Daily Breakfast 492 - The Return of the Force
In this episode: Groundbreaking feedback; Joe McClane and the Church Fathers; Star Wars returns to our theaters; World Wide Half Marathon; non violent gaming and the Simpsons; tithing: what to do in a worsening economic situation?
Links:
PS: He did a really good job 
Hi Fr.
Thank you for reading my email on your show and for spreading the word about this project. I really appreciate that.
God Bless
Joe M
Father - I have been listening to your podcasts for an extended length of time. I am wondering — Does your apostolic work include hospital visitation or possibly prison visitations ? I know you are totally involved with your e-work and podcasts, but I have never heard you mention any time spent in those areas. Do you do that ministry ?
Tithing is supposed to come, as you say, off the top. On the other hand, tithing isn’t a “requirement”, but I would say that it can be a very important part of one’s faith life.
With all due respect to the correspondent who talked about having two jobs, rising gas prices, etc. I heard nothing about cutting back lifestyles. I did hear it mentioned that they were only filling basic needs, so perhaps I am wrong, but living more simply can help without becoming impoverished.
Agree with Michael W. I think all of us, myself included, could save money by living more simply–although many today might see this as something of a radical concept. For example, do I REALLY need this computer on which I am currently typing…?
I’m not going to give a list of personal excuses…but there have been some months when money was tight, and we chose to decrease our tithing/charitable contributions. But almost always, after one or two months we were able to make up the difference.
Nick Alexander wrote a song about this: “Tithe After Tithe,” from his CD “A Time to Laugh”
I believe it was Cardinal Sean O’Malley who said “Protestants tithe, Catholics tip.”
Almsgiving/charitable activity has always been an important part of Catholic practice but at least where I’m from the concept of “tithing” and the “10% rule” indeed was associated with Protestant/Evangelical churches. (That doesn’t mean that the priests didn’t have some specific ideas about what they thought you should give, and many people did give 10% or even more, but there wasn’t a pervasive feeling among parishioners of a predetermined, somewhat obligatory percentage figure you “were supposed” to give).
On a personal level, I appreciate the struggles mentioned by others. It can be hard to determine what you “want” and can “afford” to give and maybe what you are willing to “give up” in order to give…
Probably more important than the amount is the spirit behind it-
as “the gift without the giver is bare” (don’t remember the author).
I feel like if you give because you feel you “have to” you might be giving up your reward in heaven like the person who gives in order to be recognized and applauded (I think that is in Matthew 6).
Well, hopefully all this discussion will motivate more of us to really try to truly discern more and indeed be cheerful givers!
Good night or Good Morning to all!
Bonita
[...] I was listening to The Daily Breakfast #492 last Tuesday, and I heard myself there because I left a voice message, earlier in the week. I had [...]
Greetings Fr. R.!! Dan from Boston here! I was hoping and waiting for either you or R.A.’s Greg & Jen to talk about the upcoming Clone Wars movie!!
For fans of only the movies, it takes place between episodes II and III. However, if one also watched the Cartoon Network’s, “manga” drawn stories, the story takes place in the middle of the second season, after Anakin becomes a Jedi Knight.
I’m sure all you S.W. fans out there are waiting for another “secrets” podcast, give Greg a break, audio only!! (He just lost his beer, for goodness sake!! See R.A. episode 231)
So, what do you say Fr.?? Have some time before August 14th??
Pax Vobisum!
Dan