Stewardship Reflection on Lectionary Readings: January 29, 2012
January 29, 2012 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dt 18:15-20; Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9; 1 Cor 7:32-35; Mk 1:21-28
God is in control.
In last week’s gospel reading, we heard Jesus call the first disciples, and they answered His call immediately, without restraint – leaving their careers and even their families to follow Him.
Today’s scripture readings remind us that, as Christian disciples, Christ is the one we follow, and we are His instruments, His representatives, to do His work on Earth.
In the first reading, Moses assures the people that God will raise up a prophet from their family line. The prophet is foretold to be one in authority. “To him you shall listen,” Moses says.
In our Christian minds, it is easy to make the connection to Christ. He is the One raised up from among the line of David. He is the One who speaks in authority, fulfilling the prophecies of old and ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven, promising life everlasting. (more…)
Stewardship Bulletin Reflection for the Week of January 29, 2012
January 29, 2012 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dt 18:15-20; Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9; 1 Cor 7:32-35; Mk 1:21-28
As Christ’s disciples, we are called to recognize all of our gifts as God-given – our time, our talents, and our treasure and to use them accordingly, putting them at the service of the Lord.
Today’s readings remind us that it is the Lord whom we serve. In the gospel, when Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, “Quiet! Come out of Him!” the gospel tells us, “The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed.”
It is amazing. God has authority over the whole world, and He has seen fit to bless us with so many good gifts, to give us life and family and faith, time and talents and treasure. It is only fitting that we recognize those gifts as God-given and give of them in gratitude to the One who has blessed us so.
So, we live to love and serve Him in all we do. Whether we are a mother or father, brother or sister, married or single, doctor or lawyer, writer or singer, it is our duty as Christian stewards to live our lives to the praise and glory of God. All that we do ought to proclaim His goodness to those around us.
In the first reading from Deuteronomy, the writer reminds us of this call. Speaking of prophets whose role it is to proclaim the Good News, he says, “But if a prophet presumes to speak in My name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the names of other gods, he shall die.”
Indeed, it is God whom we serve. We are called to live not for our own sake, but for the sake of the Gospel, being sure that through all we say and do, we help others see God.
Register Now for the Msgr. McGread Stewardship Conference
With the Msgr. Thomas McGread Stewardship Conference fast approaching, and only limited spaces remaining, we wanted to extend an invitation to attend this one-of-a-kind event to followers of The Catholic Steward blog.
The next conference will be in February… If you’re interested and would like to reserve your space at the conference, it would be best to do so over the next week because of limited availability.
For the past nine years, this conference has inspired and educated thousands of priests, religious, and lay Catholics, by sharing the remarkable stories of how developing the spirituality of stewardship has transformed the lives of parishioners as well as the life of the parish.
Msgr. Thomas McGread is often called the “Father of Stewardship” and was instrumental in the drafting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response.
At this conference, you can hear the remarkable story of how stewardship transformed his parish — St. Francis of Assisi in Wichita — and how it has impacted other parishes across the country. The conference also will feature presentations by pastors and lay leaders from around the country that will share stories of how stewardship has become a way of life at their parish.
The McGread Stewardship Conference is held at the Diocese of Wichita’s Spiritual Life Center in Wichita, Kansas. Click here to download the conference brochure and registration form.
Space is limited and time is running out, so register today! For more information, contact Shari Navarre at 888-822-1847, ext. 3725, or by e-mail at shari@catholicsteward.com.
Stewardship Reflection on Lectionary Readings: January 22, 2012
January 22, 2012 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jon 3:1-5, 10; Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1:14-20
“This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
This is the call on every one of our hearts as Christ beckons us to Himself. We were made to live for Him, and He invites us to be His disciples, to live to love and serve Him, and, in so doing, to call others to do the same, thereby building the Kingdom of God and experiencing true fulfillment as human beings.
“Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in thee,” St. Augustine once said. Indeed, we were made to live for God, and, as these three scripture readings remind us, He invites us to do so. (more…)
Stewardship Bulletin Reflection for the Week of January 22, 2012
January 22, 2012 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jon 3:1-5, 10; Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1:14-20
Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee and called the first disciples, inviting them, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.”
In much the same way, Christ calls each of us to follow Him and to use the time, talents, and treasure He has given us to build the Kingdom.
St. Paul reminds us, “the world in its present form is passing away.” So, we ought not to get caught up in the things of this world. We ought to live in this world but not of it, proclaiming the goodness of God and the glory of His Kingdom.
Each one of us has been given particular gifts of time, talent, and treasure, and it is up to us to recognize those gifts and to share them lovingly in such a way that God will be glorified and we will call others to come to know him. In all we say and do, we must honor Him. He must be more important to us than anything else – more important than our careers, more important than our hobbies, even more important than our families. The disciples in today’s gospel show us just how unreserved our response to God must be. They left their nets – their careers as fishermen – and left their father, to serve the Lord.
For most of us, the call to discipleship will not require us to leave behind family and friends and even our secular career. But for all of us, the call to be a disciple means God must be first and foremost in our lives, and we must offer Him the first fruits of our time, talents, and treasure as His faithful followers.
Fr. Michael Troha: Seizing Opportunities to be Formed in the Faith
Formation is the third of four pillars of parish stewardship as a way of life, along with hospitality, prayer and service. But what does this word “formation” mean in our contextual understanding of stewardship?
Formation means to study the teachings of Christ and His Church, and then to develop ways to put those teachings into practice. Faith formation is at the heart of many activities in any parish. A parish grade school exists solely for the purpose of providing for the formation of children in the ways of Christ and His Church. A parish school should not be viewed as a “private school,” but rather a Catholic school, so that we, as a parish, are able to assist the parents of the parish in carrying out their responsibility to hand on their Faith to their children. (more…)
Stewardship Reflection on Lectionary Readings: January 15, 2012
January 15, 2012 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19; Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10; 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20; Jn. 1:35-42
In all three of this Sunday’s readings, we hear about discipleship. God reveals Himself to man, and man responds to God’s revelation by following Him – giving up His old life and living for the Lord.
In the first reading from First Samuel, we hear God calling out to Samuel, who “was not familiar with the Lord, because the Lord had not revealed anything to Him as yet.” So, Samuel ran to Eli, believing the voice he heard calling him to be Eli’s. Finally, upon the second calling, Eli realized what was happening, and told Samuel that the Lord’s call required a response. “…If you are called, reply, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’”
Samuel did just that, and the writer tells us, “Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him always, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.” Samuel gave his life to the Lord, and the Lord guided his steps and ultimately used Samuel to proclaim Him to the nations. (more…)
Stewardship Bulletin Reflection for the Week of Jan. 15, 2012
January 15, 2012 — Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19; Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10; 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20; Jn. 1:35-42
The theme of today’s readings is one any stewardship parish should be familiar with, and one whose message bears such a significant impact on our lives that it is well worth repeating time and time again.
God calls each one of us to be His disciples. He knows we are made to know, love and serve Him, and so He reveals Himself to us and calls us to Himself. Just as He called Samuel in the first reading, and then Andrew, Simon Peter, and the unnamed disciple in the Gospel reading, God calls us. He invites us to share in His life of love, because He knows that’s what we are made for.
However, His call necessitates a response. God doesn’t force us into a relationship with Him. Rather, He reveals Himself to us, much like He did to the men in today’s readings.
Both the Old Testament reading and the Gospel tell us of men who heard God’s call, responded by willfully following the Lord and then offered themselves to God as His stewards, using their gifts to bring others to Him.
God calls each and every one of us today, and He wants us to respond. We hear His call in numerous ways, and often, just like He did with Samuel and Andrew, the Lord uses other people to reveal Himself to us, to call us to Himself. We simply must be open to the call, keeping our hearts and minds fixed on Him, and then, we must respond to Him. Our response involves a willing gift of self, offering the Lord all we are – our time, our talent, and our treasure – to serve Him. Then, our lives will bear witness to the Love and goodness of the Lord, and, just as Andrew brought Simon, we will help others find the Lord.
Msgr. Thomas McGread: Stewardship for a New Year
The beginning of the year is a popular time for personal reassessment. The earth has finished one more revolution around the sun, and swings low over the cold January horizon, just like last year. The days are shorter, and an evening of introspection seems more inviting. Somehow, when we take down the old calendar and tack up the new, we sense an opportunity to make a fresh start.
To make the best of this opportunity (which, truthfully, exists in June just as it does in January), it’s useful to make firm commitments. It’s even more useful to write them down. These resolutions — kept in a desk drawer or on the refrigerator door — are a “hard copy” of our best intentions for self-improvement. They’re signposts that redirect our lives towards good, towards God.
Often New Year’s resolutions are about personal health, such as losing weight, relaxing more, or smoking less. And it is important, of course, to take good care of our bodies. But Christianity offers us a fuller concept of self-improvement. St. Paul reminds us that both the body and the soul need an exercise program. In fact, every aspect of our persons — physical, mental, spiritual, emotional — can benefit from an annual self-audit. (more…)
Stewardship Reflection on Lectionary Readings: January 8, 2012
January 8, 2012 – The Epiphany of the Lord
Is. 60:1-6; Ps. 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13; Eph. 3:2, 3a, 5-6; Mt. 2:1-12
The theme of this Sunday’s Scripture readings is two-fold: God manifests Himself, and man responds to that manifestation with gifts of gratitude and conversion of heart.
The Magi, who were likely astrologers and magicians, made the long journey from somewhere far away to see the Savior, and when they saw him, they gave Him themselves. The gold, frankincense and myrrh were likely “tricks of the trade” that they surrendered to the Lord upon meeting Him.
They had an encounter with Christ that fateful day and, upon recognizing him as Lord and Savior, they offered Him the gifts of themselves. Then, the Gospel tells us, they departed from another way. (more…)
Stewardship Reflection on Lectionary Readings: January 1, 2012
January 1, 2012 – the Octave Day of the Nativity of Our Lord Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God
Nm. 6:22-27; Ps. 67:2-3, 5,6,8; Gal. 4:4-7; Lk. 2:16-21
It is interesting to note that while the feast we celebrate today is that of Mary, the Mother of God, we do not hear much about Mary in today’s readings. In fact, the only mention of her is the simple phrase in the Epistle: “born of a woman” and in the Gospel, the sentence, “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” She is hardly the focus of today’s readings. Rather, the readings draw our attention to the birth of Christ.
In the first reading, it is the theme of blessing in the name of God that is emphasized. In this three-fold blessing, we see anticipation of our Trinitarian faith. What’s more, the Lord tells Moses to have Aaron and his sons bless the Israelites in His name. (more…)
Stewardship Bulletin Reflection for the Week of Jan. 8, 2012
January 8, 2012 — The Epiphany of the Lord
Is. 60:1-6; Ps. 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13; Eph. 3:2, 3a, 5-6; Mt. 2:1-12
The theme of this Sunday’s Scripture readings is two-fold: God manifests Himself and man responds to that manifestation with gifts of gratitude and conversion of heart.
The Magi, who were likely astrologists and magicians, made the long journey from somewhere far away to see the Savior, and when they saw him, they gave Him themselves. The gold, frankincense, and myrrh were likely “tricks of the trade” they surrendered to the Lord upon meeting Him. Then, the Gospel tells us, they departed from another way.
Such language tells us not simply that the Magi traveled home on a different route, but on a deeper level, that their lives were changed that day. Their encounter with Christ made a huge impact on their lives, calling them to give of themselves and then to live the remainder of their lives accordingly.
Their story is a great example to all of us. It speaks of some universal truths.
As Christian stewards, we live for God. Everything we do and say ought to proclaim the Gospel and bring others closer to Christ so that one day, as the psalmist sings “Every nation on Earth will adore” Him.
God has given each one of us many good gifts. As stewards, let us use the gifts He has given us – our time, our talent, and our treasure – at home, at church, at work, and wherever else we find ourselves, to glorify Him and, in so doing, call others to encounter Christ and live for Him.
Fr. Dave Zimmer: Unwrapping the Gift of Stewardship
Most people associate “stewardship” with giving. Some think it is desperate “plea” for giving some of your time, talent and treasure to a worthy cause. It may be a noble gesture of generosity which identifies a “faithful steward” so common at this time of year. For some, there comes an understanding of the stewardship way of life, which brings joy and blessings from giving back a portion of the gifts received from God. At Christmas, when gift giving and receiving is most common, should it not also be a time when the stewardship way of life becomes the gift that is unwrapped by our consciousness and treasured by our faith? After all, the first gift of Christmas was the gift of God’s own son.
For those who may be still struggling with understanding the stewardship way of life, that may be a stretch for them to accept even at this time of year. But by living the stewardship way of life, this makes perfect sense to me and in this season of faith, the gift of stewardship remains to be one of the blessings of my life as a Catholic, a Priest and a Pastor. (more…)
Stewardship Reflection on Lectionary Readings: Dec. 25, 2011
December 25, 2011 – Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18
We all know the story of Christmas. Mary and Joseph had traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to take part in a census. When they arrived, there was no room at the inn, so the couple stayed in the stable with the animals. Then, it came time for Mary to give birth to Jesus. She gave birth to him in the stable, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.
But the story of Christmas is much more than that. It isn’t just the story of how one young couple gave birth to their baby amidst the barn animals. It is the story of how the Lord sent a Savior into the world. It is the story of how God became man and dwelt among us on the earth. That is the mystery we celebrate today. That is what gives Christmas its meaning. That is what we ought to reflect upon as we carry out our Christmas celebrations.
Stewardship Bulletin Reflection for the Week of Jan. 1, 2012
January 1, 2012 — The Octave Day of the Nativity of Our Lord Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Nm. 6:22-27; Ps. 67:2-3, 5,6,8; Gal. 4:4-7; Lk. 2:16-21
It is interesting that today, a day on which we celebrate the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, we hear very little about Mary in the readings.
Mary plays a vital role in Salvation History, and today we celebrate a key part of that role. But when we reflect on what it means for Mary to be the Mother of God, when we ponder her importance in the life of the Church, she brings us back to her Son, the focal point of today’s readings, the focal point of Salvation History, the focal point of the Church’s life.
Indeed, all of the Church’s doctrines pertaining to Mary, while they speak of Marian truths, actually emphasize a truth about Christ and bring us into a deeper understanding of who Christ is, and, we can be sure, that’s how Mary would want it to be. After all, when the angel declared to Mary that she would conceive the Lord and she gave him her “yes,” she surrendered her will to the Father. She gave Him her life and became the first disciple — the first steward — living her life in complete selfless service for the Lord.
Her title, “Mother of God,” speaks of a profound truth about her Son. It tells us that, from the moment of His conception, Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. It is a mystery and one we must believe as Catholics. And, today, as we honor Mary for her role in our salvation, we are called to ponder this mystery, to come to a deeper understanding of the reality of the incarnation.
We are also called as stewards to follow in Mary’s footsteps. She is the first disciple. And, as Christ’s disciple, she has given herself in service to Him. May we all follow suit. Like hers, may our lives be ones that proclaim Christ to others. Through what we say and do, through the sharing of our time, talent, and treasure, may we bring others closer to Christ, just as Mary does.
