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Good morning,

On New Year's Day, I got a big surprise.

At this time of the year, I usually map out when I'm going on holiday, who I hope to meet up with, and what my financial outlay might be.

For obvious reasons, holidays and meeting up are on the back burner, so I spent some time on my personal finances. The Iona Community, to which I belong, encourages this. We are expected every year to account not just for the 10% of our disposable income we give away, but also what we do with the 90% we retain.

This is partly because we believe that unless we talk about personal wealth, it can become a surrogate deity.

But it's also because in the Bible, the use of personal wealth is closely allied to serve the common good. Many of Jesus' parables make that connection, and this is but an extension of the teaching of the Hebrew prophets who berated those who grew richer and were indifferent to the poverty of others.

So I looked at my two bank accounts – current and deposit – and compared them to last year at this time. I discovered that despite having an intentionally modest salary, and putting out quite a bit on domestic repairs in 2020, I had more money than I imagined.

But then, like most of you, I haven't been in many restaurants in the past nine months. Nor have I been to a concert, the cinema or the theatre. I haven't bought any new clothes and I cancelled two weeks holiday in Spain.

I began to congratulate myself on my good fortune, at a time when some were experiencing dire poverty and others had lost their jobs, and at a time when some charities - especially those not fronted by celebrities - have had to pay off staff and reduce involvement in areas of crucial humanitarian concern at home and abroad.

So what am I going to with this surplus? Keep it and splash out whenever shopping and holiday-making are easier? Or exercise generosity not as an expression of guilt, but as an expression of gratitude?

I am chastened by the story in the Gospels of a young man who asked Jesus to help him improve his spiritual life. Jesus didn't recommend more prayer, but suggested a disbursement of his excessive wealth.

For those of us who have more than we need, generosity is always an option.

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