost. Thanks for your persistence, Lord. I think, just maybe, I'm starting to get it.