"Offering" | Reflection by Joe Dzeda

As one of Trinity’s ushers, the word “offering” has special meaning for me.  One of the duties of a church usher is to take up an offering from the congregation, which is then taken to the altar as a symbolic giving back to the Lord.  The priest, upon receiving the offering, lifts it up and says, “All things come of Thee, O Lord, and of Thine own have we given Thee.”

As both beneficiaries and stewards of God’s countless blessings, we are thereby acknowledging the fact that God has bestowed more upon us than we could ever hope to repay.  We return to God only a token amount of what we have received. 

Imagine taking out a loan from your bank, and then the bank telling you that they only expect you to pay back 10% of the amount, the rest being yours to do with as you see fit.  I daresay we’d think that to be a very good deal indeed!  But such is the nature of God’s boundless mercy, that we can repay our debt with but a small gesture of our gratitude.

At this point in my life, I see more clearly than ever the reassuring evidence of God’s manifold blessings and loving grace in the world.  It only remains for us to acknowledge God’s love and to reflect it as best we can in our own lives. 

Words in the Wilderness - Walk through the season of Lent with Trinity, one word at a time. Every day (except on Sundays) we will post a photo and a brief refection written by someone in our Trinity community. https://www.trinitynewhaven.org/words-in-the-wilderness