What identifies us as a steward? Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means much more. As Christian stewards, we recognize that all things are gifts given to us by God. Stewards are caretakers or managers of what belongs to another and that ‘another’ is God. We don’t really own anything. Once realized, we can receive these gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them with others, and return them with increase to God. This is the essence of Christianity to recognize these gifts and to share these gifts in love of God and love of our neighbor. God created the world, but entrusts it to human beings.
God created the world, but entrusts it to human beings. Caring for and cultivating the world as a steward involves the joyful appreciation for the God-given beauty and wonder of nature. It is in the protection and preservation of the environment. It is the respect for the gift of human life and to make life flourish. It is also through human effort, our physical labor, the trades and professions, the arts and sciences, our work.
The life of a Christian steward models the life of Jesus. It can be challenging and even difficult. People who want to live as Christian stewards face serious obstacles. Our culture frequently contradicts our religious convictions and encourages us to focus on ourselves and our pleasures. At times, we can find it far too easy to ignore spiritual realities and to deny religion as having a role in shaping our human and social values. We know what it is to struggle against selfishness and greed, and we realize that it is harder for many today to accept the challenge of being a Christian steward. It is essential, therefore, that we make a special effort to understand the true meaning of stewardship and live accordingly.
As Christians, we are called to a new way of life, the Christian way of life, in which stewardship is a part. Our God does not call us as nameless people in a faceless crowd. He calls us individually, by name. Each one of us, clergy, religious, lay person, married, single, adult, child, has a personal vocation. God intends each one of us to play a unique role in carrying out His divine plan. The challenge is to understand our role. God calls each of us to be stewards of our personal vocations. It is up to us to respond generously to this call to our vocation as stewards.
In prayer, we ask God to create in us a more open heart and greater awareness of our need to grow, to change, to be transformed, so that we may be better stewards of our gifts for the good of all.
Amen.
Deacon Jeffrey Vaagen, St. Joseph Catholic Church
