I have no doubt that if the members of the Episcopal Church were polled about how they would like to be remembered after death, almost 100 percent would affirm that they would like to be remembered as a people with a generous spirit. No one wants to be seen or remembered as being a stingy or self-centered person. Yet the statistics make it quite clear that, as a people, we are not particularly generous. Those of us who pledge to the mission and ministry of the Church (a frightening percentage to not) give less than two percent of our income to the Church. Oh yes, most of us do give to the United Way and other charities, but even if we add all giving together very few Episcopalians are tithers. We also know from IRS statistics that the more money Americans earn, the lower is the percentage they give away. In other words, the most generous people 9in America re the poor, not the middle class or the affluent. We should also remind ourselves that the vast majority of Episcopalians are in the top 10 percent of the wealthiest people on Earth. Even those of us on a fixed income are wealthy by world standards, and how blessed we are to have a “fixed income.” Most of the people of this earth would love such security. How is it that a people to who so much has been given fall so short of the generous spirit they espouse as their goal?
Let me acknowledge that this is not a problem only for Episcopalians. It is a human problem. However, I am a lifelong Episcopalian and the people I serve are Episcopalians. As a community we have been more richly blessed than other people on Earth. And scripture reminds us that “to those wo whom much has been given, much is expected.”
As I grow older I have become aware that the primary block to generosity is fear. From infancy to death we all deal with fear. At night we have nightmares or anxiety dreams. During the day we worry and fret about our health, our children, the stock market, the weather, etc., etc. Jesus tells us not to be anxious about what we will eat or wear, but that is a lot easier said than done. How do we overcome our fears and anxieties and become a generous people?
First we do this be deepening our sense of thanksgiving. Almost everything important about our lives is a gift. Life itself is a gift. The created world, the Gospel, the Church, children, grandchildren, friends, all are gifts. We will become less fearful if we become more thankful. All healthy spirituality is rooted in thanksgiving.
Second, we must, through self discipline, learn to let go of our security blankets. We all have security blankets. Young children have bottles, blankets and pacifiers; adults have status symbols, vocational roles and bank accounts. There is nothing inherently evil about any of those things, but when they become the symbols of our security, they become idols. Our only ultimate security is that we are God’s. “For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord, and if we die, we die in the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s possession.” The only way we can become free of our false gods (securities) is by learning to let go of them. We need to let go of our money for our own spiritual health. This can only be accomplished by discipline. Pledging and planned giving are spiritual disciplines which will not only benefit the communities and causes to which we give our money, but will also help to move us from fear to generosity. Decisions we make about money are the most spiritual decisions we make because they get to the heart of our spiritual journey. “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Above all, God desires our hearts, but as Jesus boldly proclaimed, “You cannot serve God and money.”
- The Rt. Rev’d William G. Burrill, 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester.
Comments Off 
Ray Suarez 10.25.09
