Tithe mint, dill, and cummin

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents texts which prompt us to consider the deeper message and deeper reality in our religious observances. Paul addresses the Thessalonians as he is racing to cover the ground in the Greek cities to bring them in contact with an intimate experience of the love of God through a personal relationship with Jesus. Paul is clear that the way to evangelize these people is to love them as brothers following the love Paul knows in Christ. The psalmist proclaims that he is in relationship with the Divine who knows every detail of the psalmist's life from beginning to end. The contemplation of this deep personal delight of God in the individual person is properly overwhelming his thoughts. The response to this awesome relationship is thanksgiving and praise. The Gospel of Matthew shows Jesus questioning of the depth of the response of the religious authorities to the relationship with God. The  areas of justice, mercy and faith are the responses to be encouraged and demonstrated by those gifted to experience a resonance of the indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God. The tithe of time, treasure and talent follows in thanksgiving in the manner of the psalmist and Paul.