All is gift
My sisters and brothers in Christ,
“What we give is what we have from the Lord.” These words, from King David in the first book of Chronicles, remind us that all we are and all that we have are a gift from our Lord. Every talent, all our material possessions, every dollar in our bank account, every thought, idea, and breath we take is a gift from God. These are not ours to cling to, but they are God’s gifts entrusted to us for his purpose. In the end, everything belongs to God.
My sisters and brothers in Christ,
“What we give is what we have from the Lord.” These words, from King David in the first book of Chronicles, remind us that all we are and all that we have are a gift from our Lord. Every talent, all our material possessions, every dollar in our bank account, every thought, idea, and breath we take is a gift from God. These are not ours to cling to, but they are God’s gifts entrusted to us for his purpose. In the end, everything belongs to God.
Our Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA) offers an incredible opportunity to live with open hands and hearts directed toward God, offering everything back to him in love. By supporting our parishes and the many ministries of our wider Catholic Church — through the DSA — we can truly learn to give of ourselves and be drawn deeper into a relationship with our Lord and grow in freely serving one another.
Your DSA gifts help the Church to be the hands and feet of Jesus — giving care and support, right away in the year received, to offer direct assistance to those who need it most. Life Ministries arrange the care and support of mothers and children of unplanned pregnancies. Vocations are fostered through the support of marriage prep programs and seminarian formation. Resources are provided to breathe life into active evangelization efforts in our parishes. And our Catholic Charities provide shelter, food, and basic needs to the hungry and homeless and offer counseling to those suffering from addiction. The DSA supports all these and many more ministries that share the love of Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, our Diocesan Services Appeal is an occasion to direct our hearts toward the Lord and give of ourselves — a grateful response to God’s providence. We are called to share our gifts freely out of love for God and for our neighbor because all that we have has first been given to us out of love from our Lord. With your support, we will boldly carry out the work of the Church in the year ahead. Thank you and may God bless you!
Yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
