The Happy Priest Reflects on Stewardship and Labor Day

We cultivate this earth by being passionate and responsible stewards of our time, talent and treasure.  As creatures of God, everything that we have is a gift from God.  Discipleship and stewardship are one and the same reality.  We are called to give of ourselves and what we have been given.  Stewardship must be seen as the way we live out our vocation as a Christian people.

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - The promise of eternal life provides purpose for our existence.  However, the Second Vatican Council, in one of its most important documents, teaches us that although our goal is to reach eternal life, this does not excuse us from our earthly obligations. 

"Therefore, while we are warned that it profits a man nothing if he gains the whole world and lose himself, the expectation of a new earth must not weaken but rather stimulate our concern for cultivating this one. For here grows the body of a new human family, a body which even now is able to give some kind of foreshadowing of the new age"  (The Church in the Modern Word, I, III, 39).

We cultivate this earth by being passionate and responsible stewards of our time, talent and treasure.  As creatures of God, everything that we have is a gift from God.  Discipleship and stewardship are one and the same reality.  We are called to give of ourselves and what we have been given.  Stewardship must be seen as the way we live out our vocation as a Christian people.

Time is a gift from God, the one gift once given that can never be repeated.  We are all given a certain amount of time to live out our existence on this good earth.  Some are here only briefly, while others have a long amount of time to be responsible and passionate stewards.  Generosity is the beautiful Christian virtue that allows us to use our time well. 

All relationships flourish with the gift of time. Families are happy and successful when parents give of themselves totally to their children.  True friendships thrive when people are generous with their time. 

Some may object that they do not have enough time to do more.  However, when we try to be good stewards of our time, God blesses us and we use our time better, thus becoming more productive and efficacious in all we endeavor to do.

We all possess talents.  Here again the law of abundance applies.  If we are passionate and responsible stewards of our talents, the talents that we have will develop and we will receive more talents as well.  It necessarily follows that all those who are good stewards with their time and talent, will also be generous with their treasure no matter how small or big it may be.

Our time, talent, and treasure are gifts from God.  The passionate and responsible steward is the one who is filled with gratitude for all of these gifts.  Therefore, we are to give with a spirit of gratitude and never seek earthly recognition for our self-giving.  Being mindful of this a woman parishioner in my parish always writes on her checks "for the glory of God."

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When we understand that everything that we have is a gift from God, we will journey through life totally detached from everything, but at the same time, never aloof from the needs of others.  It is our task to make this world a better place for all.

Some of us may be overwhelmed with the ever increasing problems of our modern world.  With the continual unraveling of order and decency, some may think that it is futile to try and improve our situation.  However, in times like these, there is a greater urgency to be passionate and responsible stewards of our gifts.  Is it better to curse the darkness, or light one candle?  It may be impossible for one person to effect change on a national or international level, but just imagine what we can all do making an effort  in our local community. 

Tithing, then, is not an option for the true disciple of the Lord.  Tithing is a command.  "Honor Yahweh with what goods you have and with the first-fruits of all your returns; then your barns will be filled with wheat, your vats overflowing with new wine" (Proverbs 3: 9-10).  "All tithes of the land, levied on the produce of the earth or the fruits of trees, belong to Yahweh; they are consecrated to Yahweh" (Leviticus 27: 30).  "Bring the full tithes and dues to the storehouse so that there may be food in my house, and then see if I do not open the flood gates of heaven for you and pour out blessing for you in abundance" (Malachi 2: 10). 

Without a doubt, when we are faithful to the Biblical principle of tithing we certainly contribute to the betterment of this world.  Our church home, our diocese, our Catholic schools and our charities will then have the necessary financial resources to serve the needs of everyone and to reach out to the poor. 

Yes, it is true that we are supposed to keep gaze directed toward eternal life.  However, our struggle to attain eternal life must never serve as an escape from our duties here on earth.  Our journey towards eternity necessarily means that we be passionate and responsible stewards precisely because the reward for fidelity is not in this life but in the life to come.

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Father James Farfaglia is the pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Visit Father James on the web at http://www.fatherjames.org.  You can contact Father James at fjficthus@gmail.com. 

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