Writing in the Parish Magazine at the start of our month long Stewardship Campaign the Vicar calls us to be a generous people.
For many of us the word generous conjures up money and our attitude to it, but it is about much more than money.
The Oxford English Dictionary definition of generous is “giving or ready to give freely, free from meanness or prejudice”, while the Collins dictionary speaks of being ‘free from pettiness in character and mind, munificent”.
All those qualities listed are surely the qualities that one would expect to find in a disciple of Jesus
– he who gave of him self totally on the cross so we may have eternal life;
– he who did not distinguish between Samaritan or Jew
So friends as we launch our stewardship campaign I pray that we may blessed with these qualities and learn how to us them to the glory of God.
How different the world would be if all people approached a situation asking what was best for the common good, rather than what is best for me. Not “how much tax would I need to pay to fund x,y,z?” , but “ How can I better support those in need?”, be they the sick, the elderly or the refugee.
How different the world would be if we did not judge people prejudicially. That is not to say that we should water down our principles, but we need to approach people and situations in love.
How different the world would be if we gave with out counting the cost – after the example of our Lord and Saviour.
So with Christ I pray “Pick up your cross and follow me”
Mark
Canon Mark Soady,
Vicar of Abergavenny & Rector of LLanwenarth Citra
Preachers During September
Sunday 6th: 8am & 11am Richard Jones (Monmouth Diocesan Stewardship & Minstry Area Development Officer):6pm The Vicar
Sunday 13th: 8am & 11am The Vicar; 6pm Richard Jones
Sunday 20th: Food Festival
Sunday 27th: 8am & 11am Rt Revd Andy John, Bishop of Bangor (Provincial Chairman of GENRus)
St Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny 