We Can't Out-Give God

Christine Hanus shares stories of generosity and reminds us of God’s invitation to give more freely. 

My son was a college student at Ave Maria University. He benefited from a generous scholarship but was otherwise footing his own bill. Though he participated in the work study program on campus, he was accruing more debt every year. At Mass one day, the gospel reading was about tithing. My son desired to support to the work of the Church financially in some way, but he was a bit reticent to give away his last twenty dollars. Nevertheless, into the offertory basket it went.

Later that day, he received a check from the university for two hundred dollars with a note saying he had overpaid his bill. Even though the two hundred dollars was technically my son’s money anyway, he felt God was showing him the blessing that comes from financial giving.  

Supporting the Church: our responsibility and privilege

My son knew that is the responsibility and privilege of Catholics to support the Church and those who do the work of the Church. Why? Because the destiny of eternal souls hangs in the balance and those who are on the front lines in communicating the Gospel message need our support. This earthly life is short, and the time to help in whatever way we can is now!  

One primary way we can offer this support is through financial help. We are told in 3 John 1:7-8 that when we help those who work "for the sake of the Name," we become "co-workers in the truth." That sure puts a joyful spin on parting with our hard-earned money!  

Trusting in God’s provision 

As our country experiences significant inflation, giving financially may be harder than ever to do. Learning from the example of others allows us to more readily entrust our finances to God. Years ago, feeling called to full-time ministry, my husband's parents shut down their ice cream parlor business, sold their home, and bought a motor home.

For the next 20 years, they traveled with no financial security and no regular income! Trusting that God would provide everything from food to gas, they shared the love of Christ and the Gospel message with those they met, and often served people in need. The stories they could tell of God's provision inspire our family daily and make it easier for us to trust God with our finances as well.  

If we find it particularly challenging to be generous financially, we should pray that God will give us the grace to trust in Him. Tithing and almsgiving have always been an essential part of the Christian life, and there will never be a "perfect" time to start giving. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states:

The faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability. (CCC 2043)   

As Catholics, we don't believe in the "health and wealth" gospel promoted by some other Christian churches. We don’t give expecting God to “pay us back” with blessings and wealth. We do believe that it is our responsibility to discern how we can generously support Christ’s work. Whenever we do God's will, we are blessed in ways that are not always discernable but have far-reaching consequences. We can't out-give God!  

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Christine Hanus
Images: Canva