Acts 5:1-6. Another man, Ananias, owned a parcel of land and, like Joseph Barnabas yesterday, sold it. But Ananias brought only a portion of the proceeds and laid them at the apostles feet, keeping back some of the proceeds for himself and his wife, with her knowledge. When he did so, Peter said to him "Ananias why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back a part of the proceeds of the land?" Peter pointed out that while the land was unsold, it belong to Ananias, and even after it was sold, the proceeds remained his. So Ananias' contrivance was a lie not to men, but to God. On hearing these words, Ananias died on the spot and was carried out and buried, and great fear came over all those who heard of this.

After my post yesterday, I really need to unpack this. Have I done exactly what Ananias did? I certainly give some, but not all, of my time and money to the Church. Is my withholding for myself and my family a lie to God? I don't think so, because I am not representing to God, or man, that I am giving all. I am not being deceitful. That was Ananias' sin - he pretended to be giving all just like the others, but in fact was holding back.

For me, I think, this is more of a lesson on whether or not I am giving myself totally to God. I keep saying the Novena of Surrender, I keep saying to God - "Your will be done, in me, through me, and with me," but am I holding something back? Perhaps I am. I will ponder this today.