Once a parishioner came to me and asked me to help him pray for this big deal that he is working on. He said that if is a success, he will give a big amount to the Church.

I told him it was best to look at his motivation.

First, if you are not giving to the Church at this point, even in a small amount, it is not in you. Even if the deal pushes through, you will never be able to give the Church because it was never part of your spirituality. Further, I said, do you really think Jesus needs to be bribed? If you give, you have to give out of gratitude and not because you want something. 

In discussing giving, Jesus praised a poor widow in one of the more popular Gospel readings. Three reasons for the admiration:

• She gave everything. Even if the amount is small, in the eyes of the world, it is everything. Compared to others who gave from their excess. 
  
• She gave from the heart. Certainly, for the widow, that was not the first time she gave. She was constantly giving and it would not be a surprise if Jesus had seen her give before.  
  
• She trusted God. The widow gave not because she needed something from God but because she trusted that God would never abandon her. 

May we remember the saying that giving is the highest form of living.  Giving starts small and when it becomes a habit, it becomes second nature. On the other hand, God’s blessing becomes second nature too.