By Jocelyne Hamoline, Stewardship and Gift Development Officer, Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation

Since God created time, the earth, life and humanity, He has called us, his children, by name.

God knows us, loves us, and will never abandon us. He lovingly waits until we are ready with our yes, our amen. We have God’s forgiveness when we repent, salvation through Jesus Christ, and the promise of eternal life. God continues to pour blessings, mercy, and grace into our lives.

Our response to this steadfast love and faithfulness from our Lord is gratitude.

Our faith is a gift that allows us to pray in thanks and when in need.

This tremendous gift of faith has been handed down to us through past generations. We owe them gratitude for their generosity. They sacrificed; they shared their resources. They trusted God to provide for their needs, and in return, they gave.

We, too, can share what we have with future generations, preserving our Catholic faith and hope.

All of creation belongs to God. All that we have belongs to God. Yes, we have worked for the material and financial goods we have, but God gave us the ability to earn those goods. We are called to give, not our of our leftovers, but out of our first fruits.  Trust and lean on God to meet your needs.

So why do we give?

We give because we are loved. We give out of gratitude for what we have, we share with our neighbours. And who are our neighbours? Everyone with whom we come into contact: family members, friends, people we don’t like, strangers and particularly those most in need of love and compassion.

Love calls us to open our hearts and do more to help others grow closer to the Lord. We give to elevate others’ from suffering and pain.

Why do we give? To pass forward our faith, help those in need, preserve our parish communities and follow Christ’s command to love more fervently. We can never out-give God.

Why do I give?  Because God has been good to me.

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