Commitment and the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
“What shall I render to the Lord for all God’s benefits to me?
…I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving….
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all God’s people.”
~Psalm 116:12, 17a,18
In just two weeks, on December 2-3, we will arrive at Commitment Weekend for our One Faith – One Family – One Future Capital Campaign. During each Mass, we will take a few moments for everyone to make or reaffirm their pledge to our capital campaign.
In the Gospel for this weekend, Jesus preaches about stewardship in the familiar “Parable of the Talents.” The lesson for us is simple: All that we have, regardless of its measure, isn’t really ours. It is ours to manage to the best of our abilities for God’s purposes.
The verses from Psalm 116 show us the path to faithful stewardship: An “attitude of gratitude.” The psalmist suggest that our commitments—our “vows”— to the Lord are an act of thanksgiving, a grateful response to all that God has done for us. What can we render to the Lord, really, for all the benefits we have in Christ? We can offer the “sacrifice of thanksgiving,” We can commit ourselves to serving the Lord with all that we are and have.
True thanksgiving is indeed a sacrifice in that it demands that we humble ourselves before God, that we give up our hubris and self-reliance, that we let go of our fears and self-doubt, and lay it all at God’s feet and simply say, “Here it is, Lord. It’s all yours. I’m all yours, for without you, I have nothing.”
Ready to pledge? Click here to make your pledge today!