Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate St Mary Church Vancouver, B.C Canada.
Offering
Story According to the Bible Hannah went up with her husband and her rival to worship God in Shiloh. She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish because she was a barren woman. She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me,
and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord.” So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel. Now when she had weaned him, She took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. At the same time there were two priests called Hophni and Phinehas (sons of Eli the priest). They were corrupt, and did not know The Lord. They accustomed to transgress the law by taking raw meat from the sacrifices before burning the fat. Therefore, their sin was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
Comment
Hannah believed that God is worthy of honor, glory, and blessing. She believed that He is the Awesome, the Mighty, and the Lover of Mankind. She expressed her great feelings toward God by praising Him with these lovely words: "No one is Holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God." She was also accustomed to travel to Shiloh every year to offer sacrifices to God. Lastly, she offered her only son whom she implored from God. On the contrary, although Hophni and Phinehas were priests, they took what belongs to God. They did not fear Him nor did they give Him what is worthy of Him.
Conclusion
If you believe in God and love Him, you ought to offer Him. Offerings express what is inside your heart as our Lord Jesus said to the Pharisees, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." My beloved brethren, we must examine ourselves to know what we offered to our God the Merciful, the Awesome, the Mighty, and the Lover of Mankind. We also ought to be more diligent to offer as God always offers us everything according to His goodness.