Give Me Twenty!!

Okay, yes, I pretty much giggled in church again. When I least expect it, I learn a lesson.

I work a lot of Saturdays and thus cannot get to the local Saturday evening mass at 5:00. Instead I sometimes opt to head north for 5:30 mass at another  parish.  I arrived at the church a couple minutes earlier than usual, so I was quite relaxed as mass started. The priest's homily was about the poor woman who gave from what little she had, which was proportionately much more than what the wealthy gave in the coffers.

As we stood after the homily to pray the Creed, I wondered if I was giving from my reserves. Then, as we sat for the offertory, I panicked.  Because I never want to hear from my family how someone may have gotten into my unprotected purse in a large church as I go to communion, I left my purse in the car. I suddenly realized that I had no bills to toss in the basket. I usually place checks in my parish envelopes so that I may have a donation record at tax time. I immediately thought to check my coat pockets. I was sitting near the front so I hurriedly unzipped the right pocket and to my relief felt a bill!

Then I hesitated. The bill was a twenty! I started to  hesitate about putting that twenty dollar bill in the basket. "This isn't my church, they won't care." startled me and I immediately thought  "For gosh sakes the homily was about the woman who gave her all! " A quick smile and giggle greeted the slightly puzzled usher as I immediately tossed the bill into the basket.

On the ride home, I thought maybe that I hesitated because anytime I do not hesitate, I am vulnerable. Was what I was doing right or wrong? Too many times I hesitate to do the Lord's work because I stop to weigh the opinion of others who really mean well, but are not where I am on my faith journey. The people  of faith that do guide me always roll their eyes when I hesitate, and remind me to keep praying and placing myself in His care. I know His voice by now.

 In the military, when a drill instructor demands , "Drop and give me twenty!" he wants twenty crisp, perfect, push ups with no questions asked. The Lord asks the same. Train and do not hesitate.
If I have it, He expects me to give it.