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STEWARDSHIP Time, Talent, Treasure. “ONCE ONE CHOOSES TO BECOME A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, STEWARDSHIP IS NOT AN OPTION.” -Bishop John J. McRaith, USCCB
committee on Stewardship In 1992, the United States Catholic Bishops published the pastoral letter entitled: Stewardship, A
Disciple’s Response. They are now in the third printing of their Tenth
Anniversary edition of the letter, and it continues to illuminate this
often misunderstood Catholic Christian concept. The concept of
stewardship is simple. The reason it is so often misunderstood is that
over the years, many people have used the word incorrectly, or applied a
very limited definition of the word. Stewardship at St. John the Beloved We at St. John the Beloved are
striving to reach a deeper understanding of the concept of Stewardship. As
a community, we are gradually peeling away the misconceptions that keep us
from seeing the truth about who we are called to be as Catholics and
Christians. This type of learning is not an event, but rather a journey.
We invite you to join us on the journey. We will occasionally
add new content to this part of our site as we discover the richness of
being a stewardship parish. For now, look at these quotes from the
Bishop’s Pastoral letter. Thought Provoking Quotes from the Bishop’s
Pastoral Letter “Stewardship always starts with
the personal experience of the Risen Christ in our midst and in our
hearts. It is a vocation to discipleship.” “Only in the unfolding of the
history of our lives and its events, is the eternal plan of God revealed
to each of us.”
-Pope John Paul II, (Christifideles Laici, no.
58) “Jesus’ call is urgent. He does
not tell people to follow him at some time in the future but here and
now-at this moment, in these circumstances. There can be
no delay. ‘Go and proclaim the kingdom of God…No one who sets a hand to
the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.’
(Lk 9:60, 62)” “Jesus not only calls people to
him but also forms them and sends them out in his
service.” “The way of discipleship is
privileged beyond any other. Jesus says: “I came so that they might have
life and have it more abundantly.’ (Jn 10:10) But discipleship is not an
easy way. ‘If you wish to come after me,’ Jesus also says, ‘You must deny
yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me. For if you wish to
save your life you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake you
will save it.’ (Lk 9:23-24)”
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Some Thoughts on the topic of Stewardship Where have you seen the word
Stewardship used? Often, in a church setting, the word appears in a
bulletin, usually as a heading for a report on financial giving. Sometimes
it has been used as the heading for fund drives or other monetary “asks,”
as if to imply that the word is synonymous with the phrase “Give
Money.” This is an incomplete, narrow
application of the word, and it actually lets us off the hook too easily.
God doesn’t just want our money. He wants us to give our entire selves
over to him. God continually reaches out to us
like a parent extending arms wide, inviting a hug from a toddler. To
demonstrate his love, God showers us with things we do nothing to deserve;
life, breath, intelligence, friends, family, material provision, physical
pleasures like food, rest, and all the wonderful experiences that come to
us through our senses.
Like toddlers, we often become
distracted along the way by the gifts that have been scattered around us,
and leave the loving parent standing, the hug unconsummated, and the
growth of our relationship postponed. God is patient with us, and takes
joy in observing how we interact with the gifts He has bestowed upon us.
He waits for the day we will be mature enough to realize that He is the
source of all the blessings in our lives. When we arrive at that point, God
will be ready to raise our relationship to the next level. He will reveal
to us our true role in the universe. Many things will become clear, and we
will discover a depth to life that we were completely unaware of. And we
will finally understand wealth. Our Role in the Universe We were put here to be stewards. A
steward is one who has been given, and has accepted, the responsibility
for carefully managing the valuable assets of his or her master. At some
point, we have to become mature enough in our faith that we pick up the
toys, do a careful accounting of what we have been given, and begin to
look for ways to use these treasures that go beyond satisfying our own
desires. Only then will our lives begin to have meaning. Only then will we
know true fulfillment. At that point, our relationship with God will grow
in leaps and bounds, as we cooperate with the creator of the universe,
carrying out tasks that he has reserved especially for
us. We all have a great deal left to
learn about Stewardship, but it is relatively simple to know some things
that stewardship is not. Stewardship is not a fundraising word. The word “
Stewardship” is one of the most concise expressions of all that is
included in the Christian experience. Stewardship is faith, hope, and
love. Stewardship is walking hand in hand with Christ himself, exploring
the amazing adventure he has set before us. Stewardship is an exciting
word, filled with wonder and awe.
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