Genesis 14

bram is forced (not for the last time) to rescue Lot, who has gotten himself tangled up in the politics of the region and chosen the losing side. Blood is always thicker than water. Your family members are God's personal assignment for you while you are on this Earth. You should do your best to bless them, help them, put up with their failures and cultivate good relationships with them. Abram risked everything, formed up an army of three-hundred-some odd men, going up (probably outnumbered) against the armies of five kings, all to save Lot his nephew.

We also see that Abram tithes to the Christ-like Melchisedek, who offers bread and wine to God, foreshadowing the Eucharist, blesses Abram on God's behalf, and offers blessing to God himself. In all this we see the prefigurement of Jesus, if not, as some theologians speculate, a manifestation of Jesus himself before the Incarnation.

But should Christians tithe? No. The Catechism is very clear that every Christian should give what they can. Tithing was a part of the old covenant, and like Seventh Day Adventists who abstain from cheeseburgers for religious reasons, demanding people adhere to them is not in keeping with the spirit of the gospel, or the interpretation of the Catholic Church. See Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2043: "The faithful are obliged to help with the needs of the Church, each according to his own ability."

Paul has similar advice:

6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. -2 Cor 9:6-8 (Set to Music for Memorization Purposes)

We should also consider Jesus words at the Sermon on the Mount:

23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister[a]has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister,[b] and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court[c] with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. -Matthew 5:23-26 (Set to music for Memorization Purposes)

Some take this merely as a command not to hold grudges, but I believe the mention of the grudge in conjunction with giving money to the Temple, and the next precept which is also about money you owe makes it fairly likely the "grudge" discussed is monetary in nature, and so the lesson to be learned is, don't be giving large sums to the Church until you're out of debt yourself. Focus on getting out of debt, then you can give to others.

In refusing to take anything from the King of Sodom, as we will learn, a thoroughly evil and wicked kingdom that God will take care of epically, Abram sets an example for us: don't have any business dealings with others or even profit from situations where you're dealing with evil men. It's not worth it. Take care of what you need to take care of to satisfy justice, then go home.



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