Springtime Stewardship

Everyone loves springtime. The official start of Spring is less than a week away, but the weather is already getting warmer and beautiful flowers are beginning to bloom all around us.

But anyone with a beautiful garden will attest to the fact that the flowers do not magically appear as if the change in season itself miraculously makes the flowers bloom. Beautiful flowers and lush gardens are the result of hard work by the gardener.

Imagine a man is given some flower seeds. The man then buries the seeds in the ground and leaves them on their own. As the months pass and rain falls, some seeds may receive enough nourishment to bloom. But simply burying seeds in the ground will hardly make for a gorgeous garden. Rather, if the man truly wants to enjoy many beautiful flowers, there is much care and work ahead. Recognizing the hidden beauty within these simple seeds, he must cultivate the ground, plant the seeds in a solid foundation and water and fertilize them throughout the year. Only then will he see the proper fruit these seeds were made to bear.

This simple illustration speaks to our hearts this season — not only as we look around at the flowers, but more importantly, as we reflect on the springtime of the Church. Soon we will celebrate the great feast of Easter when, through His death and Resurrection, Christ offers us the greatest gift of all — eternal life with Him forever. This celebration leads us to reflect on the many gifts God has given us in this life and the fruit they will bear, especially as we look to life eternal.

He has given each of us a multitude of gifts so that we can better serve Him and bring others to Him. Do we notice the hidden potential of our gifts? Do we see them, like the seed, as seemingly small, yet so full of fruit? Everything we have — our time, talents, and treasure — is a gift from the Lord. Do we accept gifts in gratitude, then put them to use by cultivating and nourishing them so they will bear the proper fruit?

Just like the springtime flowers we now enjoy, our time, talents, and treasure need to be cared for. Our gifts need to be cultivated and nourished. Only then will we see them for what they are — wonderful gifts given by God and meant for His greater glory.

Like the seeds, if we use our gifts flippantly, we may see some fruits here and there. But we are called to so much more. We are called to build a beautiful garden. We are called to offer God the most beautiful flowers of all.

This season, as we look at all the beautiful flowers around us and enjoy God’s creation, let us think about the seeds in our own lives. Ask yourself if you have accepted the gifts God has given you — your time, your talents, and your treasure — and cultivated and cared for them properly.

Or, do they just sit dormant within, you yearning to bloom?

Fr. Michael Troha, March 15, 2012
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