We now have fresh evidence—as if there were any doubt—that our collective heart is indeed burning within us! Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we don’t always recognize Jesus as he walks with us—and we strive as always to be better at this—but we do know him in the breaking of the bread and have been moved to respond with joyous generosity to his sacrifice for us. This is yet another step on our journey into Christ-like living, the path to restoring all people to God and to each other.

The hope and prayer of the Design Team of the 2010 Call to Commitment was that common prayer and solemn reflection would lead to spiritual transformation, resulting in an outpouring of joyous generosity. There are signs of many sorts that this is even now occurring:

Although there have always been those of us who have felt fiscally unequal to the challenge of sacrificial giving, this year, not only has the economy affected us through job loss, health challenges, and reduced income of all types, but we have experienced a dramatic increase in the number of people who are moved to explain their difficulties as they struggle to be a part of this exciting moment in the life of St. Paul’s. Clearly, hearts are burning even where pocketbooks are shrinking. This is nothing less than thrilling. Although we pray for better times, we rejoice in burning hearts! Even as jobs are lost, we are finding that when new jobs are found, the small commitments made in the time of trouble are increased dramatically to reflect gratitude and faith.

All this prayer and solemn reflection has brought us to a higher commitment level than ever before to do God’s work in and from St. Paul’s Parish. In a time of economic recession, our parishioners, building upon the momentum of a number of previous energetic campaigns, have committed still more of what God has provided them, and our warmly welcomed newcomers have been enthusiastic participants as well.

Just as the Design Team began last summer to listen together to the proddings of the Spirit for the 2010 Call to Commitment, our compassionate and persistent Follow-up Team strove to bring into the flow those who struggled on to discern the best expression of their gratitude. Even today, there are a few we have been unable to reach as well as some who still struggle in discernment. If you are one of those, please know that we continue to pray that you will allow yourself to be drawn joyfully into the swirling vortex of God’s astounding, loving abundance.