Stewardship: Sharing Our Gifts

Good Steward Newsletter

2011-12-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

We Give Back to God, In an Unequal Exchange, the Gift of His Love

Clearly, it is only through God’s generosity that man, the beggar, who receives a wealth of divine gifts, is yet able to offer something to God as well; that God makes it possible for us to accept His gifts by making us capable of becoming givers ourselves in His regard. – Pope Benedict XVI

During the Advent and Christmas seasons, we give and receive many gifts. Advent is a time of preparation, a time of joyful hope and confident expectation. Hope is a gift—an especially precious gift during times of uncertainty and despair. Joy is also a gift. It gladdens our weary hearts and allows us to let go of life’s many burdens, if only for a moment.

We have gifts to share with others because God has been generous to us. He has given us life. All that we possess (our material and spiritual gifts) first came to us because God loves us, because He freely shares with us His life (grace) and the fruits of His labor (creation). We have gifts to share with others because God first shared these gifts with us
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Pope Benedict reminds us that God is love. Divine love does not exist only for itself. “By nature,” the Holy Father says, God’s love “wants to pour itself out.” This is the Christmas story. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son. (Jn) God’s love could not contain itself. It overflowed and became incarnate. God so loved us that He became one with us.

This is the mystery—and the profound joy—of Christmas. Christ, the Son of God, “stepped outside the framework of His divinity, took flesh and became man” the pope says, “not merely to confirm the world in its worldliness” but to effect a profound change, to transform the world, and each one of us, by the power of His love.

When we celebrate Advent, we look forward in hope. And when Christmas comes, we discover that our hope has been transformed. It has become love incarnate.

We have gifts to share with one another because Christ has given Himself to us. We have the power to give back to God “with increase” because God has invited us to be the stewards of His bounty and to nurture all His gifts and grow them out of gratitude for His love.

The danger is that we will neglect the gifts we have received from God and that we will become complacent and fail to share them with others. This is the tendency to worldliness that Jesus has warned against (Jn17:16). It is the temptation to regard all our gifts and possessions as rightfully ours—not gifts at all but the results of our own efforts, our own exclusive property.

Miserly, self-centeredness is the spirit of Scrooge; it is not the spirit of Christmas. The God who loves us gives generously without measuring what we deserve. He does not hold back. He shares freely out of an abundance of love.

To be like Him, we must let go of what we think we own. We must give until it liberates us from the weight of the world. We must share until it connects us with each other and with God.
Yes, the exchange between us and God is unequal. We could never hope to return to Him in equal measure all that He has given to us. That’s why the Lord challenges us to proportionate giving. And it’s why He invites us to give sacrificially as a sign that we know how blessed we are and how much we have to share with others.

Pope Benedict says that “the Church owes her whole being to this unequal exchange.” We have nothing of our own to give this Christmas. We have only what Christ has first given to us—inviting us to take care of, and share, the gifts He has given us out of love.

This Advent let’s treasure the gift of hope and share it generously with all who are tempted to despair. And when Christmas comes, let’s not hold anything back. Let’s spread joy and love and peace with great generosity—as though we had much more of these precious gifts than we knew what to do with!

God gives us more than we can ever give back in return. May His generosity inspire us to celebrate this holy season with an outpouring of God’s unending love.

Source: Copyright © 2011, Daniel Conway
Permission is given to copy and distribute this Good Steward Newsletter for use in religious or educational settings provided that proper attribution is given to the author. This publication may not be sold or distributed to the general public without the express permission of the author.

A Stewardship Moment

2011-11-29T10:56:00.000-08:00

Second Sunday of Advent
Weekend of December 3/4, 2011
Today’s second reading is about Christ’s coming again,
“The day of the Lord,” Peter calls it, but that day isn’t December
25th. It’s that other day, that second-coming-day
about which Peter is concerned. He waits with great hope
and anticipation for God to remake the earth into a place
of perfect justice and peace. And he sets some demanding
goals for the Christian community as it awaits that final
day of accounting and reconciliation: strive to be at
peace, without spot or blemish. Christian stewards work
for peace. As we await the coming of Christmas, what can
we do to promote peace in our homes, workplaces, community,
world?

Third Sunday of Advent
Weekend of December 10/11, 2011
In today’s second reading Paul concludes his letter to the
Christian community at Thessalonica by providing it with
actions to take as they wait for the return of the Lord. The
first action is to rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances.
This sounds easy but it’s not. The two words that
make this task difficult are “always” and “all”. This means
giving thanks and rejoicing even when our circumstances
are not always moments of joy and thanksgiving, or when
we are confronted with a broken world. Prayerful stewards
rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances because they
are people of hope. A good reflection this week would be
how the season of Advent can give you reason to hope.

Fourth Sunday of Advent
Weekend of December 17/18, 2011
In today’s Gospel reading we hear proclaimed the story of
the Annunciation, when the angel of the Lord announced
to Mary that she would give birth to Christ through the
intercession of the Holy Spirit. Mary allowed God’s messenger
to speak to her. She was attentive, not afraid to enter
into a dialogue, then unconditionally obedient. Mary’s
acceptance of this mystery is a stewardship model for us.
Good stewards remain open to the incursions of divine life
into the normal course of their daily lives. How open are
we to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our own lives?
What might we do this last week of Advent to be more attentive
to the Lord?

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day)
Sunday, December 25, 2011
In today’s Christmas Mass at dawn we hear from the Gospel
reading that God has entered quietly into the world.
Not into the great city of Jerusalem, but into a small village
about five miles south. Not into a noble family, but to
an outcast couple keeping the newborn in a manger. Not
announced by royal edicts, but to common shepherds, the
first human heralds of Christ’s birth.

As Christian stewards we simply allow Christ to live in us
no matter what our circumstances happen to be. We allow
Christ to share his love with us and reflect that love out
to others. We now are the heralds of Christ’s Incarnation.
What an unimaginable gift from a generous Lord.Good
stewards rejoice in this gift and give glory to God.

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council December Newsletter, 2011

The Catholic Steward: Stewardship Education and Best Practices

2011-11-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

Fr. Allan McDonald: First Fruits or Just Leftovers?

There’s no accounting for taste, they say. The poet James Russell Lowell enthused, “And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days.” However, I’ll go with November every time. The summer heat has broken and the leaves are turning their bright autumn colors, but except in the Far North the winter cold is still to come.

For most of the country, the fall also brings the completion of harvest. Although most Americans live in urban areas and many of us seldom even see a farm, the foods we all eat – fruits and vegetables, meats, milk, and the grain for our bread – come from farms and ranches across American and around the world. We may feel far away from farm life and think that the harvest has little to do with us, but we are connected with agriculture more closely than we realize. How the harvest goes affects the prices we pay; and if the harvest were to fail completely, there would soon be nothing available to put on our grocery shelves.

In the Old Testament world, most people were farmers, and the Israelites were to bring offerings to God from the harvest of their fields and flocks. The success of the harvest directly affected their wellbeing during the next year. At their agricultural festivals, “the measure of your own freewill offering shall be in proportion to the blessing the Lord, your God, has bestowed on you” (Dt 16:10) they were told.

So it is for us. We may not have a harvest of fruits or grains, but we do receive a return for our own labor, whether it be in a factory, an office, a classroom, or wherever. And, as stewards, we also are invited by God to return a portion to Him for His glory and our own spiritual welfare, in proportion to the blessings we have received.

As stewards, it’s ultimately a choice we make. Are we going to hoard everything we get, or are we going to give back to God a portion of what He gives us? When we give back to God, will we return just what’s left over after everything else is paid, or will our gifts have a higher priority? The Israelites brought the “first fruits of the various products” (Ex 26:2) they raised. The first fruits, rather than the leftovers. Is that the choice I will make? Is that the choice you will make?

Source: TheCatholicSteward.com Blog

Stewardship Reflections for the Weekly Readings

2011-09-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Weekend of September 3/4, 2011
In Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans he suggests that God lavishes his love upon us through Jesus Christ, who calls us to the kind of loving relationship, if we so choose it, that demands accountability. It is like, in Saint Paul’s vocabulary, a kind of "debt" that we can never "pay-in-full." But we begin to repay by following the direction of one of the most familiar statements in the Bible: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Good stewards realize that God does not call them just to love those who are easy to love, but to love the unloved and the hard-to-love people in this world as well. This week, remind yourself: "I am put here as an ambassador of God’s love."

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Weekend of September 10/11, 2011
Today’s Gospel reading continues Jesus’ instructions on being good stewards of others – the direction that if we love Jesus Christ, we must forgive an individual 77 times. The reading compels us to consider one of the most difficult practices of Christian discipleship. Forgiveness is the way of Jesus, the way of the cross. Vengeance, bitterness and hatred seem so much easier and certainly more desirable. Forgiveness is a hard road to travel, but it is the only road that leads to life in Christ. Consider this week who you need to forgive.

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Weekend of September 17/18, 2011
From an early age, we tend to distort the concept of "fairness": "I am good. I deserve good things. I am not receiving good things. Something must be wrong. Who’s going to fix it?" We also know the age-old expression: "Who ever said life was fair?" Jesus knew this expression when he offered his parable in today’s Gospel reading. Christian stewards acknowledge, with humility, that they receive good things from the Lord in abundance; even if these gifts are not the ones they think they need when they need them. Consider which servants you identify with most in the Gospel reading, the ones who demand "fairness", or that final servant who, seemingly, deserves the least.

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Weekend of September 24/25, 2011
Saint Augustine, a doctor of the church, once wrote that the first, second, and third most important attitude in Christianity is humility. In today’s second reading, Saint Paul is concerned with how we conduct ourselves in our community of faith. He urges us to let our conduct be worthy of the Gospel we say that we believe; and that it all begins with humility. He asks us to consider others better than ourselves, and to serve them by looking out for their best interest, not ours. Consider how Saint Paul’s appeal to imitating Christ’s humility can enhance your relationships.

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council

Stewardship Reflection

2011-08-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Although many in our culture deny any responsibility for the wrong they do, God does not see it that way. We may claim social ills or ignorance caused us to do evil, but the Lord declares, “The wicked shall die for his guilt.” Our words and deeds have consequences, and there are choices we can make that God sees as sinful.
But God does not want us to choose sin, and so we have the responsibility of warning the sinner, firmly but gently, of the results of his actions. If we’re the one who has been hurt, Jesus tells us to seek reconciliation privately first of all, but if that does not work, then bring in others. But ignoring sin is not an option, for then it grows and festers.
The steward is accountable to God for his use of the time, talent, and treasure entrusted to him. One aspect of being accountable is responsibility for fellow members of the Body of Christ. Offering correction, in a way that can be understood and accepted, comes with the territory. Otherwise, as the Lord announced through Ezekiel, “The wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.”

Source: The Catholic Steward Newsletter

Msgr. Thomas McGread: Receiving, Cultivating and Sharing Your Gifts

2011-06-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

The parable of the talents in Matthew’s Gospel is familiar to most of us. In fact, many of us have probably been told of its stewardship message time and again. But in my blog post today, I want to hit on a portion of that Gospel’s message that I believe is particularly important and pertinent as we all strive to live stewardship today.

In this parable, Jesus tells of a man who goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with his money while he’s gone.

“The one who received five talents came forward bringing the additional five … Then, the one who had received two talents also came forward and sad, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See I have made two more” (Mt. 25: 20, 22).

To both of these servants, the Master replies: “Well done my good and faithful servant… come, share your master’s joy… For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich.”
What does this mean for us as stewards of God’s gifts today? He expects us to cultivate and develop the gifts He has given us and return them with increase. And for what? It is definitely not for His sake, but for ours. He knows that in doing so we will become better people and grow deeper in our faith.

To illustrate that reality, I would like to tell a story.

When I was pastor of St. Francis Parish in Wichita, Kan., one of the things we did to encourage young people to live stewardship as a way of life is offer free organ lessons. In exchange for the lessons, the youth were asked to serve as organists at Mass. It worked wonders. Numerous young people signed up for the lessons, and the parish gained a few organists out of the deal.
This wasn’t a clever rouse to obtain free organists for the parish, though it might seem that way at first. In fact, I saw this as an opportunity to help the young parishioners identify a God-given talent, develop it, and give it back to God in service – all very important elements in the stewardship way of life. It was an opportunity for a hands-on life lesson, and it warms my heart to see how much of an impact that one small decision, that one little opportunity has had on the lives of some of those who took it.

Mindy Hatzmann, the daughter of St. Francis parishioners Carolyn and Dan Loughman, was one such youth. She spent time during her fifth-grade year learning to play. Mindy took to the organ quite well. It was obvious that she did indeed have a great talent, and the lessons were helping her cultivate it. In addition to practicing during her school recesses, Mindy played the organ for Sunday Masses, and she developed, not only a musical talent, but an understanding of how important it is for us to recognize the gifts God has given us, cultivate them, and, then, return them with increase to the Lord. As she continued to play the organ, she became a better organist and, in turn, as she gave back to the Lord by using her talent to serve the Church. Ultimately, she became a more faith-filled Catholic.

“I fell more deeply in love with the Mass the more I played,” Mindy once told me. “I began to understand a lot more about our Faith, and the more I used my God-given talent to serve, the more I understood about why God calls us to be good stewards.”

Today, many years later, as a wife and mother, Mindy’s life continues to bear witness to the importance of recognizing, cultivating, and returning our God-given gifts as she continues to use her talents to serve the Lord. The Church has benefitted through the years from the beautiful music Mindy has played that turned many people’s hearts to God. The Church also continues to benefit, as Mindy not only continues to serve herself, but as she raises her children to be grateful, giving stewards, as well.

I highlight Mindy’s story not to pinpoint a decision I made at pastor, nor, for that matter, to pat Mindy on the back (though I do believe she and her husband deserve to be recognized for the decisions they’ve made and the life of stewardship that they live). I wanted to call your attention to Mindy’s story because it bears witness to two of the most important aspects of the stewardship way of life – cultivating our gifts and returning them with increase to the Lord.
God has given each one of us many gifts. If we cultivate them responsibly, and then return them to the Lord in grateful service, we are sure to grow in faith and we are sure to bring many others closer to the Lord as well. That is the beauty of discipleship lived through stewardship – it builds the Church.

I challenge each and every one of you to follow suit. Then, God-willing, one day you, too, will hear the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.”

Source: The Catholic Steward, June 23, 2011

Stewardship Reflection

2011-06-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

Fr. Michael Troha: What Will God Ask Us?

We all get e-mails forwarded to us from family and friends from time to time. The jokes, videos, photos and sometimes inspirational messages oftentimes give us something to think about.

I once received a PowerPoint e-mail from a priest friend who is a retired Air Force chaplain, and it relates perfectly to what living the stewardship way of life is all about.

We will leave out the pictures and leave you with the words from:

“10 Things God Won’t Ask You on That Day“:

1. God won’t ask you what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask you how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

2. God won’t ask the square footage of your house. He’ll ask you how many people you welcomed into your home.

3. God won’t ask you about the clothes you had in your closet. He’ll ask you how many people you helped clothe.

4. God won’t ask you what your highest salary was. He’ll ask you if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5. God won’t ask you what your job title was. He’ll ask you if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6. God won’t ask you how many friends you had. He’ll ask you how many people you befriended.

7. God won’t ask you in what neighborhood you lived. He’ll ask you how you treated your neighbors.

8. God won’t ask you about the color of your skin. He’ll ask you about the content of your character.

9. God won’t ask you why it took you so long to seek salvation. He’ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven.

10. God won’t have to ask you how many people you spread this message to. He’ll already know.

God constantly gives us so many gifts. Living stewardship as a way of life helps us to share what we been given by God.

Source: The Catholic Steward.com : Stewardship Education, Advice and Best Practices, June 16, 2011

Stewardship Bulletin Announcements

2011-06-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Thursday, June 2 or Weekend of June 4/5, 2011
In today’s gospel Jesus charges his followers to "make disciples of all nations." What exactly is going on here? What is this Great Commission anyway? Good stewards know they are directed to share what they exercise stewardship over: their life of faith in Christ Jesus. They know Jesus didn’t direct them to go to church but to keep quiet about it; or to go out into the neighborhood, workplace or marketplace and just be nice. Christ’s Good News is meant to be shared. Many people in our communities don’t know about Jesus Christ. Does that bother us? Do we care? Do we realize we are supposed to do something about it?

Seventh Sunday of Easter
(If Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension is celebrated Thursday, June 2)
Weekend of June 4/5, 2011
In today’s second reading, we hear it proclaimed that we are blessed if we share in the sufferings of Christ. What then does it mean to "share in His sufferings" in this context? Most of us do not live in a part of the world where we could be killed for being a follower of Jesus. But we could face or "suffer" mockery, ridicule and disapproval from others. Far too often, and for various reasons, those who profess faith in Christ act as though they are ashamed of him. But to act ashamed is the same as a denial. Stewards of the Good News are never ashamed to reveal their love for the Lord.

Pentecost SundayJune 12, 2011
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit among the believers of the early Church. Saint Paul reminds us of the special power the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon us and how that power gives us the potential to live extraordinary lives of faith. Good stewards recognize this power and use their gifts, through God’s channel of grace, to transform their lives and the lives of others, and thus hasten God’s Kingdom. Good stewards know that it is through the Holy Spirit that they can proclaim: "Jesus is Lord."

Weekend of June 18/19, 2011The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
In today’s second reading Saint Paul’s final appeal is a call for unity. God created that unity. Good stewards who share Christ’s life in the Eucharist belong to each other, just as God in the three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit enjoy unity. We are an intimate part of God’s divine bond, God’s "family." Saint Paul maintains that we ought to act that way. In the Church there is a bond of family, yet plenty room for variety. Christian stewards use their uniquely varied gifts to live a Trinitarian faith, in unity, promoting Christ’s peace and justice. How do we promote unity in our parish?

June 26, 2011Solemnity of the Most Holy Bodyand Blood of Christ
Among the compelling Eucharistic themes proclaimed in today’s readings is the notion of "participation" as found in Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Good stewards are part of a Eucharistic family: loving, welcoming, serving. An important part of living as a steward comes about in the many ways we can participate in the life of the Church. No matter how much time we have to give, no matter what our skills or interests, no matter what our level of commitment, there is a way to participate as a good steward to enrich our lives, and build up the Body of Christ.

Source: June 2011 ICSC Parish-enews

The Science of Counting Blessings by Steve Foran

2011-04-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Social scientists are finally catching on to something that Christian stewards have known for centuries, namely: gratitude is beneficial to us as individuals and as a society. In fact, the results of ongoing gratitude research show promise in overcoming “the real world” challenges in building more vibrant communities and parishes. “The real world” is often seen as the place where we suffer lack of funding, too few resources, attitudes of indifference towards the church ... the list goes on and on. Regardless of the positive steps that parishes may undertake, unfortunately, people can remain fixated on a problem which often leads to a downward spiral.

The solution to “the real world” challenges is Christian stewardship which is now backed by scientific evidence. Researchers have found that if people simply count their blessings instead of their burdens, it increases their overall wellbeing.

The research has concluded that those who recorded their blessings felt better about their lives, had greater expectations and optimism for the coming week, had fewer symptoms of physical illness, spent more time exercising and were more likely to have helped someone.

There is a simple gold nugget in the research that reinforces the importance of Christian stewardship: Counting our blessings helps us live out our baptismal call as Christian disciples in a more vibrant and life-giving way. It is unlikely that the research comes as a surprise to anyone who embraces stewardship as a way of life, but how many of us actually take the time to write down our blessings each and every day?

In the spirit of the Easter season, I offer this simple two-part challenge in the hopes it will further renew your attitude and enliven your spirit. Part one ... each day write down three things for which you are grateful. You will successfully make this a habit if you find a time (morning, evening, lunch) and a place (in a journal, on your office calendar) that works for you.

What you record is too good to keep to yourself, which leads to part two ... at some point during the day, as part of a regular conversation, share what you wrote with someone else. Make a conversation of it by asking the other person what they are grateful for and why. This is very simple and easy to do and you will be glad you did.

(Steve Foran serves parishes and dioceses in making stewardship a way of life. He can be reached through his website at giveraising.com.)

Editors note – For further information on the study of gratitude and its positive effects, check out the research of Robert A. Emmons, professor of psychology at the University of California-Davis, pioneer in the research on gratitude and one of the leading scholars in positive psychology. He is the author of Thanks: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2007). Another scholar who studies gratitude is Michael E. McCullough, professor of psychology at the University of Miami and director of its Evolution and Human Behavior Laboratory.

A Stewardship Moment

2011-04-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

Second Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday Weekend of April 30 / May 1, 2011
In today’s first reading, the four activities of the earliest church are introduced to us as priorities of the church: devotion to the teachings of the apostles, communal fellowship, the Eucharist and prayer. The early members of the church saw themselves as devoted stewards of these activities. These were not options. They were the fruits of a genuine conversion to a life in Christ. Sharing in the Eucharist was the most intimate expression of fellowship while the most common expression of fellowship in the New Testament was that of sharing financial resources – giving. It was not a perfect community, but one that gave evidence of God’s active presence in its midst. This early community offers us an excellent example of how to better exercise stewardship in our own parish families.

Third Sunday of Easter • Weekend of May 7 / 8, 2011
As today’s gospel reveals, the first meal shared with the risen Lord happened in a place called Emmaus. Perhaps there is no better time to reflect on this story than in those prayerful moments at mass when we return to our place after receiving Holy Communion. Those few moments give us an opportunity to reflect on our stewardship of Christ’s presence within us. We have a chance to practice hospitality by inviting Jesus into our hearts to walk and talk with us about our own Emmaus journey. We can relive once again the time when he broke bread for the disciples. And just as they did, we too can recognize Christ in this meal we have just shared with others.

Fourth Sunday of Easter • Weekend of May 14 / 15, 2011
In today’s first reading Peter tells his listeners that if they want to follow Jesus they must go against the world, to become what Christian stewards would consider "countercultural." For stewards, being countercultural can consist of surprisingly small decisions—small acts of reorientation to remind them daily that in spite of their life situation, their citizenship, financial status, or color of their skin, they belong, through their baptism, to a new world order in Jesus Christ. Stewards understand that their daily choices should witness to his gospel, not to the trends, attitudes or spending practices of their culture. Stewardship requires us to ask of our daily habits: "In the light of the Gospel, is this important?"

Fifth Sunday of Easter • Weekend of May 21 / 22, 2011
In the first letter of Peter, we are taught that God made us and chose us to reveal to the world who he is. Christian stewards understand that they do not live for themselves. They live to be stewards of Christ’s presence within them, and to make his presence known to others. They do it at mass. They do it in faith-sharing groups. They do it at work. And they do it daily in a thousand different ways; and where they express their love for God and others in a manner that suits their situation and personality. Name for yourself some of the ways this week you will make Christ’s presence known to others.

Sixth Sunday of Easter • Weekend of May 28 / 29, 2011
In today’s gospel we go back in time to listen to Jesus as he gives instructions at the Last Supper. His words speak to all of us as he is preparing us to be sent out into the world to proclaim his Good News. The gift of the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the entire community of faith to do this work, not just a few. No one is to be excluded. Are we inclusive of everyone in our community? Are there those we choose to exclude because we don’t like them?

Source: ICSC May Newsletter

Stewardship Reflection for April 24, 2011

2011-04-04T16:37:00.001-07:00

The Resurrection of the Lord - Easter Sunday April 24, 2011 The reading from the Acts of the Apostles reminds us that we, too, bear witness to the risen Lord. The presence of Christ is within us, making us new, transforming us, turning us into stewards of the Good News. There is no more time for holding grudges, disliking others, seeking vengeance, maintaining old prejudices, tolerating bias. We are Christ’s joy and instruments of his peace. Our world is reordered. Reflect on how we are called to let Christ’s forgiveness, reconciliation and love permeate our lives. We are Easter people. Rejoice! He is risen! Alleluia! Source: ICSC April Newsletter

Stewardship Reflection for April 23, 2011

2011-04-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Resurrection of the Lord – Easter Vigil April 23, 2011 In tonight’s reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are reminded that we are alive in Christ. And it is not merely once a year that we remember what Jesus did to give us this new life, forgiveness and peace. Every day good stewards remember their baptism. They remember that they are united with Jesus in his death; that daily they drown the old sinful nature, and that daily they rise to their new life in Christ. Let us be mindful every day, especially when we are troubled by life or tempted by sin, that our lives are no longer about us, but about Christ’s active, loving presence within us. That is our baptism. Alleluia! He is risen! Source: ICSC April Newsletter

Stewardship Reflection for April 17, 2011

2011-04-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion Weekend of April 16/17, 2011 In Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians he makes clear that Christ “emptied himself.” He was not “full of himself.” Jesus embraced the characteristics of humility, service and obedience to carry out the will of the Father. Christian stewards know that there is no room for the Lord in a life that is full of oneself. Christian stewards follow Christ’s example by taking on the characteristics of humility, servanthood and obedience. Our culture does not reward this attitude. But God exalts those stewards who for His sake, empty themselves. It is only when we empty ourselves that there is room for God to work within us. Source: ICSC April Newsletter

Stewardship Reflection for April 10, 2011

2011-04-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

Fifth Sunday of Lent Weekend of April 9/10, 2011 In today’s reading, Martha, a close friend of Jesus, professes her faith in him even in her grief: “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Good stewards are friends of Jesus and profess their belief in him regularly, even when they are on the very brink of their faith. They know that death is not the last word; that Jesus is an agent of change; that faithful stewards never die. Are we friends of Jesus? Do we actually believe the Creed we profess? Do we believe Christ has the power to transform our lives? To give us eternal life? Source: ICSC April Newsletter

Stewardship Reflections for April 3, 2011

2011-04-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

Fourth Sunday of Lent Weekend of April 2/3, 2011 Saint Paul gives us a wake up call. As stewards of the light of Christ, we are to reflect that light with the help of the Holy Spirit. If Christ’s work has transformed and illuminated our lives, there should be a change. The light of Christ’s active presence should be at work in us. And as the light shines within us, we take on the properties of that light and we shine too. We are used by God to shine the light of Christ in the lives of others. A challenging Lenten reflection: Is the light of Christ shining in our hearts? Is the light of Christ reflecting out from us to others? Source: ICSC April Newsletter

Almsgiving: An Expression of Gratitude

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Adapted from an article by Jim Lamm,
Director of Stewardship
St. Louis Catholic Church, Austin, Texas

When we look at the three traditional “disciplines”
of Lent, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we know that
almsgiving gets the least attention. Yet, the Bible places
emphasis firmly on almsgiving: “Prayer and fasting are
good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied
by righteousness … It is better to give alms than to
store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and
expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall
enjoy a full life” (Tobit 12:8-9).

Almsgiving is simply an expression of our gratitude for
all that God has given us, and a realization that as a
member of a community of faith, it is never just “me
and God.” For disciples of the Lord, almsgiving means
much more than simply throwing a little change in the
poor box. It is an attitude of generosity. It challenges us
to examine how we are using our time, abilities, and
money to better the lives of those around us. It urges us
to share what we have been given by God with others
in love and justice. It reminds us that Jesus blesses those
who seek to be “poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3).

Almsgiving opens our hearts to the realization that God
blesses us through those we serve. It is here that we find the
great mystery of Christian service. We see God in the life
of Jesus, and we see Jesus in all those who are in need of
our care. Look around, see those who are in need, and ask
God to take away those obstacles and distractions that keep
us from being generous with them. In turn, we will receive
Christ’s blessing, a blessing we need to receive.

Almsgiving Ideas for Lent
• Show an act of kindness to someone you don’t
speak to often.
• Visit an elderly person who may be lonely.
• Reflect on the regular contributions you make to
the parish. Could you do more?
• Do an extra chore for your parents one day each
week during Lent.
• Go through your closet and find some clothes in
good shape to give away to other children who
are in need of clothes.
• Write a letter or create a card for someone who
is sick or might be lonely.
• Buy some cans of food to give to a food bank or
soup kitchen.
• Talk with your family about eating one simple
meal each week of Lent and putting the money
you save in the Operation Rice Bowl box.
• Donate personal possessions, such as clothes,
books, or shoes to people in need.
• Volunteer to clean the yard or wash windows for
an elderly person in your neighborhood.
• Prepare a meal or baked goods for the soup
kitchen or homeless shelter.
• Gather some friends to help volunteer at a local
soup kitchen.
• Make a gift to the diocesan annual appeal.
• Volunteer to read books and magazines to
the elderly.
• Volunteer to tutor children.
• Donate diapers, formula, baby clothing, baby
furniture, and maternity clothing to a local crisis
pregnancy center.

Stewardship Reflections for the Sunday Readings

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Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Weekend of March 5/6
In today’s gospel Jesus states emphatically that only those who
do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven. But
what does it mean to do the will of God? To Christian stewards
it means that they have surrendered their hearts and minds to
the teaching of Christ; and even if they cannot deliver a perfect
or flawless performance, they truly desire to love the Lord and
allow him to direct their lives. Do we wish to honor the Lord
in everything we do, or is the price more than we want to pay?

First Sunday of Lent
Weekend of March 12/13
At the beginning of this Lenten season we hear proclaimed
the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. He responds to the
first temptation by saying that one does not live by bread alone
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
The season of Lent invites us to consider how we nourish our
hearts, how we act as stewards of the Word of God entrusted to
us. A good reflection for the week: What do we live on? What
keeps us going? Could it be possessions, prestige, the need to
be in control, the need for security, addictions? Or the fervent
desire to listen to God’s word?

Second Sunday of Lent
Weekend of March 19/20
Saint Matthew’s account of Jesus’ transfiguration is a preview of
the Resurrection and puts into perspective Jesus’ sayings about
his suffering, rejection and death, and his role as the light of
salvation. With the additional command “Listen to him” from
the voice in the heavens the transfiguration is also about the
disciples’ resurrection, and sheds light on Jesus’ previous sayings
about the cost of discipleship. Are we willing to “listen to
him?” Do we believe Christ’s claims for our salvation? Are we
willing to accept this cost even if it means rejection by others?

Third Sunday in Lent
Weekend of March 26/27
Jesus’ longest-recorded conversation with anyone is the one he
has with the Samaritan woman at the well. She discovers she
can be honest with Jesus and goes and tells others about him.
She gives witness. She’s not the most certain, thorough or even
convincing witness. But her witness is enough. It is inviting,
humble, non-judgmental and sincere. What is the quality of our
witness? How do our words and actions give daily testimony on
behalf of Christ? During this season of Lent, how might we do
a better job at proclaiming the risen Lord in word and deed?

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council March Newsletter

Jesus is our Model

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Jesus is our Model - Adapted from an article by Rick Jeric,
Director of Stewardship and Development, Diocese of Columbus, Ohio -
Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council Newsletter

Did you take an accounting of your stewardship of
time, talent, and treasure at the beginning of this
New Year? I hope this accounting, which is both
practical and spiritual, is something which we will
do periodically. This personal effort is even more
important than regular visits to the doctor or dentist.
Our physical health is a top priority. Our spiritual
health determines eternal life. So, what is more
important? Our journey to heaven and eternal life with
God is guided by our good and faithful stewardship.
How we spend our time, how we use our talent, and
where we spend our treasure are all efforts by which
we maintain the life of a Christian. Jesus is our model.
As Christian stewards, it goes without saying that we
have a responsibility to follow the life and teachings
of Jesus Christ.

The Gospels are filled with examples of our Lord’s
prayer life, his relationship with family and friends,
his teachings and his ministry. Jesus was obedient
to his Father in heaven. But he also obeyed and
respected his earthly parents. Jesus bowed his head
and was baptized by John the Baptist. He preached
the Sermon on the Mount, he served those in need.
He confronted the rich and powerful. He cured,
consoled, healed, and forgave.

As Christian stewards we must also be people of
prayer; and like Jesus, we must be willing to bow our
heads, serve, cure, heal, forgive and proclaim the
Gospel in creative ways. We too must be people of
action. Let our practical challenge in the month of
February be to bravely take steps to model the life
and ministry of Jesus, and act in a way pleasing to
the Father. No rationalizing. No exceptions. No age
limits. We must live an authentic Christian life each
and every day. Pray, act, live, and love. Do all to the
fullest, as Jesus did.

Stewardship Reflections for February 2011

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Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Weekend of February 5/6
Jesus said to his followers “You are the light of the world…
your light must shine before others, that they may see your
good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Christian stewards
allow the light of Christ to shine through them to reach
others. A good reflection question for the week: In what ways
do we allow the light of Christ to shine through us?

Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Weekend of February 12/13
In today’s Gospel, part of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
does not speak of replacing the law of the Old Testament.
He goes beyond it. He obliges his followers to work at being
holier than even the strictest of Pharisees. But the work
is not accomplished by following a religious “law”, it requires
growing in love for other human beings. Followers of
Jesus know they are required to be good stewards of others.
In what way will you exercise good stewardship over other
people this week?

Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, Weekend of February 19/20
In another passage from his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
continues to turn his disciples’ way of thinking upsidedown.
One of the lessons for the Christian steward in today’s
Gospel is that if we have a chance to help someone
in need, we should be generous and give more than is expected
of us. Jesus went “the extra mile” for us. Can we be
more like Jesus and “go the extra mile” for others?

Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Weekend of February 26/27
Saint Paul reminds us as baptized Christians, as those who
have shared the Eucharist with one another, that we are
“servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”
We are not to define ourselves by our age, ethnicity, gender,
social status, work, vocation or avocation. Our primary
self-understanding should be that of servants and stewards
of the Lord and all that has been entrusted to us. Can we
accept this self-understanding? Do we find it encouraging?

Msgr. Thomas McGread: Follow the Leaders

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I wrote about how Jesus called the first disciples to service and how He calls us in much the same way today. Here, I would like to examine that a bit further. It is important for us to remember that we profess the same Faith they did so many years ago, faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, that we are disciples of the same Lord, and that, as such, we bear witness to the one and the same Gospel that they did. There is no disconnect. It is one Faith. We are one Church. And if we pay great attention to the examples that the apostles set before us, we will learn a great deal.
If we examine the passage in Mark’s Gospel in which Jesus specifies the 12, it is clear that He called them forth for a specific purpose; He appointed them for a vital role in His salvific mission. They were called to be leaders.

Mark 3:14-15 tells us, “He appointed twelve (whom He also named apostles) that they might be with Him and He might send them forth to preach and to drive out demons.”

In other words, through His calling, they would have the authority and even the responsibility to take part in Jesus’ own ministry in a very special way. Their own ministry, then, would call more men and women to Jesus. Today, we know them as our bishops. They are the head shepherds of our dioceses, and as such, they lead us on the journey of Faith. They preach and teach and heal us through the Sacraments. They are true leaders, just like the first 12.

You may be wondering what all this talk about the apostles and the current day bishops has to do with you. After all, most of you reading this are not bishops, many of you may not even be priests, but many of you are parish leaders in one way or another. So, you can and should relate to the calling of the 12 in a special way. Just like the 12 apostles, God has called each one of us for a specific purpose, and, just like the 12, we each play a vital role in the mission of Jesus here on Earth. As leaders we will stand in the forefront of things, working to guide and direct our parishioners, helping to assist our pastors as they carry out their ministry, leading one or another ministry at the parish and more.

Closer examination of some of the apostles’ personal calls will help us see how we can most effectively live our own calls to be leaders today.

In Matthew 5:18-22, Jesus calls Simon and Andrew, telling them, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

He called James and John in the same way, and all four men dropped their nets and answered the call.

Notice, in that simple call, those men, who were called to an important role of leadership in the Church were called not simply to lead but, much more importantly, to follow. And they did just that. They “Left their boat and their father and followed Him” (Mt. 4:22).

We all ought to cling to their example as we strive to carry out our own personal calls. Sure, we have a responsibility to lead people in the ways of discipleship, and our roles as parish leaders – as clergy and lay leaders – are vital as we strive to form good stewards, but as leaders we must, first and foremost, be followers. We must follow the great leader. Remember, we are His disciples. We are not trying to gain disciples for ourselves. We are trying to call more men and women to Him. It is only when we follow His lead, only when we live to serve Him, that our own leadership will bear great fruit.

Source: Copyright © 2010 www.THECATHOLICSTEWARD.com Used by permission.

Stewardshp Bulletin Reflection

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Jesus came to St. John the Baptist to share the baptism of repentance for sin that John was performing in the Jordan River. John protested that Jesus did not need the baptism for he had no sin, but Jesus insisted. He wanted to identify himself with our sinful humanity as he was going to be the sacrifice for our sin. After the baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and the voice of God the Father proclaimed him his beloved Son.

After the baptism, Jesus began his public ministry, and as St. Peter declared, “He went about doing good.” We who have been reborn as God’s adopted children in sacramental Baptism are called to live a new life and imitate the example of Jesus. This includes using the time, the talent, and the treasure entrusted to us to serve our Lord and his people, not just for our own benefit.

Stewardship Reflection for January 9, 2011

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January 9, 2011 – The Baptism of the Lord

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17

On the face of it, Jesus’ baptism by St. John the Baptist would seem to have been unnecessary. At least, that’s how it seemed to John. The baptism he proclaimed, as we heard in Advent, was a baptism of repentance for those who acknowledged their sins. Matthew 3 tells us that John objected that Jesus ought to be baptizing him, rather than the other way around, for he recognized that Jesus had no sins for which to repent.

But Jesus insisted, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” In order to achieve God’s saving plan for humanity, Jesus needed to identify himself with us sinners.
However, more happens at the Jordan than Jesus’ identification of himself with the human condition. Here he undergoes his final preparation to begin his public ministry. The Holy Spirit descents in visible form upon him, and the Father proclaims Jesus as his beloved Son, which fulfills the Servant Song of the prophet Isaiah (42:1), “… my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” As Peter proclaimed, “You know…what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good… for God was with him” (Acts 10:36-38)

But there is a difference between the baptism St. John performed at the Jordan River and the sacrament of Baptism established by Jesus after his Resurrection. The baptism of the Baptist was a public admission that one was a sinner and a declaration of repentance but in itself did not provide the hoped-for forgiveness. After Jesus’ Crucifixion as the sacrifice for our sins and his Resurrection as a triumph over the powers of death, the baptism he instituted conveys the grace that effects what it symbolizes.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it (537), “Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father’s beloved son in the Son and ‘walk in newness of life’ (Rom 6:4).”

What difference does this make to us? It makes all the difference in the world! Having been reborn as God’s adopted children through Baptism, we also share in the power that the Holy Spirit gives. We’re not to let anyone, least of all ourselves, confuse us with Jesus Christ himself. But walking in newness of life, we are called to imitate Jesus and go about doing good.

And that is the key to good stewardship. Walking in newness of life means that we view every aspect of our situation – our job, our family, our community – in a different way than those who live with themselves as the centers of their life. And in response to this new life, we use our time, our talent, and our treasure for doing good as the Father’s beloved children.

Stewardship Reflection for January 2, 2011

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The Epiphany celebrates the coming of the Magi, who were non-Jews, to worship the child Jesus. It is thus a missionary feast because Jesus is not only the Jewish Messiah but also the Savior of the whole human race.

But the Epiphany is a stewardship celebration, as well, for the Magi did not come empty-handed. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to offer him. Gold represents the Treasure that we present to our spiritual King for the spread of the Kingdom of God. Frankincense symbolizes our Time that we devote to prayer and the worship of God. And myrrh conveys our willingness to offer our Talent to serve others, for it is used in preparing bodies for burial, a service the Church has identified for centuries as one of the corporal works of mercy.

The Epiphany, then, challenges us to be good Christian stewards and to bring our time, talent, and treasure to worship Jesus, just as the Magi did, and to invite others to join us in worship.

A STEWARDSHIP PRAYER for Thanksgiving

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Gracious and loving God,
As the autumn season continues its transformation;
and the days become shorter,
the earth cooler;
as we join family and friends
in joy and celebration
on Thanksgiving Day,
we pause to give You thanks and praise
for the abundant blessings
You have bestowed upon us:
For life and health,
safety and comfort,
food and nourishment.
Through your Spirit, open our hearts
so that we may be even better stewards
of Your many blessings.
Show us how to be a blessing
for the poor, sick, lonely and all who suffer.
And help us nurture the gift of faith,
revealed to us by your Son, Jesus Christ,
our greatest gift,
who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Amen.

In Gratitude For Our Parishes

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During the month of November let us remember to include our parish when we express gratitude for the abundant gifts we have been given. Our parishes are great blessings because they are witnessing communions of faith, signs of Christ’s active presence in the world.

Our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, once described a parish as a “family of families.” If we accept that the parish is a family, then surely it takes on the characteristics of a family. And just like a family, the gift of the Holy Spirit to our parishes is the many different talents and temperaments we find in the pews, parish house and parking lot. They become great strengths when we are united in building up the Body of Christ.

The mission of our parish is to continue the work of Jesus Christ, who expressed his own ministry resolutely: “I must proclaim the Kingdom of God” (Lk 4:43). The parish is a steward of this ongoing ministry, and as members of a parish family we too are stewards of Christ’s work. That is why it is so important to be nourished by the Eucharist regularly and to participate fully in the great prophetic witness of the parish: to offer our time, assist in one or more of the many parish ministries, invite others into our parish life of faith, carry our share of financial responsibility for the parish, and celebrate when our parish family celebrates.

Remember as well our pastors and those other priests and pastoral professionals who seek to nourish us with the Bread of Life and to help us understand more fully our faith and the actions which spring from that faith.

The life of faith we experience in our parishes is not perfect. What family is perfect? Our parish never has been and never will be perfect because we are not perfect. But part of what we share in our parish is Christ’s love which is perfect. The love that we share is a gospel that has been given to us to live and proclaim in word and deed. It is a gospel that gives us hope. For that we should be grateful.

Stewardship Bulletin Reflection for November 28, 2010

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Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44

Isaiah, St. Paul, and Jesus all give the same central message in the readings for today. There will be a judgment, when God will establish his Kingdom fully. We don’t know when that will be, so we need to stay awake and be alert.

That is not a call to despair, but a warning. If we wake from our spiritual slumber, we can use the time, the talent, and the treasure entrusted to us so we can make a good return to God. Then we need not fear when we face Jesus Christ, our merciful and loving Judge. But the choice is ours, whether we want to exercise watchful care, or drift along in a slumber of spiritual complacency.

Source: The Catholic Steward, November 2010

November Stewardship

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A STEWARDSHIP MOMENT
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Weekend of November 6/7
In today’s second reading, Saint Paul offers encouragement to the Christian community and prays that the Lord instill encouragement in their hearts. There is nothing worse than discouragement to drain people spiritually and emotionally. Yet, at times, it is much easier to lose patience with others and offer critical and discouraging words. We are "our brothers’ (and sisters’) keepers." We are stewards of our relationships with others. Offering encouragement is essential to the exercise of that stewardship. Saint Paul understood that God worked through him just as God works through us to encourage others. How often do we ask the Lord for encouragement? How often do we look for opportunities to affirm, strengthen and encourage others in our daily lives?

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Weekend of November 13/14
In today’s gospel Jesus tells his followers there will be plenty of time for them to bear witness to what he taught and did. He helped them understand that the Holy Spirit would guide them and help them persevere in their own stewardship of his gospel even when friends and family betrayed them. Do our friends and neighbors, or classmates and colleagues, know we are disciples of Jesus Christ? How do we bear witness to Christ each day? Do we hide our faith out of fear of rejection? Or are we bold in our witness to others? Are we good stewards of Christ’s gospel?

The Solemnity of Christ the King Weekend of November 20/21
Today we listen to the humble confession of Saint Dismas, the good thief; a confession that brought him mercy, forgiveness and great favor by the Lord. What can his humility teach those who seek to be good stewards? That we must give up our self-importance, our self-centeredness, and learn to give ourselves over to God? That God has entrusted us with everything we have as gift to be used in God’s service? That we treat others not with arrogance, sarcasm or put down, but with reverence and respect as gifts from God? Is it by recognizing that God is the center of the universe, not us, and that only Christ the King can bring us genuine peace and salvation?

Thanksgiving Day November 25, 2010
In today’s first reading, we listened to a beautiful stewardship blessing from the Book of Sirach: "And now, bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth. May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you; may God’s goodness toward us endure as long as the heavens are above." On this Thanksgiving Day, our thoughts invariably turn to preparing for our annual celebration with family and friends. Perhaps this simple blessing could serve as an appropriate stewardship reflection on our gratitude for the Lord’s abundant goodness, and be our prayer during this Thanksgiving weekend.

Source: November 2010 International Catholic Stewardship Council Newsletter

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Stewardship Reflections on Lectionary Readings for Nov. 7, 2010 Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; Psalm 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:16 – 3:5; Luke 20:27-38 or 20:27, 34-38

It’s jokingly said that one of the most painful motions a man can make is to reach down to pull his wallet out of his pocket. That’s especially true when he’s going to open his wallet to make a contribution. But as the reading from 2 Maccabees 7 makes clear, men are willing to suffer pain and even death for something they believe in. And what’s more worthy of our pain – either physical or emotional – than the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ carried out through his Church?

The seven brothers and their mother who died for the practice of their faith in the reading from 2 Maccabees did so because of their hope for the resurrection. Jesus in the Gospel reading from Luke 20 reaffirms that hope as one of the basic doctrines of Christianity. This life is not the end. At the end of time, our bodies will rise again and be rejoined to our souls.

The belief that death is not the end means how we live in this life is important and has eternal consequences. If it were true that this life is all there is, then why not live by the motto, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (I Cor 15:32)? There would be no point in living except to experience as much immediate pleasure as possible.

But the truth of the resurrection – with the accompanying judgment – means that our life has purpose, and we are responsible to God who gave us life and will raise us from the dead. In gratitude for his gifts – the time we enjoy, the talents we have, the treasure we receive, even life itself – we return a portion of them to his service. We’ll actually experience joy in this life, and even greater joy in the next.

There may be some pain, at least psychological pain, in a life of stewardship. We’ll probably forgo some things that would give us pleasure. But the ultimate reward of a life as a steward is worth far more pain than any lack we’ll experience here will cause.

We are not alone, however, as we seek to live as stewards. We may feel discouragement from time to time. St. Paul assures us in the reading from 2 Thessalonians that “the Lord is faithful” and by his grace he will direct our hearts “to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.”

Let us so live and so use the time, talent, and treasure entrusted to us in this life that we can look forward with hope and eager expectation to our resurrection at the end of time!

Source: Posted by The Catholic Steward Oct 26, 2010

September Bulletin Announcements

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Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the weekend of October 3, 2010

In today’s Gospel Jesus instructs the apostles on faith and
service, two bedrock principles of Christian stewardship.
While his teaching on one’s attitude toward service may be
easier to grasp, Jesus’ reflection on faith is the more important
one for the Christian steward. Perhaps this is a good
week to reflect on being stewards of our own faith. Some
questions we might ask ourselves: What is the character
and quality of my own faith? How sincere is it? Have I ever
asked the Lord for an increase in faith? What seemingly
impossible things might I be able to accomplish if my faith
in Jesus Christ were the size of a mustard seed?

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the weekend of October 10, 2010

In their gratitude for being healed, both Naaman, the Syrian
general, and the leper in today’s gospel offered profound
expressions of faith. So it is that the life of the Christian
steward is based on a life lived in gratitude. Naaman
was willing to offer a fortune to the prophet. The leper was
willing to accept a whole new way of life in Christ. Embracing
a sense of gratitude is often lost in our “I want more”
culture. But when we truly understand what it means to be
grateful, we begin to develop an awareness of all that God
has given us. Ask yourself this week: Do I live each day
with a sense of gratitude? Am I really thankful for the gifts I
have received?

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the weekend of October 17, 2010

A fundamental element of Christian stewardship is prayer
and in today’s Gospel Jesus encourages his disciples to pray
constantly and not to lose heart. Prayer is a gift and we
would not even have an awareness to pray if the Lord had
not planted this gift within each of us. Take inventory of
your prayer life this week. Do you stop to pray each day?
Do you take opportunities to try and have a deep conversation
with God? Do you find quiet time so that you may be
able to hear Christ speaking to you, consoling you, encouraging
you, challenging you, befriending you?

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the weekend of October 24, 2010

October is a month filled with sporting events, from
school athletic fields to professional sports stadiums across
the country. We see athletes honored and praised for the
God-given gifts they’ve cultivated and displayed, whether it
be in newspaper headlines, television screens and on many
a sports apparel. In today’s second reading, St. Paul uses the
sporting metaphor to reflect on his gift of faith and how he
has used his gifts to give testimony to Jesus Christ. God has
endowed each of us with unique gifts as well, beginning
with the gift of faith. How well have we cultivated and displayed
our own God-given gifts? As stewards of God’s abundant
gifts, have we “competed well” for the Lord? Are we
“running the race” for God? Are we keeping and sharing our
faith in Jesus Christ?

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
For the weekend of October 31, 2010

The encounter between Jesus and the wealthy Zacchaeus
offers a number of stewardship themes for this week’s reflection:
heeding the call of Jesus, conversion, repentance, generosity,
acting out of justice. One stewardship theme from
this Gospel reading that is not often commented upon is the
steward’s task of receiving Christ with a joyful heart. How
often do we “receive him with joy?” Do we know him well
enough to receive in joy? Do we experience his love? Do we
accept him as our savior, or are we looking for something
or someone else? It seems that only when we have some
personal knowledge of Jesus, open our hearts to him and
accept him as Christ, our savior, can we truly receive him
with joyful hearts.

Stewardship and the Sunday Readings - August 2010

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August 1
Virtues of the Disciple & Christian Steward: Responsibility
“Well done good and faithful servant” Matt 25:19

To be responsible is to first understand that we are not our own masters. Neither are we the owners of all that we possess. We belong to God, and all that we possess is a gift from God. Every gift comes with a responsibility. How do we use it? More importantly how do we share it? One day God will require an accounting of the use each person has made of the particular gifts entrusted to him or her.

August 8
Virtues of the Disciple & Christian Steward: Gratitude
“A grateful heart silences a complaining voice.” Bishop Eugene Gerber

Being a Christian steward means living each day in gratitude, not envy. It is hard to always be wanting more when you have a grateful heart. The secret to happiness is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have. Good stewards count their blessings while everyone else is adding up their problems.

August 15
Virtues of the Disciple & Christian Steward: Generosity
“Mature disciples make a conscious, firm decision, carried out in action to be followers of Jesus Christ no matter the cost to themselves.” Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response

What is authentic generosity? It is born out of gratitude. For the Christian steward it means needing to give’ not simply ‘giving to a need’ in order to relieve ourselves of guilt or obligation. Authentic generosity means we freely give of ourselves, our lives, and our possessions, without counting the cost.

August 22
Virtues of the Disciple & Christian Steward: Simplicity
“Live simply so that others may simply live” Blessed Mother Teresa

Embracing a simpler lifestyle enables us to live more generously. Simple living is also the antidote for “affluenza,” the social disease caused by rampant consumerism and materialism. A Prayer for Simplicity: Lord, grant me the grace to be free from the excesses of this life. Let me not get caught up with the desire for wealth. Keep my heart and mind free to love and serve you. Amen.

August 29
Virtues of the Disciple & Christian Steward: Mercy
“Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.’ I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.” Matt 9:12-14

One of the greatest measures of mercy is the commitment to be compassionate towards everyone we meet. We pray that we will always be a community that welcomes all people with love and compassion.

September 5
Virtues of the Disciple & Christian Steward: Perseverance
“My life is like a drink offering being poured out on the altar. I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful” 2 Tim 4:6-7.

Discipleship and stewardship is a way of life that is both joyful and rewarding, while at the same time being challenging and sometimes difficult. Be persistent, patient and persevere! It has its rewards both in this life and in the life to come.

Courtesy of Dan Potvin, Archdiocese of Winnipeg, ICSC Newsletter, August 2010

August Stewardship Reflections

2010-08-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

August 1, 2010 – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Take care to guard against all greed.” Luke 12:13-21

Greed is a very insidious and seductive emotion. It is at the root of all sin. It was a factor in the sin of the first man and woman in the Garden. They were not content to be grateful for all God had given them. They wanted to be God. George Carlin had a comedy routine about stuff. He said that we get stuff and then we need to get a house to put our stuff. Then we get more stuff. So we need a bigger house for our stuff. We go on vacation and take some of our stuff. But we buy stuff we don’t need and come home with more stuff. Our lives are filled with stuff. And we get very attached to our stuff. Our attachment to our stuff stems from our erroneous belief that we are the source of all of our stuff and that we acquired it out of our own effort and ingenuity. When we acknowledge God as the source of all that we are and all that we have and all that we ever will be, we can enjoy the stuff we have and share it with others without being obsessed about getting and keeping more stuff than we really need to enjoy life.

August 8, 2010 – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.” Luke 12:32-48

The trash we put on the curb to be discarded reveals much about who we are and what we do in life. It contains the packaging of the products that we treasure. It reveals where our hearts are. What is in our trash? Is it packaging from the latest electronic games, the best type of athletic equipment, the current fashion in clothes (no matter how revealing), the appliances with the most features, containers that held gourmet foods, too many empty liquor bottles and beer cans, and the shredded documents of the fortune we are trying to amass? There are some people whose hearts are not revealed by their trash. They have no trash. Sadly, they have nothing to throw away. They do not have sufficient food and they have very little clothing. We would do well to remember these words of Jesus, “Much will be required of the person who has much, and still more of the person entrusted with more.” When we bring our trash to the curb we should ask, “How much treasure have I been entrusted with? What does this trash reveal about my heart?”

August 15, 2010 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Luke 1:42

On November 1, 1950 Pope Pius XII, in his Encyclical Letter Munificentissimus Deus, proclaimed, declared and defined to be divinely revealed dogma that “...the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” Some ask why, how, when, and where? Those are fair questions. The simple answer is “It’s a mystery!” But it is more important to ask, “Why not?” Why would Jesus not want to honor the young girl who accepted God’s call to be his mother (at great risk to her life), who carried him in her womb and gave birth to him in a cave, who watched him grow and was with him when he died on a cross, and who rejoiced at his Resurrection by assuming her uncorrupted body to be with him in heaven for eternity? The world would be a much better place if we all honored our parents, family, friends and the strangers who often do so much for us that we do not appreciate! Once again Jesus reveals to us that gratitude is the beginning of generosity.

August 22, 2010 – Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

“I do not know where you are from.” Luke 13:22-30

What will we do if Jesus speaks those words to us when we finally meet him? Will our faces go pale and our knees buckle? Will we be very frightened? Will we mumble, “I ate and drank in your company and you taught me”? What if Jesus ask us, “But what did you learn? Did you eat and drink in the company of the hungry, the homeless, the naked, the oppressed, the diseased? Do they know where you are from?” If people in need in our world know where we are from, Jesus will know where we are from. He will recognize us right away. He will be anxiously waiting for us to enter into his presence. Jesus is very clear: “People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Where do we want to be when we all take our places in the God’s Kingdom, last or first?

August 29, 2010 – Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, the unwanted; blessed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” Luke 14:1, 7-14

A parishioner noted to his pastor that Jesus dined with the rich and famous of his day. He asked, “Do you think Jesus would belong to an exclusive country club if he were here today?” The pastor answered, “I suspect he might, if he could afford it. But his guests would include people who could not afford it, people who need a bath and a new set of clothes, people who have not recently had a decent meal, people who are lame, who limp, or feel their way with a white cane.” The pastor then said to his parishioner, “You belong to a very exclusive country club. Have you ever brought such guest to your club?” The man said nothing. He had many possessions. The pastor added, “When we leave Mass and go into God’s world we are supposed to be Jesus present in that world. So, when you are at your exclusive country club Jesus is a member. You might want to start reviewing your guest list.”

Submitted by Deacon Jerry Martinez of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, ICSC Stewardship Newsletter, August 2010

Agosto 1, 2010 – Décimo Octavo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Mirad, y guardaos de toda codicia.” San Lucas 12:13-21

La codicia es una emoción muy insidiosa y seductiva. Está en la raíz de todo pecado. Fue un factor del pecado del primer hombre y la primera mujer en el Paraíso. Ellos no estuvieron satisfechos de estar agradecidos por todo lo que Dios les había dado. Ellos quisieron ser Dios. George Carlin hizo una rutina en una comedia acerca de las cosas. El dijo que: obtenemos
cosas y entonces necesitamos obtener una casa para poner nuestras cosas. Entonces necesitamos obtener más cosas. Así que nosotros, necesitamos una casa más grande para nuestras cosas. Vamos de vacaciones y tomamos algunas de nuestras cosas. Pero compramos cosas que no necesitamos y regresamos a casa con más cosas. Nuestras vidas están llenas con cosas. Y nosotros estamos muy apegados a nuestras cosas. Nuestro apego a nuestras cosas proviene de nuestra creencia errónea de que nosotros somos la fuente de todas nuestras cosas, y que las hemos adquirido con nuestro esfuerzo e ingenuidad. Cuando nosotros reconocemos a Dios como la fuente de todo lo que somos y de todo lo que tenemos, y de todo lo que seremos,
podemos disfrutar de las cosas que tenemos y compartirlas con otros, sin estar obsesionados por obtener y conservar más cosas de las que necesitamos realmente para disfrutar de la vida.

Agosto 8, 2010 – Décimo Noveno Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Porque donde está vuestro tesoro, allí estará también vuestro corazón.” San Lucas 12:32-48

La basura que ponemos en el borde de la acera para ser desechada revela mucho acerca de quienes somos y de lo que hacemos en la vida. Contiene los empaques de los productos que atesoramos. Revela donde están nuestros corazones. ¿Qué está en nuestra basura? ¿Son los empaques de nuestros últimos juegos electrónicos, el mejor tipo de equipo atlético, la moda
actual en ropa (no importa cuán reveladora sea), los aparatos con más características, contenedores que almacenaron alimentos gourmet, demasiadas botellas de licor y latas de cerveza vacías, y los trozos de documentos de la fortuna que tratamos de amasar? Hay personas de quienes sus corazones no están revelados por su basura. No tienen basura. Tristemente ellas no tienen nada que tirar. Ellas no tienen suficiente comida y tienen muy poca ropa. Nosotros haríamos bien si recordamos estas palabras de Jesús, “Mucho se le pedirá a quien mucho tiene, y más aún a quien más se le ha confiado.” Cuando llevemos nuestra basura a la acera, debemos preguntarnos ¿Cuánto tesoro me ha sido confiado? ¿Qué revela esta basura acerca de mi corazón?

Agosto 15, 2010 – Solemnidad de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María

“Bendita tú entre las mujeres, y bendito el fruto de tu vientre.” San Lucas 1:42

En noviembre 1 de 1950 el Papa Pío XII, en su Carta Encíclica Munificentissimus Deus, proclamó, declaró y definió que fuera dogma revelado divinamente el que “…la Inmaculada Madre de Dios, la siempre Virgen María, habiendo completado el curso de su vida terrenal, fue llevada cuerpo y alma a la Gloria del cielo.” Algunos preguntan ¿por qué, cómo, cuándo y dónde? Estas son preguntas justas. La respuesta es simple “Este es un misterio” Pero es más importante preguntar, ¿por qué no? ¿Por qué Jesús no querría honrar a la joven que aceptó el llamado de Dios para ser su madre (con un gran riesgo para su vida), quien lo llevó en su vientre y lo trajo a la vida en una cueva, quien lo vio crecer y estuvo con él cuando murió en una cruz, y quien se regocijó en su Resurrección; elevando su cuerpo incorrupto para estar con él en el cielo por toda la eternidad? El mundo sería un mejor lugar si todos honrásemos a nuestros padres, familiares, amigos y a los extraños que frecuentemente hacen mucho por nosotros y que no apreciamos. Una vez más Jesús nos revela que la gratitud es el principio de la generosidad.

Agosto 22, 2010 – Vigésimo Primer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Os digo que no se de dónde sois.” San Lucas 13:22-30

¿Qué haremos si Jesús nos dice esas palabras cuando finalmente nos reunamos con él? ¿Nuestro rostro palidecerá y se doblarán nuestras rodillas? ¿Estaremos muy atemorizados? Murmuraremos, “Yo comí y bebí en tu compañía y tú me enseñaste.” Y si Jesús nos pregunta, ¿pero tú, qué aprendiste? ¿Comiste y bebiste en compañía del hambriento, el desamparado, el desnudo, el oprimido, o el enfermo? ¿Saben ellos de dónde eres? Si la gente en necesidad, en nuestro mundo, sabe de donde eres, Jesús lo sabrá también. Él nos reconocerá inmediatamente. Él estará esperando ansiosamente por nosotros para entrar en su presencia. Jesús es muy claro: “Vendrá gente del este y del oeste y del norte y del sur y se reclinará en la mesa en el Reino de Dios. Para contemplar, que algunos de los primeros serán de los últimos y algunos de los últimos serán de los primeros.” ¿Dónde queremos estar cuando todos tomemos nuestros lugares en el Reino de Dios, en los últimos o en los primeros?

Agosto 29, 2010 – Vigésimo Segundo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Llama a los pobres, los mancos, los cojos y los ciegos, y serás bienaventurado; porque ellos no te pueden recompensar.” San Lucas 14:1, 7-14

Un feligrés hizo notar a su pastor que Jesús cenó con ricos y famosos de ese tiempo. Él preguntó, ¿cree usted que Jesús pertenecería a un exclusivo club campestre si él estuviera aquí hoy? El pastor contestó, “Supongo que tal vez si él pudiera pagarlo. Pero sus invitados incluirían gente que no podría pagarlo, gente que necesitaría un baño o un nuevo juego de ropa, gente que no ha tenido recientemente una comida decente, gente paralítica, gente que cojea, o que guía sus pasos por medio de un bastón.” El pastor dijo entonces a su feligrés, “Tú perteneces a un exclusivo club campestre. ¿Has llevado alguna vez un invitado así a tu club?” El hombre no dijo nada. Él tiene muchas posesiones. El pastor agregó, “Cuando salimos de Misa y vamos al mundo de Dios, se supone que somos la presencia de Jesús en este mundo. Entonces, cuando tú estás en tu exclusivo club campestre Jesús es un miembro. Quizás quieras empezar a revisar tu lista de invitados.”

por: Diácono Jerry Martinez de la Arquidiócesis de New Orleans, ICSC Newsletter, August 2010

July Parish Bulletin Announcements

2010-07-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

July 4 – 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The seventy-two returned, rejoicing, and said,
‘Lord, even demons are subject to us because of your
name.’” Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
The seventy-two disciples that Jesus sent in thirty-six
directions were amazed at their success. Did they really
have faith in Jesus as they left on their mission? We can
almost hear them grumbling, “He is sending us like
lambs among wolves with no money, no provisions, no
sandals, and we cannot even greet people on the way.
Does he expect us to work miracles?” But off they went.
And they performed miracles. Despite their doubts, they
had faith in Jesus and they were able to do great things
because of their faith. When we feel called to step out in
faith to imitate Jesus in our world, do we have doubts?
Do we fail to act because of our doubts? Or do we act,
despite our doubts, amazed at what we can accomplish
when we have faith in Jesus? As a result of our Baptism,
it is our responsibility to nurture our faith in Jesus so we
can constantly be amazed at what we can accomplish in
His name.

July 11 – 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Which one of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to
the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Luke 10:25-37
“Rabbi, why do Jews always answer a question with a
question?” The rabbi responded, “And why shouldn’t
we?” Jesus is a Jew. When the scholar of the (Jewish)
law asked him, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit
eternal life?” Jesus answered with a question, “What is
written in the law?” The scholar quotes Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart,
being, strength and mind and Leviticus 19:19 ...and your
neighbor as yourself. The scholar knew the law. It had
been handed down by Moses. But the scholar (a lawyer)
looks for a loophole: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus
answers this question with the story of the Good
Samaritan, then ask, “Which one, in your opinion, was
neighbor to the robber’s victim?” The scholar answers,
“The one who treated him with mercy.” The scholar had
no other choice. If we are true believers in Jesus, neither
do we. Jesus challenges us to want for our neighbor what
we want ourselves. And everyone is our neighbor, no
matter how unlovable they may be.

July 18 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many
things.” Luke 10:38-42
Martha is doing what was expected of a good Jewish
woman of her day – preparing food for her family and
guest. Her sister Mary, also a good Jewish woman, plops
herself down at the feet of Jesus and absorbs every word
He says. Martha finally confronts Jesus, “Lord, make her
help me!” Jesus knows that Martha is not doing anything
wrong. She is doing what she believes is expected of her.
And she is doing it very well. Jesus suggest she should
not be so concerned about what others expect of her, but
should spend time to discern what God expects of her.
What God expects of us can be quite different than what
the world expects of us. We discern God’s will for us in
prayer – prayer that is not about what we say to God, but
about what we are willing to hear from God.

July 25 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Lord, teach us to pray!” Luke 11:1-14
Abraham bargains to save Sodom. He starts out with
fifty innocent people. God agrees. Obviously lacking
confidence he will find fifty, he bargains God down to
ten. He could not even find ten, so Sodom is destroyed.
The Old Testament covenants were bargains with God.
God always kept his part. The patriarchs and Israelites
were not so faithful. The disciples saw Jesus as a person
who was faithful to the Covenant and a man of prayer.
They asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” He teaches
them the Our Father. Then He tells the stories of the
persistent woman and fathers who give their children
bread and eggs, not snakes and scorpions. Are we
confident when we pray to God, Our Father in heaven,
that His Kingdom, not ours, will come; that His will, not
ours, be done; for our daily bread not tomorrow’s or next
year’s; and to forgive our sins as we forgive others? Are
we good stewards who are persistent in prayer to learn
God’s will? If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving may
not be your thing. Try prayer instead. And keep trying!

Julio 4 – 14º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“Volvieron los setenta con gozo, diciendo, “Señor aún los
demonios se sujetan a nosotros en Tu nombre.”
Lucas 10:1-12, 17-20
Los setenta y dos discípulos que Jesús envió en treinta y
seis direcciones estaban sorprendidos de su éxito. ¿Tenían
verdaderamente fe en Jesús cuando salieron a su misión?
Casi podemos escucharles refunfuñando, “Él nos envía
como ovejas entre lobos, sin dinero, sin provisiones, sin
sandalias, y no podemos siquiera saludar a la gente en el
camino. ¿Acaso Él espera que hagamos milagros?” Pero
ellos salieron, e hicieron milagros. A pesar de sus dudas,
tuvieron fe en Jesús y obraron grandes cosas por su fe.
Cuando nos sentimos llamados a intensificar la fe para
imitar a Jesús en nuestro mundo, ¿tenemos dudas? O
¿actuamos a pesar de ellas, sorprendidos de lo que podemos
lograr cuando tenemos fe en Jesús? Como resultado de
nuestro Bautismo, es nuestra responsabilidad nutrir nuestra
fe en Jesús, para que así podamos sorprendernos
constantemente de lo que podemos lograr en Su nombre.

Julio 11 – 15º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“¿Quién pues de estos tres, te parece que fue el prójimo del
que cayó en manos de los ladrones?
Él contestó: el que usó de misericordia con él.”
Lucas 10:25-37
“Maestro, ¿por qué los judíos siempre responden una
pregunta con otra pregunta?” El maestro respondió ¿y
por qué no deberíamos? Jesús es Judío. Cuando el erudito
de la ley (Judía) le preguntó, “Maestro, ¿qué debo hacer
para heredar la vida eterna?” Jesús respondió con una
pregunta, “¿Qué está escrito en la ley?” El erudito citó
Deuteronomio 6:5 Amarás al Señor tu Dios de todo tu
corazón, y de toda tu alma y con todas tus fuerzas y
Levítico 19:19…y a tu prójimo como a ti mismo. El
erudito conocía la ley. Había sido legada por Moisés.
Pero siendo (estudioso de la ley) buscaba una
ambigüedad: “¿Quién es mi prójimo?” Jesús respondió
esta pregunta con la historia del Buen Samaritano,
entonces preguntó, “¿Quien pues, te parece que fue el
prójimo del que cayó en manos de los ladrones?” El
erudito respondió “Aquel que mostró misericordia con
él.” El erudito no tuvo otra opción. Si somos auténticos
creyentes en Jesús tampoco nosotros la tenemos. Jesús
nos desafía a querer para nuestro prójimo lo que
queremos para nosotros mismos. Y todos son nuestros
prójimos, a pesar de lo detestable que algunos pudieran
parecer.

Julio 18 – 16º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“Marta, Marta, afanada y turbada estás con muchas
cosas.” Lucas 10:38-42
Marta hacía lo que se esperaba de una Buena mujer
Judía de sus días – preparar los alimentos para su familia
e invitado. Su hermana María, una Buena mujer Judía
también, se sienta a los pies de Jesús y cautiva cada
palabra que Él dice. Finalmente. Marta confronta a Jesús,
“Señor, dile que me ayude.” Jesús sabe que Marta no
hace algo equivocado. Ella hace lo que cree que se espera
de ella; y lo hace muy bien. Jesús le sugiere que no debe
preocuparse tanto por lo que los demás esperan de ella,
pero debe procurar un tiempo para discernir lo que Dios
espera de ella. Lo que Dios espera de nosotros puede ser
relativamente diferente de lo que el mundo espera de
nosotros. Discernimos la voluntad de Dios para nosotros
en oración – no la oración que decimos a Dios, sino en la
que estamos dispuestos a escuchar de Dios.

Julio 25 – 17º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“¡Señor, enséñanos a orar!” Lucas 11:1-14
Abraham negocia salvar a Sodoma. Él inicia con
cincuenta personas inocentes. Dios está de acuerdo.
Obviamente desconfía de encontrar cincuenta, y negocia
con Dios bajar el número a diez, de no encontrarlos
Sodoma sería destruida. Los convenios del Antiguo
Testamento fueron regateos con Dios. Dios siempre
cumplió su parte. Los patriarcas e israelitas no siempre
fueron fieles. Los discípulos vieron a Jesús como una
persona que fue fiel al Convenio y un hombre de oración.
Ellos le pidieron, “Señor, enséñanos a orar.” Él les
enseña el Padre Nuestro. Entonces les narra las historias,
de la determinada mujer y de los padres que dan a sus
hijos pan y huevos, no serpientes y escorpiones.
Nosotros, confiamos cuando oramos a Dios, nuestro
Padre en el cielo, que Su Reino, no el nuestro, ¿vendrá?;
que Su voluntad, no la nuestra, ¿se hará?; por nuestro
pan de cada día, no el de mañana o del año próximo; y
por el perdón de nuestros pecados ¿como nosotros
perdonamos los de otros? ¿Somos buenos
corresponsables que persistimos en la oración para
aprender la voluntad de Dios? Si al inicio no lo logra,
puede ser que el paracaidismo no sea su habilidad. En
cambio, trate de orar. ¡Y continúe tratando!

Source: ICSC Newsletter -by Dn. Jerry Martinez, J.D., M.Th.
Archdiocese of New Orleans

Good Steward

2010-06-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

The latest from O'Meara Feguson – “A Good Steward Receives God’s Gifts Gratefully”

A STEWARD CULTIVATES GOD’S GIFTS RESPONSIBLY
Stewardship is an action concept. It is about who we are, what we do and how we do it. A Christian steward sees all of life as a call to faithfulness, faithfulness to God in all things. All the gifts we receive come with the expectation that we will cultivate them faithfully out of the respect and love we have for God

A CHRISTIAN STEWARD SHARES GOD’S GIFTS LOVINGLY
When thinking about sharing God’s gifts in love and justice, sometimes a person wonders where he or she is supposed to do this sharing. The reality is that there are needy persons to love and serve everywhere. There are lonely people everywhere. There are hungry people to feed and homeless people to house everywhere. It’s a matter of deciding to “bloom where you are planted” by serving others wherever you find them.

A CHRISTIAN STEWARD RETURNS GOD’S GIFTS WITH INCREASE
While there is much to say about spontaneous acts of generosity, the Scriptures have more to say about planning to give. Giving that is purposeful is giving that has been considered, deepened and enlarged through prayer. Planning one’s giving is the first step in making stewardship a faith venture, not simply an impulse venture.

UN CORRESPONSABLE CULTIVA RESPONSABLEMENTE LOS DONES QUE RECIBE DE DIOS

Corresponsabilidad es un concepto de acción. Se refiere a lo que somos, lo que hacemos y como lo hacemos. Un corresponsable cristiano ve todo en la vida como un llamado a la fe; esa fe en todas las cosas puestas en Dios. Cada aspecto de nuestra vida es algo que Dios nos confía para que cultivemos responsablemente, motivados por el amor y el respeto que sentimos hacia Dios.

UN CORRESPONSABLE COMPARTE LOS DONES DE DIOS CON AMOR

Cuando pensamos a compartir los dones de Dios en amor y justicia, hay veces en que no sabemos donde se supone que debemos hacerlo. La realidad es que hay personas necesitadas de amor y servicio en todas partes. Hay gente que se siente sola por donde quiera. Hay gente hambrienta y sin casa que necesita de nuestra ayuda en todos lados. Solo es cuestión de decidirse a servir a los demás donde quiera que los encontremos.

UN CORRESPONSABLE CRISTIANO REGRESA LOS DONES DE DIOS EN MAYOR PROPORCION

Mientras que hay mucho que decir acerca de actos espontáneos de generosidad, las Escrituras tienen mucho más que decir acerca de cómo podemos dar de una manera planeada. Dar de una manera intencionada se convierte en una ofrenda que fue previamente considerada, haciéndolo de una manera profunda y engrandecida a través de la oración. Planear nuestras ofrendas es el primer paso a tomar para hacer de la Corresponsabilidad, una aventura de fe, en lugar de una simple acción impulsiva.

Source: O'Meara Ferguson Web Site O'Meara Ferguson Blog

June Parish Bulletin Announcements

2010-06-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

June 6, 2010
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
". . . He said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to give to the crowd." Luke 9:11b - 17
None of the Gospels tell the exact details of how four or five thousand men, plus women and children, are fed with a few loaves and fish. The Church teaches us that the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes was a prefiguration of the Body and Blood of Jesus. But let us consider another miracle, just as great. Jesus knew the Semitic ethic that required people to share with others. He knew people carried food and wine under their garments, but refrained from taking it out for fear others had brought their own. Note that Jesus blessed the loaves and fish and gave them away. He did not keep any for himself. Did people see his generous act and decide to share what they had with one another? In the context of God‟s gifts to us of reason and free will - the ability to choose to be generous or not to be generous, what is the greater miracle: multiplication of loaves and fish, or multiplication of generous hearts? Which makes us a greater witness to the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist?

June 13, 2010
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt is forgiven" Luke 7:36-8:3
Kenny Rogers sings a Country Western Song, "Oh Lord it is hard to be humble when you are perfect in every way." Could it be our theme song? Is the fact that we might be mistaken or wrong pretty far down on our list of possibilities? And we are proud of that? The ability to admit that we are in error or done evil does not come easy. For many people, the three most difficult words are not "I love you," but "I am wrong" and "I am sorry." And there is the always difficult "I forgive you!" Contrary to the song by Kenny Rogers, true humility is the willingness to say, "I am wrong!" and "I am sorry!" when necessary. And sometimes the best way we can give is to forgive. And the more we feel we have to forgive, the more we need to give. God gave us all that we have and are. Have we used all that God gave us as he intended? If not, have we said I am wrong and I am sorry? Our God is an awesome God. He wants to say, I forgive you! in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When was the last time we took advantage of that blessed Sacrament? Well, that‟s too long!

June 20, 2010
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"But who do you say that I am?" Luke 9:18-24
Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They respond with several names or possibilities. Then Jesus asks, "But who do you say that I am?" Now the question is personal. To answer they must reveal what is in their heart and head. Their answer will tell Jesus how they feel about him. Peter says: "You are the Christ of God." That took great faith and courage. The implications were enormous; Jesus waste no time in bluntly telling them that the "Christ of God" was going to suffer; be rejected by the authorities; killed and rise on the third day." Jesus leaves nothing to the imagination. Then he adds what his closest friends were most afraid to hear: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me." We may be relieved that we were not present with Jesus two thousand years ago. But Jesus is present with us today - in the Eucharist; in his Church. He asks each of us, "Who do you say that I am?" How do we answer him? Are we willing to accept the consequences?

June 27, 2010
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:51-62
When Elijah calls to Elisha, he hesitated, "Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye." Elijah does not prevent him. Then Elisha kills the team of oxen he was driving, uses the wood of the plow to build a fire to burn their flesh and distributes it to the people and follows Elijah. He detaches himself from everything he previously depended on. Paul tells us, "For freedom Christ set us free." Christ teaches us to be free from attachment to things of this world. This freedom is not for selfish pursuits, but "to serve one another in love." Jesus calls us to follow him, but we sometimes hesitate. If we start to follow Jesus but let other attachments distract us, we will never be free to discern God‟s will for us and respond in freedom to God for all that he has given to us. What are the attachments in our life that keep us from the true freedom that allows us to follow Christ, without hesitation? Make a list. Use the back of the page and more sheets, if necessary.

Junio 6, 2010
El Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo
“…El los bendijo y los partió, y los dio a los discípulos
para darlos a la gente.” Lucas 9:11b-17
Ninguno de los Evangelios nos dice los detalles exactos de
cómo cuatro o cinco mil hombres más mujeres y niños, son
alimentados con un poco de pan y pescado. La Iglesia nos
enseña que el milagro de la multiplicación de los panes y
pescados fue una prefiguración del Cuerpo y la Sangre de
Jesús. Pero consideremos otro milagro, tan grande como
este. Jesús conocía la ética Semítica que requirió a la gente
compartir con otros. El sabía que la gente llevaba comida y
vino bajo sus ropas, pero se abstenía de sacarla por temor a
que otros hubieran traído su propia comida. Note que Jesús
bendijo los panes y los pescados y los repartió. Él no
guardó ninguno para si mismo. ¿La gente vio su acto
generoso y decidió compartir lo que ellos tenían unos con
otros? En el contexto de los dones de Dios para nosotros
de razón y libre voluntad – la habilidad de elegir ser o no
ser generosos, ¿qué milagro es más grande? ¿La
multiplicación de panes y pescados? O ¿la multiplicación
de corazones generosos? ¿Qué nos hace mayores testigos
de la Presencia Real del Cuerpo y Sangre de Jesús en la
Eucaristía?

Junio 13, 2010
Décimo Primer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“Pienso que aquel a quien perdonó más”
Lucas 7:36-8:3
Kenny Rogers canta una canción Country Western , “Oh
Señor es difícil ser humilde cuando tu eres perfecto en
todas formas.” ¿Podría ser esta nuestra canción? ¿Es un
hecho que nosotros quizás estamos equivocados, alejados
de nuestra lista de posibilidades? ¿Y estamos orgullosos de
ello? La habilidad de admitir que estamos en un error o
hemos hecho mal no viene fácil. Para mucha gente, las tres
palabras más difíciles no son “yo te amo”, sino, “yo estoy
equivocado” y “yo lo siento.” Y siempre hay dificultad
para decir “yo te perdono” contrario a la canción de Kenny
Rogers, la verdadera humildad es la disposición para decir
“yo estoy equivocado” y “yo lo siento” cuando es
necesario. Y algunas veces la mejor manera en la que
podemos dar es perdonar. Y cuando sentimos que tenemos
más que perdonar, más necesitamos dar. Dios nos dio todo
lo que tenemos y somos. ¿Hemos usado todo lo que Dios
nos dio como él lo planeó? Si no, ¿hemos dicho, estoy
equivocado, y, lo siento? Nuestro Dios es un Dios
maravilloso. Él quiere decir, ¡yo te perdono! En el
Sacramento de la Reconciliación. ¿Cuándo fue la última
vez que tomamos ventaja de este bendito Sacramento?
¡Bueno, es demasiado tiempo!

Junio 20, 2010
Décimo Segundo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“¿Y vosotros quién decís que soy?” Lucas 9:18-24
Jesús pregunta a sus discípulos, “¿Quién dice la gente que
soy yo?” Ellos responden con varios nombres o
posibilidades. Entonces Jesús pregunta, “¿Y vosotros
quién decís que soy yo?” Ahora la pregunta es personal.
Para contestar ellos deben revelar lo que hay en su corazón
y en su cabeza. Su respuesta dirá a Jesús lo que sienten
acerca de él. Pedro dice: “Tú eres el Cristo de Dios.” Ello
requirió gran fe y valor. Las implicaciones fueron
enormes; Jesús les pide que a nadie digan esto y les dice
que “el Cristo de Dios” sufrirá; que será rechazado por las
autoridades; muerto y resucitado al tercer día. Jesús no
deja nada a la imaginación. Entonces agrega lo que sus
amigos más cercanos temían escuchar: “Si alguno quiere
venir en pos de mí, niéguese a si mismo, tome su cruz cada
día y sígame.” Nosotros quizás sintamos alivio de que no
estuvimos presentes con Jesús hace dos mil años. Pero
Jesús está presente con nosotros hoy – en la Eucaristía, en
su Iglesia. Él nos pregunta a cada uno, “¿Quién dices que
soy?” ¿Cómo le respondemos? ¿Estamos dispuestos a
aceptar las consecuencias?

Junio 27, 2010
Décimo Tercer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
“Ninguno que poniendo su mano en el arado mira
hacia atrás, es apto para el reino de Dios.”
Lucas 9:51-62
Cuando Elías llamó a Eliseo, él dudó, “Te ruego que me
dejes besar a mi padre y a mi madre, y luego te seguiré.”
Elías no lo detuvo. Eliseo volvió y tomo un par de bueyes
y los mató, y con el arado de los bueyes coció la carne, y la
dio al pueblo para que comiesen. Después se levantó y fue
tras Elías y lo sirvió. Él se separó de todo lo que dependía
anteriormente. San Pablo nos dice, “Por la libertad, Cristo
nos libera.” Cristo nos enseña a ser libres de afecto a cosas
de este mundo. Esta libertad no es por seguimiento egoísta,
sino para “servir unos a otros en amor.”
Jesús nos llama a seguirle, pero nosotros dudamos a veces.
Si empezamos a seguir a Jesús pero otros afectos nos
distraen, nunca seremos libres de discernir la voluntad de
Dios para nosotros y de responder en libertad a Dios por
todo lo que nos ha dado. ¿Cuáles son los afectos en nuestra
vida que nos detienen de la verdadera libertad que nos
permite seguir a Cristo sin lugar a dudas? ¡Haga una lista!
Use el otro lado de la hoja y más hojas si es necesario.

Source: ICSC Newsletter:
Deacon Jerry Martinez of the Archdiocese of New Orleans

Stewardship and the Sunday Readings

2010-06-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

June 6th (from Luke‟s Gospel)
"They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets." The crowds that gathered were fed. Jesus asked the disciples to gather the crowds into smaller groups of about fifty and it is in these smaller groups that people were fed. Gathering parish members into smaller groups to carry out the ministry of the church is a way stewardship feeds the soul and builds community.

June 13th (from Luke‟s Gospel)
"Accompanying him were…Joanna, the wife of Herod‟s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources." Recognizing the abundance of God‟s love, compassion, and forgiveness offered through and by Jesus an intentional community forms to support the ministry of Jesus with their resources. The message of stewardship is about being intentional in our participation in parish, community and family life. It is about supporting all of these in some way with our resources of time, talent and treasure.

June 20th (from Luke‟s Gospel)
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." The challenge of stewardship is found in the giving up. Giving up the urge to hold on to our time, or talent, or treasure. Giving up the desire to control how these are used to support parish life and ministry. The comfort and grace of God experienced through stewardship comes from the very same giving up.

June 27th (from Letter to Galatians)
"For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Paul repeats the very words used by Jesus about loving neighbor. The whole of stewardship is fulfilled in living out this command to love neighbor as yourself. Said another way, embracing stewardship as a way of life, leads to living this great commandment. Embracing stewardship and loving your neighbor as yourself are mutually fulfilling.

Junio 6 (del Evangelio de San Lucas)
“Ellos comieron y quedaron saciados. Y cuando
recogieron los trozos sobrantes, llenaron doce
cestas,” La multitud que se reunió fue alimentada.
Jesús pidió a los discípulos reunir a la multitud en
pequeños grupos de cincuenta, para que así fueran
alimentados. Reunir a los miembros de la parroquia
en pequeños grupos para llevar el ministerio de la
iglesia es una forma de corresponsabilidad que nutre
el alma y construye la comunidad

Junio 13 (del Evangelio de San Lucas)
“Acompañándole estaban…Juana, mujer de Chuza,
intendente de Herodes y Susana y otras muchas que
le servían de sus bienes.” Reconociendo la
abundancia del amor, la compasión, y el perdón de
Dios ofrecidos a través de Jesús se forma una
comunidad intencional para apoyar el ministerio de
Jesús con sus recursos. El mensaje de
corresponsabilidad trata de que nuestra participación
en la parroquia, en la comunidad y en la vida familiar
sea intencional. Trata de que apoyemos a todos de
alguna manera con nuestros recursos de tiempo,
talento y tesoro

Junio 20 (del Evangelio de San Lucas)
“Todo el que procura salvar su vida, la perderá, pero
aquel que la pierda en mi nombre la salvará.” El
desafío de la corresponsabilidad se encuentra en la
renuncia. Renunciar al impulso de aferrarse a
nuestro tiempo, talento o tesoro. Renunciar al deseo
de controlar cómo son utilizados para apoyar la vida
y el ministerio parroquiales. El consuelo y la gracia
de dios, experimentados a través de la
corresponsabilidad, vienen de la misma renuncia.

Junio 27 (de la Carta a los Gálatas)
“Porque toda la ley se cumple en un mandamiento,
Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo.” Pablo repite
las mismas palabras usadas por Jesús acerca de amar
al prójimo. La totalidad de la corresponsabilidad es
cumplida al vivir este mandamiento de amar al
prójimo como a ti mismo. Dicho de otra manera,
abrazar la corresponsabilidad como una forma de
vida, guía a vivir este gran mandamiento. Abrazar la
corresponsabilidad y amar al prójimo como a ti
mismo se realizan recíprocamente.

Source: ICSC Newsletter - John Baumann M.Div.

Stewardship and the Sunday Readings

2010-04-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

April 4th – Easter Sunday
Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil take us
through a lived experience of the Paschal Mystery –
life, death and resurrection.
The readings for Easter Sunday have the themes
of Resurrection and new life woven through all of them.
Stewardship is the way we celebrate this resurrection
and new life every day of the year in our personal and family affairs, work,
and civic involvement. It is bringing the strength of our faith into all of life.

April 11th – from the Acts of the Apostles
“Many signs and wonders were done among
the people at the hands of the apostles.”
Little things that make a difference in another’s life
are most certainly “signs and wonders.”
A smile or a comforting word can lift someone’s sagging spirit.
A few dollars given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society joins a few others
and someone has electricity for a month. Little things offered with love make for great stewardship.

April 18th – from St. John’s Gospel
“Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time
Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.”
Jesus continues to be revealed to us in Eucharist
and in our serving others through stewardship. The presence of Jesus is a
given. It is stewardship that opens our eyes to experience this presence.

April 25th - from the Acts of the Apostles)
“The disciples (Paul and Barnabas) were filled with joy a
nd the Holy Spirit.” Paul and Barnabas had just been expelled from Antioch.
It may be hard to believe that they were then filled with joy. It may be
even harder yet to believe that Antioch became one of the early centers of Christianity!
The promise of stewardship is that even when we struggle and our efforts seem to fail, the Holy Spirit is experienced and joy can be present.

Source: ICSC Newsletter
John Baumann, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
(Archdiocese of Seattle)

Oración de Corresponsabilidad

2010-04-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

Señor Dios,
Sólo Tú eres la fuente de todos los dones que
forman nuestro inmenso universo, y el misterio de
cada vida humana. Te alabamos y te damos
gracias por tu bondadoso y fiel amor.
Todo lo que somos y todo lo que tenemos son
tus dones; y después de habernos creado, nos has
dado a tu hijo Jesucristo. Llena nuestras mentes
con Su verdad y nuestros corazones con Su amor.
Que podamos unirnos afectuosamente, en Su
espíritu, en una comunidad de fe, una familia
parroquial, y un pueblo afectuoso.
En el nombre del espíritu de Jesús, nos
comprometemos con nosotros mismos a ser
buenos corresponsables de los dones que nos han
sido confiados, a compartir nuestro tiempo,
nuestros talentos y nuestros dones materiales y
espirituales como un signo externo del tesoro que
tenemos en Jesús.
Nosotros oramos en Su santo nombre, Amén.

Stewardship Prayer

2010-04-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

Lord God,
You alone are the source of every good gift, of
the vast array of our universe, and the mystery of
each human life. We praise you and thank you for
your great power and your tender, faithful love.
Everything we are and everything we have are
your gifts; and after having created us, you have
given us into the keeping of your son, Jesus
Christ. Fill our minds with His truth and our
hearts with His love. In His spirit, may we be
bonded together into a community of faith, a
parish family, a caring people.
In the name and spirit of Jesus, we commit
ourselves to be good stewards of the gifts
entrusted to us, to share our time, our talents, and
our material and spiritual gifts as an outward sign
of the treasure we hold in Jesus.
In His holy name we pray,
Amen.

April Parish Bulletin Announcements

2010-04-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

April 4 – Easter Sunday

The Lord has truly been raised…He was made known
to us in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:13-35
The exact location of Emmaus has not been
established. Two sites northwest of Jerusalem
make strong claims. One is about seven miles
from Jerusalem, as reported in Luke’s Gospel; the
other is approximately twenty miles away, but
makes a stronger case. The disciples who
encountered Jesus would have left Jerusalem
early in the morning. Walking at a brisk pace,
they could cover twenty miles in one day. They
do not recognize Jesus, but are impressed with his
knowledge of Scripture. They urge him, “Stay
with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is
almost over.” It would be nice to know the exact
location of Emmaus, but it is much more
important to understand that the two disciples
realized, “our hearts were burning within us.”
They recognized Jesus as the Risen Lord in the
Breaking of the Bread and rushed back to
Jerusalem to tell the others. Do we recognize
Jesus as the Risen Lord in the Breaking of the
Bread? Do we rush out to tell others? This Easter
morn is a good time to start doing that!

April 11 – Second Sunday of Easter
“Blessed are those who have not seen and believed.”
John 20:19-31
John tells us that the disciples who abandoned
Jesus when He was arrested and taken to the cross
(John was one of them) were locked in a room a
week after they had seen him risen from the dead
and He had appeared to them in that same room.
Jesus had good reason to be disappointed with
them. But He says to them, “Peace be with you!”
He knew it was difficult for them to believe even
though they had seen. And He knew how difficult
it would be for us who had not seen to believe.
That is why, at our Baptism, our parents, or we
ourselves if we are old enough, promise to make
our faith “constantly grow stronger in our hearts”
and to “bring that faith unstained into heaven.”
We renewed our Baptismal Promises on Easter
Sunday. What have we done to make our faith
“grow stronger in our hearts”? What are we
doing? What will we do in the future? Are we
being good stewards of our faith?

April 18 – Third Sunday of Easter
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love
you.” John 21:1-19
After appearing to the disciples twice behind
locked doors in a room in Jerusalem, Jesus
reveals Himself a third time to seven of His
disciples who are fishing at the northwest end of
the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). The scene is a
reminder of His first call to them to become
fishers of men. After preparing and sharing a
breakfast of fish with them, Jesus asks Simon
Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Peter, who
had denied Jesus three times, finally says, “Lord
you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Peter reveals his great faith in Jesus. Only God
knows everything and only God could know what
was in Peter’s heart. When we encounter Jesus
He ask us, “Do you love me?” Is our faith in
Jesus such that we have no doubt that He is God
and that He knows what is in our heart? How do
we respond to Jesus?

April 25 – Fourth Sunday of Easter
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they
follow me.” John 10:27-30
There are very few family members or friends
that we cannot identify by their voice. Jesus tells
us that His followers hear His voice. Jesus also
says He knows us. Jesus does not need to know
our voice. He knows us! He knows what we need
before we say it. But, do we know the voice of
Jesus? And, what do we do when we hear the
voice of Jesus? Do we hear the voice of Jesus in
prayer, when we stop speaking and listen – listen
for God’s will for us? Do we hear the voice of
Jesus in our family, our friends, and strangers –
through the people and events in our lives? Jesus
challenges us to be and to do all that God created
us to be and do. When we hear ourselves saying
“No, I don’t want to love that person (or take that
risk or challenge that evil),” we probably just
heard from God. How do we respond as stewards
of our prayer life and of all that God has given
us? Our first response might be “No!” But our
final response must be “Yes, Lord!”

Abril 4 – Domingo de Pascua
El Señor ha resucitado verdaderamente…se ha
manifestado a nosotros al partir el pan.
Lucas 24:13-35
El sitio exacto de Emaús no ha sido establecido. Es
reclamado fehacientemente por dos sitios al noroeste
de Jerusalén. Uno de ellos está a siete millas de
Jerusalén, como menciona el Evangelio de San Lucas;
el otro está a aproximadamente a 20 millas, pero tiene
un caso más fuerte. Los discípulos que encontraron a
Jesús habían salido de Jerusalén por la mañana
temprano. Caminando con rapidez, pudieron cubrir 20
millas en un día. Ellos no reconocieron a Jesús, pero
se impresionaron por su conocimiento de las
Escrituras. Ellos le pidieron, “Quédate con nosotros,
es tarde y el día ya ha declinado.” Sería bueno saber la
ubicación exacta de Emaús, pero es mucho más
importante entender lo que los dos discípulos
sintieron, “nuestros corazones arden dentro de
nosotros,” Ellos reconocieron a Jesús como el Señor
Resucitado al Partir el Pan y regresaron a Jerusalén
presurosamente a decirles a los otros. ¿Nosotros
reconocemos a Jesús como el Señor resucitado al
Partir el Pan? ¿Nos apresuramos a decírselo a otros?
¡Esta Pascua es un buen momento para hacerlo!

Abril 11 – Segundo Domingo de Pascua
“Bienaventurados los que no vieron y creyeron.”
Juan 20:19-31
Juan nos dice que los discípulos que abandonaron a
Jesús cuando fue arrestado y llevado a la cruz (Juan
era uno de ellos) estaban encerrados en un lugar una
semana después que vieron al Señor resucitado y que
apareció ante ellos en ese mismo lugar. Jesús tenía
una buena razón para estar molesto con ellos. Pero Él
les dijo, “Paz a vosotros” El sabía que era difícil para
ellos creer aún cuando lo habían visto. Y sabía cuán
difícil sería para nosotros, que no hemos visto, creer.
Es por ello que en nuestro Bautismo, nuestros padres,
o nosotros si somos mayores, prometemos “hacer
crecer la fe en nuestros corazones constantemente”
“fortalecerla en nuestros corazones” y “llevar esta fe
sin mancha al cielo.” Nosotros renovamos nuestras
Promesas Bautismales el Domingo de Pascua. ¿Qué
hemos hecho para que nuestra fe crezca más fuerte en
nuestros corazones? ¿Qué estamos haciendo? ¿Qué
haremos en el futuro? ¿Somos buenos corresponsables
de nuestra fe?

Abril 18 – Tercer Domingo de Pascua
“Señor, Tú lo sabes todo; Tú sabes que te amo.”
Juan 21:1-19
Después de aparecer a sus discípulos en dos ocasiones
en Jerusalén, en un lugar con las puertas cerradas,
Jesús se manifestó una tercera vez a siete de sus
discípulos que pescaban a la orilla del mar de Tiberias
(Galilea). La escena nos recuerda su primer llamado a
convertirse en pescadores de hombres. Después de
preparar y compartir el pescado con ellos, Jesús le
preguntó a Simón Pedro tres veces, ¿me amas? Pedro,
quien negó tres veces a Jesús, finalmente le dice,
“Señor, tú lo sabes todo; tú sabes que te amo.” Pedro
revela su gran fe en Jesús. Sólo Dios lo sabe todo y
solo Dios puede saber lo que hay en su corazón.
Cuando encontramos a Jesús, Él nos pregunta, ¿me
amas? ¿Nuestra fe en Jesús es tal que no tenemos
duda de que Él es Dios y que Él sabe lo que esta en
nuestro corazón? ¿Cómo respondemos a Jesús?

Abril 25 – Cuarto Domingo de Pascua
“Mis ovejas oyen mi voz; y yo las conozco y me
siguen.” Juan 10:27-30
Hay muy pocos miembros de la familia y amigos que
no podemos identificar por su voz. Jesús nos dice que
quienes lo siguen oyen su voz. Jesús dice también que
nos conoce. Jesús no necesita conocer nuestra voz. ¡Él
nos conoce! Sabe lo que necesitamos antes de decirlo.
¿Pero, nosotros conocemos la voz de Jesús? Y ¿qué
hacemos cuando oímos la voz de Jesús? ¿Oímos la
voz de Jesús en oración, cuando nos detenemos de
hablar y escuchamos –la voluntad de Dios para
nosotros? ¿Escuchamos la voz de Dios en nuestra
familia, nuestros amigos y extraños –a través de la
gente y eventos de nuestras vidas? Jesús nos desafía a
ser y a hacer todo lo que Dios creó para que seamos y
hagamos. Cuando nos escuchamos a nosotros mismos
diciendo “No, no quiero amar a esa persona (o tomar
ese riesgo, o desafiar ese mal)”, probablemente recién
escuchamos a Dios. ¿Cómo respondemos como
corresponsables de nuestra vida de oración y de todo
lo que Dios nos ha dado? Nuestra primera respuesta
quizás sea “No” pero nuestra respuesta final debe ser
“Si, Señor.”

Source: ICSC Newsletter -
Dn. Jerry Martinez of the Archdiocese of New Orleans

March Parish Bulletin Announcements

2010-02-26T09:58:00.000-08:00

March 7 – 3rd Sunday of Lent
God heard the cry of His people in Egypt and
responded generously by bringing them out of
captivity. But in the desert the Israelites began
complaining to Moses. They were not grateful
for the gift of their freedom – a grateful heart
silences a complaining voice! We good stewards
pray that we will always be grateful for the gifts
and opportunities that we are given. When we
are at times not grateful, when we are overcome
with an unhealthy lust for material things, power,
or prestige, we are called to repent, and we are
grateful for the Lord’s mercy.

March 14th – 4th Sunday of Lent
The Christian disciple is a steward who is
prayerful, persistent, patient, and strives to
joyfully and generously live out the personal
vocation to which God calls him or her. These
characteristics are most valuable in our own
prodigal stories. At times we may stumble and
wander away from God. When we do, we find
hope in today’s Gospel. Through our patience,
perseverance, and above all prayer, we can return
to the Father, trusting in His forgiveness.

March 21st – 5th Sunday of Lent
How will you be remembered? As one who
adhered to a strict observance of the law? Or, as
one who was not too quick to judge, and lovingly
gave others a second chance? Throughout our
lives, we will experience many relationships, and
they are all gifts from God. How will you be a
good steward of those relationships? In Jesus’
encounter with the woman caught in adultery, we
are given an example of how we are to care for
the people we encounter in our lives.

March 28th – Passion Sunday
It is always difficult to hear the Passion
narrative. Yet we see in Jesus’ passion
something that is at the heart of discipleship and
stewardship – trust. Jesus’ anxiety in the garden
turns into trust, “yet, not my will but yours be
done.” Good stewards set aside pride and fear
and trust in God’s plan for their lives. Pray for
wisdom, so that you may know how God wants
you to use and share the gift of your life. There is
an intense joy and peace of mind that can only be
found in doing the will of God.

Source: Dan Potvin, Archdiocese of Winnipeg

Marzo 7 – 3dr Domingo de Cuaresma
Dios escuchó el llanto de Su pueblo en Egipto y
respondió generosamente liberándolo de la
cautividad. Sin embargo, en el desierto, los israelitas
empezaron a quejarse con Moisés. No estaban
agradecidos por el don de su libertad – ¡un corazón
agradecido silencia la voz quejosa! Como buenos
corresponsables, nosotros oramos para que seamos
siempre agradecidos por las oportunidades y dones
que nos fueron dados. Cuando a veces no somos
agradecidos, cuando prevalece el deseo insano por
cosas materiales, poder o prestigio, nosotros somos
llamados al arrepentimiento y agradecemos a dios por
su misericordia.

Marzo 14 – 4o Domingo de Cuaresma
El discípulo Cristiano es un corresponsable
devoto, persistente, paciente, y que se esfuerza en
vivir con alegría y generosidad la vocación personal
para la cual Dios le ha llamado. Estas características
son más valiosas en nuestras historias pródigas. A
veces tropezamos y nos alejamos de Dios. Cuando
esto sucede, nosotros encontramos esperanza en el
Evangelio de hoy. A través de nuestra paciencia,
perseverancia, y sobre todo la oración, podemos
regresar al Padre, confiando en su perdón.

Marzo 21 – 5o Domingo de Cuaresma
¿Cómo será usted recordado? ¿Como alguien
adherido estrictamente al cumplimiento de la ley? O,
¿como alguien con lentitud para juzgar y para dar
amorosamente a otros una segunda oportunidad? A
través de nuestras vidas, experimentaremos muchas
relaciones, y todas son dones de Dios. ¿Cómo será
usted buen corresponsable de esas relaciones? En el
encuentro de Jesús con la mujer adúltera tenemos el
ejemplo de cómo cuidar de las personas que
encontramos en nuestras vidas.

Marzo 28 – Domingo de la Pasión de Jesús
Siempre es difícil escuchar la narración de la
Pasión. Sin embargo vemos en la Pasión de Jesús
algo que está en el corazón del discipulado y de la
corresponsabilidad, –confianza. La ansiedad de Jesús
en el huerto se torna en confianza, “no se haga mi
voluntad, sino la Tuya.” Los buenos corresponsables
hacen a un lado orgullo y temor y confían en el plan
de Dios para sus vidas. Ore por sabiduría, para que
pueda saber cómo quiere Dios que use y comparta el
don de su vida. Hay un intenso gozo y tranquilidad
que sólo pueden encontrarse al hacer la voluntad de
Dios.

Source: Dan Potvin, Arquidiócesis de Winnipeg

Forming Good Stewards

2010-02-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

March 7 – 3rd Sunday of Lent
For three years I have come in search of fruit
on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it
down! Why should it exhaust the soil? Lk 13:1-9
Jesus tells of a gardener who pleads to save a
fig tree so he can cultivate it and hope to make it
productive. In chapters one and two of Genesis,
God reveals that He created man and woman and
gave them dominion over His Garden – all of
creation. Bishop Robert Morneau poignantly
describes how God made us stewards of many
gardens: the gardens of our faith, our body, our
family, our mind, our artistic ability, our many
abilities and, most importantly, our ability to
reason and our free will. He points out that all of
the gardens belong to God and poses these
questions: “How are we caring for our gardens?
Are we being good stewards? Have we cultivated
our gardens or let them go fallow? Are our
gardens as productive as God intended?” If not,
it is not too late. The first step is to identify and
accept responsibility for the gardens that God
has entrusted to our care. Do not be afraid. We
have Jesus as our helper in our garden.

March 14th – 4th Sunday of Lent
“My son, you are here with me always. Everything
I have is yours.” Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Jesus tells the story of the man with two sons,
one who is ungrateful and leaves home to
squander half of his father’s possessions. Despite
his son’s ingratitude, the father longs for his
son’s return. The ungrateful son sinks so low he
realizes his mistake and chooses to return to his
father to beg forgiveness. The other son is
angered by his father’s act of love and
compassion for the son who abandoned and hurt
him. In a similar story in the Talmud, the
ungrateful son is too ashamed to take the first
step to return to his father. His father sends him a
note, “Son, come back as far as you can, and I
will come the rest of the way!”
God has given us all that we have, all that we
are, and all that we ever will be. Are we
sometimes ungrateful for all that God has given
to us? Have we failed to use it as God intended?
Have we abandoned God’s plan for us?
Probably!! But God longs for our return. If we
are reluctant to take the first step, God comes to
us. Our God is an Awesome God!

March 21st – 5th Sunday of Lent
Teacher, this woman was caught in the very
act of committing adultery. Now, in the law,
Moses commanded us to stone such women.
Jn 8:1-11
Reason would lead us to conclude that if the
scribes and Pharisees caught a woman “in the
very act of adultery,” that they also caught the
man. The law required that both parties “caught
in the very act of adultery” be stoned [Deut.
22:22]. But here, they only bring the woman
before Jesus. Hmmm… Could the man “caught
in the very act” have been an influential or highranking
public or religious official? Hmmm… It
is not unusual for people to be selective in their
decisions, to be quick to judge and unfair with
condemnation. Would not the world be a much
better place if we all stopped judging others, at
least not so quickly, and were quicker to be
generous with all that God has given to us – that
is, everything we are and have? Note that Jesus
does not condemn the men who wanted to stone
the woman. They actually condemn themselves.
The woman does not deny her sin, but Jesus does
not condemn her. He tells her to sin no more.
When we are judgmental and selfish, Jesus does
not condemn us. But we condemn ourselves and
should turn to Jesus to help us.

March 28th – Passion Sunday
“Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from
me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” Lk 22:14 -
23:56
Msgr. Winus Roeten says that when we are in
prayer and we hear ourselves saying “No!” we
probably just heard from God. Prayer is not so
much about what we say to God, but about what
we are willing to hear from God. When we are in
true communion with God to discern his will for
us, God may ask us to do something difficult or
unpleasant; something we have not done before;
something that may antagonize our family or
friends, or something involving financial or
physical risk. And it is okay, as Msgr Roeten
suggests, if our first answer is “No!” But, if we
are good stewards of our prayer life, growing
constantly in our communion with God to
discern his will for us, we must ultimately say
“Yes, Lord!” Only a fool would want to accept
the cup that Jesus knew was in front of him. And
Jesus was no fool. But Jesus was in full
communion with the Father, so he was willing to
accept the cup, to do God’s will, not his own
will. What are we willing to hear from God?
Whatever our initial reaction, what will be our
final answer?

Source: Deacon Jerry Martinez of the Archdiocese of New Orleans

Formar Buenos Corresponsables

Marzo 7 – 3er Domingo de Cuaresma
“He aquí, hace tres años que vengo a buscar fruto
en esta higuera y no lo hallo; córtala, ¿para qué
inutiliza también la tierra?”
Lucas 13:1-9
Jesús nos dice del hortelano que ruega salvar la
higuera para cultivarla y espera hacerla productiva.
En los capítulos uno y dos del Génesis, Dios revela
que Él creó al hombre y a la mujer y les dio dominio
sobre su Jardín –toda la creación. El Obispo Robert
Morneau describe expresamente cómo Dios nos hace
corresponsables de muchos jardines: los jardines de
nuestra fe, nuestro cuerpo, nuestra familia, nuestra
mente, nuestra habilidad artística, nuestras numerosas
habilidades y lo más importante, nuestra habilidad
para razonar y nuestra libre voluntad. Él menciona
que todos los jardines pertenecen a Dios y plantea
estas preguntas:
¿Cómo cuidamos de nuestros jardines? ¿Estamos
siendo buenos corresponsables? ¿Hemos cultivado
nuestros jardines? O, ¿les hemos dejado en barbecho?
¿Nuestros jardines son tan productivos como Dios lo
planeó? Si no, no es demasiado tarde. El primer paso
es identificar y aceptar la responsabilidad de los
jardines que Dios ha confiado a nuestro cuidado. Sin
temor. Tenemos la ayuda de Jesús en nuestro jardín.

Marzo 14 – 4o Domingo de Cuaresma
“Hijo, tú siempre estás conmigo, y todas mis cosas
son tuyas.” Lucas 15:1-3, 11-32
Jesús nos narra la historia de un hombre con dos
hijos, uno de ellos, ingrato, deja el hogar para gastar
la mitad de las posesiones de su padre. A pesar de la
ingratitud del hijo, el padre añora su retorno. El hijo
ingrato quedó sin nada, descendió muy bajo, se dio
cuenta de su error y decidió regresar a su padre y
rogar su perdón. El otro hijo está molesto por el acto
de amor y compasión de su padre por el hijo que lo
abandonó y lo lastimó. En una historia similar del
Talmud, el hijo ingrato está avergonzado para dar el
primer paso y regresar a su padre. Su padre le envía
una nota, “Hijo ven tan lejos como puedas, y yo iré a
tu encuentro el resto del camino” Dios nos ha dado
todo lo que tenemos, lo que somos y lo que seremos.
¿Nosotros somos ingratos, a veces, por todo lo que
Dios nos ha dado? ¿Hemos fallado en usarlo como
Dios lo planeó? ¿Hemos abandonado el plan de Dios
para nosotros? ¡Probablemente! Pero Dios desea
nuestro regreso. Si tenemos duda para dar el primer
paso, Dios viene a nosotros. Nuestro Dios es un Dios
¡Maravilloso!

Marzo 21 – 5o Domingo de Cuaresma
“Maestro, esta mujer ha sido sorprendida en el
acto mismo de adulterio. Y en la ley, nos mandó
Moisés apedrear a tales mujeres.” Juan 8:1-11
La razón nos guiaría a concluir que si los escribas
y fariseos sorprendían a una mujer “en el acto mismo
de adulterio,” también sorprendían al hombre. La ley
requería que ambos fueran apedreados. [Deut. 22:22].
Pero aquí, ellos sólo presentaban a la mujer ante
Jesús. Ummm… ¿Podría el hombre “sorprendido en
el acto mismo” haber sido un influyente oficial de
alto rango público o religioso? Ummm… No es
inusual para las personas, ser selectivas en sus
decisiones, ser rápidas para juzgar, e injustas al
condenar. ¿No sería el mundo un mejor lugar si
dejáramos de juzgar a otros, al menos no tan rápido,
y fuéramos más prestos para ser generosos con todo
lo que Dios nos ha dado – que es todo lo que somos y
lo que tenemos? Notemos que Jesús no condena a los
hombres que querían apedrear a la mujer. Realmente
ellos se condenan a sí mismos. La mujer no niega su
pecado, pero Jesús no la condena. Le dice que no
peque más. Cuando somos críticos y egoístas, Jesús
no nos condena. Sin embargo nos condenamos a
nosotros mismos y debemos regresar a Jesús por su
ayuda.

Marzo 28 – Domingo de la Pasión de Jesús
“Padre, si es posible pasa de mí este cáliz; pero no
se haga mi voluntad, sino la tuya.” Lucas 22:14 -
23:56
Monseñor Winus Roeten dice que cuando
estamos en oración y nos escuchamos a nosotros
mismos decir ¡No! Probablemente lo oímos de Dios.
Orar no es tanto lo que decimos a dios sino lo que
estamos dispuestos a escuchar de Dios. Cuando
estamos en verdadera comunión con Dios para
discernir su voluntad para nosotros, Dios puede
pedirnos hacer algo difícil o desagradable; algo que
no hemos hecho antes; algo antagónico para nuestra
familia o amigos, o algo que involucre riesgo físico o
financiero. Y está bien, como sugiere Monseñor
Roeten, si nuestra primera respuesta es ¡No! Pero si
somos buenos corresponsables de nuestra vida de
oración, crecemos constantemente en nuestra
comunión con Dios para discernir su voluntad para
nosotros, debemos al final decir ¡Sí, Señor! Sólo un
necio querría aceptar el cáliz que Jesús sabía que
estaba frente a él. Jesús no era un necio. Jesús estaba
en completa comunión con su Padre, por lo que
estuvo dispuesto a aceptar el cáliz, a hacer la
voluntad de Dios y no la propia. ¿Qué estamos
dispuestos a escuchar de Dios? Cualquiera que sea
nuestra reacción inicial, ¿cuál será nuestra respuesta
final?

La siguiente fue escrita por el Diácono Jerry Martínez de la
Arquidiócesis de New Orleans

Stewardship and Operation Rice Bowl

2010-02-26T09:25:00.000-08:00

Operation Rice Bowl and Stewardship share the
same basic goal – faithful living, not simply
generous giving. Operation Rice Bowl is a way
for people to practice Lent, to help their practices
of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving complement and
strengthen each other through learning. Using the
ORB materials, we learn about our human family
living around the world, their struggles with
poverty, and their successes through community
development. As we pray for their needs in
gratitude for their inspiration, we pray in solidarity
with them as one human family. This prayer
opens us to act with them in solidarity and to act
for them through giving. It invites us into an ongoing
relationship and inspires us to keep the
connection beyond the ORB program.
Compassion for the poor may open a door in us,
but in solidarity, we can step through that door
and put ourselves in another shoes.

Stewardship is a commitment to sharing,
rooted in my relationship with God and aware of
the needs of my faith community. So too, the
solidarity inspired by Operation Rice Bowl is a
commitment rooted in my relationship with God
and aware of the needs of the whole human
family, especially the poorest of the poor.

These Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and
almsgiving also deepen the connection between
the Sunday liturgy and our lives all week long. The
simple meal we eat at home extends the Eucharist
to our table and extends our table to the world
beyond our culture. As we learn about the life of
Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels, we learn about
the life of Jesus “in disguise” in the poor all over
the world. And as the readings of Lent lead us
through the unfolding story of Jesus Christ giving
himself to the world, we give ourselves to the
world through our donations to feed and support
people in poverty, both locally and globally.
Operation Rice Bowl begins in the kitchen and at
the table, continues in our local parish, feeds into
our local diocese, and from there through the
global Church to people around the world, thereby
binding together the church at every level.

For more information about Operation Rice Bowl 2010,
see http://orb.crs.org/

Source: Joe Hastings – Catholic Relief Services West

Corresponsabilidad y Rice Bowl

Operación Rice Bowl y la Corresponsabilidad
comparten la misma meta fundamental –una vida
auténtica, no simplemente una donación generosa.
Operación Rice Bowl es, para las personas, una manera
de practicar la Cuaresma, de ayudar en sus prácticas de
oración, ayuno y complemento de limosna y de
fortalecer unos a otros a través del aprendizaje. Usando
los materiales ORB, aprendemos acerca de nuestra
familia humana que vive alrededor del mundo, sus
luchas con la pobreza y sus éxitos a través del
desarrollo comunitario. Al orar por sus necesidades en
gratitud por su inspiración, nosotros oramos en
solidaridad con ellos como una familia humana. Esta
oración nos abre para actuar con ellos en solidaridad, y
a actuar por ellos a través de la donación. Nos invita a
una relación continua y nos inspira a mantener la
conexión más allá del programa ORB. La compasión
por el pobre puede abrir una puerta en nosotros, pero
en solidaridad, nosotros podemos avanzar a través de
esta puerta y ponernos en los zapatos del otro. La
Corresponsabilidad es un compromiso de compartir,
fundado en mi relación con Dios y consciente de las
necesidades de mi comunidad de fe. Del mismo modo,
la solidaridad inspirada por Operación Rice Bowl es un
compromiso fundado en mi relación con Dios y
consciente de las necesidades de toda la familia
humana, especialmente de los pobres en extrema
pobreza.

Estas prácticas Cuaresmales de oración, ayuno y
limosna profundizan también la conexión entre la
liturgia del domingo y nuestras vidas durante toda la
semana. El alimento sencillo que comemos en casa,
extiende la Eucaristía a nuestra mesa y extiende nuestra
mesa al mundo, más allá de nuestra cultura. Al
aprender acerca de la vida de Jesús de Nazaret en los
Evangelios, aprendemos acerca de la vida de Jesús
“oculta” en los pobres de todo el mundo. Y así como
las lecturas de Cuaresma nos guían a través de la
historia revelada de Jesucristo dándose a sí mismo al
mundo, nosotros nos damos al mundo a través de
nuestras donaciones para alimentar y apoyar a la gente
en pobreza, local y globalmente. Operación Rice Bowl
inicia en la cocina y en la mesa, continúa en nuestra
parroquia local, nutre nuestra diócesis local, y a través
de nuestra Iglesia global a la gente alrededor del
mundo, uniendo así a la iglesia en todos los niveles.

Para más información de Operación Rice Bowl 2010, ver
http://orb.crs.org/

Source:
Por: Joe Hastings – Catholic Relief Services West

A Stewardship Prayer for Lent

2010-02-26T09:12:00.000-08:00

Lord Jesus,
At this time of year,
our thoughts are turned to the ultimate sacrifice
you made for us on the cross.
Inspire us to make whatever personal sacrifice
will bring us closer to you,
and strengthen us in that sacrifice.
Pope John Paul II reminded us that “simplicity,
moderation, and discipline, as well as a spirit
of sacrifice, must become a part of [our]
everyday life, lest all suffer the negative
consequences of the careless habits of a few.”
May our practice of sacrificial stewardship
during this Lenten season
lead us to the victory of the Resurrection.
In your holy name, we pray, Amen.

Oración de Corresponsabilidad para la Cuaresma

Señor Jesús,
En esta época del año,
nuestros pensamientos se tornan al sacrificio
final que hiciste por nosotros en la cruz.
Inspíranos para hacer cualquier sacrificio
personal que nos acerque más a Tí,
y fortalécenos en este sacrificio.
El Papa Juan Pablo II nos recordó que la
“sencillez, la moderación y la disciplina, así
como un espíritu de sacrificio, deben ser una
parte de nuestra vida diaria, no sea que todos
sufran las consecuencias negativas de los
hábitos negligentes de unos pocos.”
Que nuestra práctica de corresponsabilidad en el
sacrificio durante este tiempo de Cuaresma
nos guíe a la victoria de la Resurrección.
Te lo pedimos, en tu santo nombre, Amén.

Source: ICSC Newsletter

To Love and Serve One Another

2010-02-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Annual Catholic Appeal is well underway in parishes throughout the Diocese of Tucson. For daily updates on how each parish is doing, check out this special website: http://www.diocesetucson.org/DailyACA.html (the link is case specific, if you are going to retype it.) Please bookmark it for use through out the campaign. Contact us if you have any questions.

February Parish Bulletin Announcements

2010-02-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

February 7th (from Isaiah)
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’
‘Here I am,’ I said, ‘send me!’” This sure goes against the advice of not volunteering before you know what you are being asked to do. But then, stewardship does go counter this worldly norm. “Here I am, send me!” This statement carries with it the explicit and faithful belief that God walks with us when we say yes to God. Stewardship helps us encounter and live the reality that God does
indeed walk with us.

February 14th (from Jeremiah)
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.”
One claim of stewardship is that God has placed in our midst all the gifts, charisms, and resources needed to meet our particular responsibilities to be Christ’s presence in our community. Accepting this claim requires trust and hope. Stewardship provides a way to support each other in recognizing that what we offer through stewardship is enough: that when what we offer is joined with what everyone else offers, great things will happen.

February 21st (from Deuteronomy)
“Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits of the products of the soil which you, O Lord, have given me.” Offering to God the very best of what God has provided for us is at the heart of stewardship. Do we offer the best of ourselves, or do we offer what is left over? Probably we’ve all done both, at one time or another. However, if we strive to offer our best, we will undoubtedly actually do this more times than not.

February 28th (from Gospel of Luke)
“While he (Peter) was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.” God was in the cloud and spoke, saying, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” How do we listen to Jesus as he continues to speak his message of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves and asks us to feed, clothe, shelter and provide comfort to those in need? We can join together in stewardship and help each other listen and act.

Febrero 7 (de Isaías)
“Entonces escuché la voz del Señor diciendo,
¿A quien enviaré? ¿Quién irá en nuestro nombre?
-Aquí estoy, dije, ¡envíame!”
Esta afirmación contradice el consejo de no
ofrecerse como voluntario antes de saber lo que te
pedirán. Entonces, la corresponsabilidad se opone a
esta sabia regla. “¡Aquí estoy, envíame!” Esta
declaración sostiene la creencia explícita y fiel de que
Dios camina con nosotros cuando le decimos “si”. La
corresponsabilidad nos ayuda a encontrar y vivir la
realidad en la que Dios, ciertamente, camina con
nosotros.

Febrero 14 (de Jeremías)
“Bendito es quien confía en el Señor, aquel
cuya esperanza está en el Señor”
Una afirmación de la corresponsabilidad es que
Dios ha puesto entre nosotros todos los dones,
carismas y recursos necesarios para la realización de
nuestras responsabilidades particulares, para ser la
presencia de Cristo en nuestra comunidad. Aceptar
esta afirmación requiere confianza y esperanza. La
corresponsabilidad provee el camino para apoyar uno
al otro en el reconocimiento de que lo que ofrecemos
a través de la corresponsabilidad es suficiente: que al
unir lo que nosotros ofrecemos con lo que los demás
ofrecen, ocurrirán cosas maravillosas.

Febrero 21 (del Deuteronomio)
“He traído las primicias de los frutos de la
tierra que Tú Señor me has dado.”
Ofrecer al Señor lo mejor de lo que nos ha
proveído es el corazón de la corresponsabilidad.
¿Ofrecemos lo mejor de nosotros mismos u
ofrecemos lo que nos sobra? Probablemente hemos
hecho ambas cosas en alguna ocasión. Sin embargo,
si nos esforzamos en ofrecer lo mejor,
indudablemente lo haremos la mayoría de las
ocasiones.

Febrero 28 (del Evangelio de San Lucas)
“Mientras él (Pedro) decía esto, vino una nube
que los cubrió; y tuvieron temor al entrar en la
nube.”
Dios estaba en la nube y habló diciendo: “Este es
mi Hijo amado; a Él oíd.” ¿Cómo escuchamos el
mensaje de Jesús de amar a nuestro prójimo como a
nosotros mismos, de proveer alimento, vestido y
albergue a aquellos en necesidad? Podemos unirnos
en corresponsabilidad, ayudarnos unos a otros,
escuchar y actuar.

Source: ICSC Newsletter, John Baumann M.Div.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Seattle.

Stewardship Planning Prayer

2010-01-30T11:22:00.000-08:00

As we begin our Annual Catholic Appeal 2010 and make plans to strengthen our stewardship efforts across the Diocese of Tucson, I send this prayer out in support of your ministries.

Good and gracious God, we thank you for the
good work and good will of all who have
gathered here today and of the many others who
have helped to bring us to this point. Grant us
vision, that we may see and use wisely the gifts
you have showered upon us. Assist us with your
Spirit, that this good work we have begun may
come to completion in accordance with your will
and in ways that best serve your people. Bless us
now as we begin; and when we depart and go
our separate ways, preserve our unity as your
Church. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.

Forming Good Stewards

2010-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2010 – The Epiphany of the Lord

“‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.’” Matthew 2:1-12

The Feast of the Epiphany originated in the Eastern Church and is celebrated in the Roman Rite as the Manifestation of the Lord to astrologers [Magi] from Persia [present day Iran]. The astrologers made the long and difficult journey to Bethlehem to pay homage to a newborn Jewish child. For us, the Feast of the Epiphany is another opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of the Birth of Christ – God Incarnate – and how He is manifested in our lives. It is an opportunity to ponder: During Advent and the celebration of Christmas, did we grow in our understanding and appreciation of God present among us? Did we make an effort equivalent to the Magi to present a gift to the Child Jesus – the gift of our time and a commitment to contribute more of our talents and resources to the mission of the Church through greater involvement in our parish faith community? If not, it is not too late. Those gifts abound in our lives. Are we willing to share them with others? Are we willing to manifest Jesus [make Him present] to others?

Jan. 10, 2010 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

“This is my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Those are the words that a voice from heaven spoke after Jesus convinced John to baptize him in the Jordan River. Imagine how we would feel if a voice from heaven said to us, as we stood among our family and friends, and even our enemies, “This is my beloved child; with you I am well pleased.” We may not be standing in the Jordan River with John the Baptist pouring water over us, but we, who are baptized Catholics, are “children of God.” To the extent that we are doing our best to be all that God created us to be; to identify, accept, develop and use all of the talents, abilities and gifts that God has given to us for ourselves and for others, we can be sure that God is well pleased with us. And, if we are good stewards of our prayer life and truly listen for God’s will for us, we may not hear his voice with our ears, but we will know in our hearts that God is saying to us, too, “This is my beloved child, with you I am well pleased.”

January 17, 2010 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Do whatever he tells you!” John 2:1-11

The Bible records four times when Mary speaks: At the Annunciation she concludes by saying, “May it be done unto me according to your word,” [20 words] Luke 1:34, 38. When she visits Elizabeth she proclaims the Magnificat, [125 words] Luke 1:46-55. Then Mary scolds Jesus for staying behind in Jerusalem, [20 words] Luke 2:48. Mary’s last words in the Bible are at the wedding feast at Cana. She says to Jesus, “They have no more wine;” then to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you!” [10 words] John 23:4. Mary is a woman of few words, [a total of 175 words recorded in the Bible]. But what powerful words they are. From “May it be done unto me according to your word.” to “Do whatever he tells you!” she gives us a model of faith, courage and openness to God’s will. She challenges us to listen to Jesus in prayer and to do whatever he tells us; to become all that God created us to be. What is such a “woman of a few words” telling us today? Probably: “Do whatever he tells you!”

January 24, 2010 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke: 4:21

Jesus, his parents, and his grandparents lived in the small town of Nazareth that had a population of about 400 people and would have fit inside the physical boundaries on an average sized parish. In the synagogue at Nazareth, after reading a passage from Isaiah, Jesus declared “Today this passage is fulfilled in your hearing… The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” How would you react if someone you know in your parish stood up and said that? Now imagine the speaker says to you, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon you…” and you have been sent to do all of those things. As a result of our Baptism and Confirmation the Spirit is upon us and we have an obligation to do all those things – and more.

January 31, 2010 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” Luke 4:22

In his home town of Nazareth, Jesus read a passage from Isaiah that prophesied the coming of the Messiah. He closed the scroll and claimed it had been fulfilled in their hearing. They “all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.” But they instinctively realized that if Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, the carpenter, were truly the Messiah, he was destined to do great things. And, if he did great things, he might challenge them to do great things. He had grown up among them and was like them. They became fearful and agitated and tried to throw him off of a high cliff at the top of the craggy hill where Nazareth is located. From our youth we have learned about Jesus through the revealed Word of God. We have come to know him as the Messiah who did great things and who saved us by his death and resurrection. We know he expects us to be all that God created us to be. How do we respond? Do we try to throw Jesus over a high cliff? Or do we try to imitate Jesus and do great things?

Formando Buenos Corresponsables

Enero 3, 2010 – La Epifanía del Señor

“¿Dónde está el rey de los judíos que ha nacido? Porque su estrella hemos visto en el oriente y venimos a adorarle.” Mateo 2:1-12

La Fiesta de la Epifanía se originó en la Iglesia Oriental y se celebra en el Rito Romano como la manifestación del Señor a los astrólogos (magos) de Persia (hoy Irán). Los astrólogos hicieron el largo y difícil viaje a Belén para rendir homenaje a un niño Judío recién nacido. Para nosotros la Fiesta de la Epifanía es otra oportunidad para reflexionar sobre el verdadero significado del nacimiento de Cristo –Dios encarnado –y sobre cómo se manifiesta Él en nuestras vidas. Es una oportunidad para considerar: durante el Adviento y la celebración de la Navidad, ¿crecimos en nuestra comprensión y apreciación de Dios, presente entre nosotros? ¿Hicimos un esfuerzo como el de los Magos para presentar un regalo al Niño Jesús? ¿El regalo de nuestro tiempo y el compromiso para participar con más de nuestros talentos y recursos en la misión de la Iglesia a través de una mayor contribución a nuestra comunidad parroquial de fe? Y si no, no es muy tarde. Esos dones florecen en nuestras vidas. ¿Estamos dispuestos a compartirlos con otros? ¿Estamos dispuestos a manifestar a Jesús (hacerle presente) a otros?

Enero 10, 2010 – Segundo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Tú eres mi Hijo amado; en Tí tengo complacencia.” Lucas 3:15-16, 21-22

Estas son las palabras que se escucharon del cielo después de que Jesús convenció a Juan de bautizarlo en el Río Jordán. Imagine que sentiríamos si estando de pie entre nuestra familia, amigos, y aún nuestros enemigos, una voz del cielo dijera, “tú eres mi hijo amado; en ti tengo complacencia.” Tal vez no estemos en el Río Jordán con Juan el Bautista vertiendo agua sobre nosotros, pero quienes somos Católicos bautizados, somos “hijos de Dios.” Al grado que hacemos nuestro mejor esfuerzo para ser todo lo que Dios estableció que seamos; para identificar, aceptar, desarrollar y usar todos los talentos, habilidades y dones que Dios nos ha dado para nosotros mismos y para los demás, podemos estar seguros de que Dios está complacido con nosotros. Y, si somos buenos corresponsables de nuestra vida de oración y escuchamos verdaderamente la voluntad de Dios, sabremos en nuestros corazones que Dios nos está diciendo también: “Tú eres mi hijo amado, en ti tengo complacencia”.

Enero 17, 2010 – Tercer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Haced todo lo que él os dijere” Juan 2:1-11

La Biblia documenta cuatro ocasiones en las que María habla: en la Anunciación, ella concluye diciendo, “Hágase conmigo conforme a tu palabra,” (20 palabras) Lucas 1:34, 38. Cuando visita a Isabel, ella proclama el Magníficat, (125 palabras) Lucas 1:46-55. Entonces María reprende a Jesús por quedarse en Jerusalén, (20 palabras) Lucas 2:48. Las últimas palabras de María en la Biblia son en la fiesta de la boda en Caná. Ella le dice a Jesús “No tienen más vino” entonces dijo a los sirvientes, “Haced todo lo que él os dijere.” (10 palabras) Juan 2:3-4. María es una mujer de pocas palabras, (un total de 175 palabras documentadas en la Biblia). Pero, qué poderosas palabras. Desde “Hágase conmigo conforme a tu palabra,” hasta “Haced todo lo que él os dijere,” ella nos ofrece un modelo de fe, valor y apertura a la voluntad de Dios. Ella nos desafía a escuchar a Jesús en oración y hacer todo lo que nos diga; para llegar a ser todo lo que Dios estableció que nosotros seamos. ¿Qué nos dice hoy esa “mujer de pocas palabras”? Probablemente: “Hagan todo lo que Él les diga.”

Enero 24, 2010 – Tercer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“Hoy se ha cumplido esta Escritura delante de vosotros.” Lucas: 4:21

Jesús, sus padres, y sus abuelos vivieron en el pequeño pueblo de Nazaret, que tenía una población de 400 habitantes. Estando en la sinagoga, después de leer un pasaje de Isaías, Jesús declaró, “Hoy se ha cumplido esta Escritura delante de vosotros…El espíritu del Señor está sobre mí por cuanto me ha ungido para dar buenas nuevas a los pobres. Él me ha enviado a pregonar libertad a los cautivos y vista a los ciegos; a poner en libertad a los oprimidos y predicar el año agradable del Señor.” ¿Cómo reaccionaría usted si alguien que conoce se levantara y dijera esto? Imagine que quien está hablando le dijera a usted, “El espíritu del Señor está sobre usted…y usted ha sido enviado a hacer todas esas cosas. Como resultado de nuestro Bautismo y Confirmación, el Espíritu está sobre nosotros y tenemos una obligación de hacer todas esas cosas… y más.

Enero 31, 2010 – Cuarto Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario

“¿No es éste el hijo de José?” Lucas 4:22

“En Nazaret, su pueblo natal, Jesús leyó un pasaje de Isaías en el que profetizó la llegada del Mesías. Cerró el pergamino y dijo, la profecía se ha cumplido. Todos hablaban de él y se maravillaban de las palabras que salían de su boca.” Pero instintivamente, ellos sabían que si Jesús, el hijo de María y José, el carpintero, era verdaderamente el Mesías, estaría destinado a grandes proezas. Él había crecido entre ellos y era como ellos. Se sintieron temerosos y agitados y trataron de arrojarlo de lo alto de un acantilado de los escarpados montes donde se localizaba Nazaret. Desde nuestra juventud aprendimos acerca de Jesús a través de la Palabra de Dios, revelada. Sabemos que es el Mesías, quien hizo grandes cosas y nos salvó por su muerte y resurrección. Sabemos que él espera que seamos lo que Dios estableció que seamos. ¿Cómo respondemos nosotros? ¿Tratamos de arrojar a Jesús de un alto acantilado? O ¿tratamos de imitar a Jesús y hacer grandes cosas?

Source: by Deacon Jerry Martinez, Archdiocese of New Orleans

STEWARDSHIP BULLETIN NOTES

2010-01-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

January 3 – Epiphany
The word epiphany is secularly defined as, ‘a sudden intuitive perception or insight into the reality [truth] or essential meaning of something.’ Stewardship often becomes a way of life in an epiphany – a flash of insight that changes the way in which we view the purpose and meaning of our lives. Christ is the way, the truth and the light. The stewardship way of life means swimming against the tide of over-consumerism, rampant materialism, and selfish individualism, but we do so with the truth at our side.

January 10 – Baptism of the Lord
Baptism is the Sacrament of Faith. We are called to continue to grow in our faith in the midst of a community of believers. Stewardship is a way of living out what we say we believe. This means that we are willing to share a generous portion of our lives and our possessions with God, with our faith community, and with the world. Vatican II points out that all the baptized are “bound to show forth, by the example of their lives and by the witness of their speech” that new life they receive in baptism.

January 17 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
At the wedding in Cana, Jesus turned what would have been an embarrassing situation for the bride and groom into a glorious event. The servants trusted Jesus and did as He told them. Through our Lord, a miracle took place – transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary! Good stewards know that when they trust in God and step out of their comfort zones, their ordinary gifts can be transformed for extraordinary purposes.

January 24 – 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
There exists in our parish community a diversity of unique gifts. God has provided us with these gifts in order to advance His Kingdom. Our sisters and brothers in other Christian denominations have also been blessed with unique gifts that are being used for the same purpose. This week, the Annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity comes to a close. We pray that throughout the year all Christians would be good stewards of their relationships, seeking to understand each other, being always patient and humble, and listening to one another, so that the Body of Christ may be truly united.

January 31 – 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Here we are… one month already gone in 2010! What did you resolve to change this year? Stewardship calls us to change the way we think about who we are and what we possess. What changes in your life is God calling you to? Is it maybe to spend more time in prayer; are you feeling a need to share a more generous portion of your financial blessings; or maybe you sense a desire to respond to a particular call to use your gifts in the service of others?

NOTAS DEL BOLETÍN DE CORRESPONSABILIDAD

Enero 3 – Epifanía
La palabra epifanía en lenguaje secular es definida como: “una súbita percepción intuitiva o cercana a una realidad (verdad) o significado esencial de algo”. La corresponsabilidad se con-vierte frecuentemente en una forma de vida en la epifanía –una chispa de percepción que cambia la manera en la que vemos el propósito y signifi-cado de nuestras vidas. Cristo es el camino, la verdad y la luz. La forma de vida de la corres-ponsabilidad significa nadar contra la marea del sobre-consumismo, del materialismo desenfrena-do, y el individualismo egoísta, pero hacemos esto con la verdad a nuestro lado.

Enero 10 – Bautismo del Señor
El Bautismo es el Sacramento de la Fe. Nosotros somos llamados a continuar el creci-miento de nuestra fe en medio de la comunidad de creyentes. La corresponsabilidad es una forma de vivir lo que decimos que creemos. Esto signi-fica que estamos dispuestos a compartir una generosa porción de nuestras vidas y nuestras posesiones con Dios, con nuestra comunidad de fe, y con el mundo. El Concilio Vaticano II in-dica que todos los bautizados “deben de mostrar, a través del ejemplo de sus vidas y por el testimonio de su palabra” esa nueva vida que ellos recibieron en el bautismo.

Enero 17 –2º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
En la boda en Caná, Jesús convirtió en evento glorioso, lo que pudo haber sido una situación vergonzosa para la novia y el novio. Los sirvientes confiaron en Jesús e hicieron lo que Él les dijo. ¡Un milagro se realizó a través de nues-tro Señor, transformando lo ordinario en extra-ordinario! Los buenos corresponsables saben que cuando confían en Dios y salen de sus zonas de confort, sus dones ordinarios pueden transfor-marse en propósitos extraordinarios.

Enero 24 – 3er Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
En nuestra comunidad parroquial existe una diversidad de dones únicos. Dios nos ha provisto con estos dones únicos para continuar Su Reino. Esta semana, Semana Anual de Oración por la Unidad Cristiana, está por terminar. Nosotros oramos para que a través del año todos los Cristianos sean buenos corresponsables de sus relaciones, busquen la comprensión unos con los otros, sean siempre pacientes y humildes, y se escuchen unos a otros, para que así el Cuerpo de Cristo pueda estar unido verdaderamente.

Enero 31 – 4o Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Aquí estamos… ¡Un mes del 2010 se ha ido! ¿Qué resolvió usted cambiar este año? La corresponsabilidad nos llama a cambiar la manera de pensar acerca de quienes somos y qué poseemos. ¿Cuáles son los cambios que Dios le solicita en su vida? ¿Tal vez dedicar más tiempo a la oración? ¿Siente necesidad de compartir una porción más generosa de sus bendiciones financieras? O ¿quizás siente el deseo de responder a un llamado particular para usar sus dones en el servicio a otros?

Source: from Dan Potvin, Archdiocese of Winnipeg

Faith and Culture Are Both Inside Us, Both Tell Us What To Think And Do

2010-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

In his book, The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith, Communion and Culture, Cardinal Francis E. George writes, "Culture is a normative system, and so is faith. If the faith and culture clash or disagree, as they always do to some extent, it is because faith is a gift from God and culture is a human construct. There will be tension in us because the faith and culture are both inside us."

Faith and culture both tell us what to do, what to value, and what to believe. In our modern culture, the highest value is personal freedom -- the right to do whatever we choose without the interference of others. For faith, the primary value is obedience to the will of God. According to Cardinal George, "in a secularized culture, belief in an almighty God, an all-powerful God, seems a threat to human freedom." Seen with the eyes of faith, God creates us from nothing and saves us from our sins. Properly understood, there is no way God can be an impediment to human freedom. "But in a secularized culture," Cardinal George writes, "God is implicitly, in some sense, a rival, a competitor to human beings, a threat."

The most obvious example of the clash between faith and culture in contemporary experience is the fundamental disagreement about human life issues -- especially abortion and euthanasia but also the full range of issues concerning sexuality, contraception and even the definitions of marriage and family. Faith tells us that life is sacred, that only God can choose between life and death. Our culture objects to anyone other than the individual person (or their surrogate) exercising authority over these personal, private decisions. Faith tells us that we are called to follow Jesus Christ as disciples who find true freedom in surrendering to the will of the Father. Subtly, but with great influence, modern culture bids us to become disciples of the latest fad or fashion or celebrity even as we claim to be totally independent.

At the heart of these disagreements, Cardinal George says, is a crisis that goes beyond moral choices to the most basic question of human existence: Are we the dependent creatures of an all-powerful God, or are we ourselves gods—free to do whatever we please without regard for the personal or social consequences?

"I would argue that the primary crisis at this moment, and always," Cardinal George writes, "is a crisis of discipleship, of conversion to Jesus Christ individually and socially within his body, the Church. Next, there is a crisis of marriage for life and for the sake of family." Discipleship, first and foremost, and then marriage and family: These are the two most important issues facing us as individuals and as a Church. First, are we free to do as we please -- or does true freedom come in surrender to the will of God? And, next, are we free to redefine marriage and family according to the values of our culture -- or does faith require us to see things a certain way, God's way, in spite of what we are taught day-in and day-out by the persistent voices of our secular culture?

For people of faith, these are stewardship questions. Faith is the gift we received at baptism. It is the gift we have been called to nourish and sustain and share with others by living as disciples of Jesus Christ. Prayer and the sacraments and the practice of daily Christian living teach us to surrender to the will of God. Sacred Scripture, preaching at the Sunday Eucharist, and the catechesis we receive through lifelong faith formation are all needed to help us distinguish God's will from our own wants and desires. As Cardinal George teaches, "the call of Christ himself, in the liturgy, in public devotion, in private prayer, has to be heard by every Catholic as a call to conversion."

We are called to follow Christ, not culture. That means being responsible stewards of the gift of faith. It means finding freedom (and truth) in the Gospels and in the lives of the saints, not in the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It means separating ourselves from what may be politically correct at this moment, and aligning ourselves with what is always good and true.

Faith and culture are both inside us. Both tell us what to think and do. How will we decide between them? As Cardinal George says, that is the primary crisis at this moment, and always. May the grace of Christ help us to choose wisely and well. May we be good stewards of the gift of faith now and always!

Copyright © 2010, Daniel Conway The Good Steward Vol.8 • No.1 • January 2010

A Holy Day Has Dawned That Knows No Sunset

2009-12-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

To the thirst for meaning and value so characteristic of today's world, to the search for prosperity and peace that marks the lives of all mankind, to the hopes of the poor: Christ — true God and true Man — responds with his Nativity. Neither individuals nor nations should be afraid to recognize and welcome him: with him "a shining light" brightens the horizon of humanity; in him "a holy day" dawns that knows no sunset.( Pope Benedict XVI, Urbi et Orbi Message, Christmas 2007)

Christ is born again bringing hope for all, and we rejoice. At the time of year that is naturally darkest, he brings inextinguishable light. At a time when many are tempted to believe in the absence of God, he becomes present once again and always. In spite of all the noise and distractions of our commercialized Christmas, he appears again -- quietly, unobtrusively, and with all the remoteness and simplicity of the first Nativity. Angels sing again. (Are we listening?) Shepherds pay him homage, and the wise men and women of our day seek him still. (Are we among them?)

Christ is born again, and the weary world is renewed. He brings hope for the poor. He brings peace for warring peoples. He brings prosperity to economies ruined by greed and irresponsibility. He brings "a shining light" into all the dark corners of our world.

Christ is born again, and our heavy hearts are lightened. The burdens we carry — fear and anxiety, guilt and sin — are lifted by his coming again. "Be not afraid," he tells us, and we are reassured. "Trust in me," he says, "your sins are forgiven," and we are consoled.

The truth which makes us free has enlightened our minds and hearts once again this Christmas. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands" (1 Jn 1-3) is Christ born again this Christmas. Come, let us adore him.

All year long, we worry and we struggle and we argue. At Christmas time, we are invited to give it up, to "let go and let God," to trust that all our troubles are truly in God's hands. God-is-with-us, Emmanuel, has come into our lives (as he does every day through the mystery of the Eucharist) to bring us peace. Why don't we let him?

Christmas is the time of year when we remember God's goodness to us. The gifts we receive are the faintest reminders of the Gift that Christ is to each of us. The Christmas carols we sing are merely echoes of the angels' song, "Peace on earth. Good will toward all." The bright colors and the Christmas lights pale in comparison to the shining star that has brightened the horizon of humanity for all time.

If we couldn't celebrate Christmas, we might well go mad. Our world would certainly be darker and more depressing. Where would we place our hope? In government? In Wall Street or Hollywood? Our prospects would be dim indeed.

No, we find our hope in a little child placed in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. His blessed mother, Mary, and his faithful guardian, the good steward Joseph, attend to him lovingly. Poor shepherds, dumb animals and mysterious strangers are his companions. The heavens rejoice and the earth resounds with hope.

What a wonderful day this is. How unlike most days! Today, a holy day has dawned that knows no sunset. Let us rejoice and be glad. Let us welcome the child Jesus into our hearts and our homes -- today and every day.

May the joys of the Christmas season fill your hearts with gladness. May you find holiness and hope this Christmas. And may the shining light of Christ bring prosperity and peace to you, and to our troubled world, this Christmas and throughout the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

Copyright © 2009, Daniel Conway

Resources for Parish Bulletins - December 2009

2009-12-02T16:06:00.000-08:00

A STEWARDSHIP MOMENT
From Dan Potvin, Archdiocese of Winnipeg

English version:

December 6th – 2nd Sunday of Advent
Generosity… authentic generosity is born
out of an attitude of gratitude. How generous are
you with your time? Advent is a time of
preparation. A generous portion of our time
given to prayer and to the service of others is a
good way to make Christ’s presence among us
known. Stewardship is living generously. Thank
you for your generosity this past year.

December 13th – 3rd Sunday of Advent
Trust… in our increasingly secular society
it is not fashionable to trust God. Stewardship
means that we are grateful for our many
blessings, and we are generous with our lives
and our possessions. In living this way we learn
to trust more in God and less in ourselves.
Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, and
our relationship with God is no different. God
trusts us to do our part and we must trust
explicitly in God.

December 20th – 4th Sunday of Advent
Gratitude, Generosity & Trust… these
have been the focus of our stewardship
reflections the first three Sundays of Advent.
Having these in our hearts we are more ready as
we await Christ’s coming. This coming week
will be a week filled with joyful anticipation.
Good stewards live in anticipation of fulfilling,
doing, and sharing in the Master’s work.

December 27th – Holy Family
Mary and Joseph went searching for their son
“in great anxiety.” They were understandably
worried. There are times when we worry about
the young people in our lives. There are also
times when they amaze us! Let us pray that in
the coming year our faith community will
continue to respond to the needs of families, and
encourage and enable our young people to share
their unique gifts. Amen.

Spanish version:

Notas del Boletín de Corresponsabilidad
Por: Dan Potvin, Arquidiócesis de Winnipeg

Diciembre 6 – Segundo Domingo de Adviento
Generosidad…la auténtica generosidad nace
de una actitud de gratitud. ¿Qué tan generoso es
con su tiempo? El Adviento es un tiempo de
preparación. Una buena manera de dar a conocer
la presencia de Cristo entre nosotros es dedicar
una generosa porción de nuestro tiempo a la
oración y al servicio de nuestro prójimo. La
corresponsabilidad es vivir generosamente.
Gracias por su generosidad durante este año que
está por llegar a su fin.

Diciembre 13 – Tercer Domingo de Adviento
Confianza… en nuestra creciente sociedad
secular, confiar en Dios no está de moda. La
corresponsabilidad significa que nosotros
estamos agradecidos por las numerosas
bendiciones y que somos generosos con nuestras
vidas y nuestras posesiones. Al vivir de esta
manera, nosotros aprendemos a confiar más en
Dios y menos en nosotros mismos. La
confianza es la piedra angular de cualquier
relación, y nuestra relación con Dios no es
diferente. Dios confía en que nosotros hagamos
nuestra parte y nosotros debemos confiar
explícitamente en Dios.

Diciembre 20 – Cuarto Domingo de Adviento
Gratitud, Generosidad y Confianza…
estos temas deben ser el centro de nuestras
reflexiones de corresponsabilidad los primeros
tres domingos de Adviento. Teniéndolos en
nuestros corazones, nosotros estaremos más
preparados mientras esperamos la llegada de
Cristo. Esta semana entrante será una semana
llena con un gozo anticipado. Los buenos
corresponsables viven en expectativa de cumplir,
hacer y compartir el trabajo del Maestro.

Diciembre 27 – La Sagrada Familia
María y José buscaron a su hijo ‘con gran
ansiedad’. Ellos estaban, comprensiblemente,
muy preocupados. Hay momentos en los que nos
preocupamos por los niños y jóvenes en nuestras
vidas. Hay también momentos en los que ellos
nos sorprenden. Oremos para que en el año por
venir nuestra comunidad de fe continúe
respondiendo a las necesidades de las familias,
para que aliente y permita a nuestros jóvenes
compartir sus dones únicos. Amén.

Stewardship Prayer

2009-11-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

I offer this day to you,
dear God.
Thank you for the blessings
you have given me.
May I use these gifts
to build your kingdom.
May my actions be a reflection
of your love.
May what I do today
bring others closer to you.
May my words be kind and gentle
and may they bring joy to others.
Today, help me to give back a portion
of what you have given to me.
I ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.

We Dare Not Take God's Gifts for Granted

2009-11-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

In the Gospel According to Mark (Mk 10:46-52), Jesus says to Bartimaeus, a blind man, "What do you want me to do for you?" Bartimaeus answers, "Master, I want to see."

Sight, like everything else we possess, is a gift from God. We don't earn it or deserve it. We receive it. Most of us receive the gift of sight at the same time we receive the gift of life. It's like the premium package that comes with a new car: automatic transmission, power steering, brakes and door locks, an audio system with CD changer and more. The package most of us were born with included the gifts of sight and hearing and speech -- and many other natural gifts that we take for granted every day.

Bartimaeus didn't receive the gift of sight when he was born. As a result of that birth defect, and whatever other personal troubles he experienced growing up, his lot in life was to sit by the roadside begging. Then he encountered Jesus. Mark's Gospel says that he heard that it was Jesus. There was nothing wrong with his hearing. In fact, like many sightless people, he probably had especially good hearing. So he cried out, "Jesus, son of David have pity on me."
The people around him told him to be quiet. But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me." Until Jesus heard him and told the disciples to "Call him." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage; get up; Jesus is calling you." At which point the blind man jumped up, threw off his coat and ran to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do?" Jesus says. I want the gift of sight, Bartimaeus answers. "Go your way; your faith has saved you," Jesus tells him. Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

No more roadside begging for Bartimaeus. He followed Jesus on the way. That means he became a disciple, a follower of Jesus, and "the way" is the disciple’s path, the way of the Cross, the road that all of us who seek to follow Jesus must take -- each in our own way.

When Bartimaeus received the gift of sight and decided to follow Jesus "on the way," he became a Christian steward -- one who receives God's gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them generously with others and returns them to the Lord with increase. These are the characteristics of a Christian steward that are described in the American bishops' pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response.

What does the experience of Bartimaeus teach us today? If we have received a gift from God - or many, many gifts from God - it’s our responsibility to say thank you. And to take good care of our gifts. And to share them generously with other people.

The story of Bartimaeus also reminds us that the Church is a gift that no one "deserves" or "earned" or is "entitled to." We received this Church from God and from all the people who worked so hard during the past 2000 years to build up the Body of Christ and to establish and sustain our local Churches with all their parishes, schools and Catholic institutions (and including all the wonderful facilities, staffs and ministries) that are now available to people throughout the world.
Catholics are generous people. Many participate actively in the ministries and community life of our Church. Many serve the needs of others within their parishes and far beyond individual parish and diocesan boundaries. Many support their diocese's annual appeal and the collections that support the Church's work nationally and internationally. And a growing number of adults, youth and children in various regions of the world now see themselves as faithful stewards of the gifts God has given us.

The story of Bartimaeus reminds us that we dare not take any of God's gifts for granted. If we want our parishes to be vibrant communities of faith, we must participate in our Church's mission. If we want our children and youth to receive an outstanding Catholic education, we must support our parish formation programs and our schools. If we want good pastors and beautiful liturgy and the kind of ministries that can only be found in a dynamic community of faith, we must pray for vocations and encourage talented young people to respond generously to God's call. Above all, we must continue to be good and faithful stewards of all God's gifts (spiritual and material).

All it takes to be a good steward is the same courage that Bartimaeus showed when he threw off his coat and ran blindly to Jesus. And when the Lord asks us, "What do you want me to do for you," our response should be: Help us to see how blessed we are! Then Jesus will say to each of us: Go your way; your faith has saved you. Then it will be our turn to follow Jesus on the way.

Copyright © 2009, Daniel Conway

Resources for Parish Bulletins - November 2009

2009-11-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

A Stewardship Moment

English Version:

For the weekend of October 31 / November 1, 2009
The Solemnity of All Saints
In today’s Gospel Jesus begins the “Sermon on the Mount,”
with the “Beatitudes.” Many Christian commentators believe
these short messages of comfort and hope address the essence
of living a life in Christ. But what does it mean for the
Christian steward to be poor in spirit, to hunger for justice,
to be meek, clean of heart, or be a peacemaker? To embrace
Christian stewardship is to live the Beatitudes, and to turn society’s
expectations upside down, to live by different values,
a different set of standards. What can we do today to be good
stewards of the Beatitudes?

For the weekend of November 7/8, 2009
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Times
Jesus points out to his disciples the poor widow who has just
dropped two simple copper coins into the temple treasury. He
then delivers a teaching on stewardship. Despite her poverty,
the poor widow in today’s Gospel does not refuse God her
generosity. Out of her desperately impoverished life she contributes
to an earthly institution to give God glory and praise.
It is not the monetary value of the gift that was important, but
the love, trust and gratitude expressed through the gift. The
Gospel asks us similarly compelling stewardship questions:
What do we value? In what or whom do we place our trust?
How do our own contributions to our community of faith reflect
our generosity toward God?

For the weekend of November 14/15, 2009
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
How would you spend your day if you knew it was the last
day you would spend on earth? Undoubtedly, it would not
be a normal day. The point of today’s Gospel reading is that
the end-time is always imminent. The good steward remains
prayerfully alert, ready to give an accounting; and living each
day in the awareness of the coming judgment and salvation.
How do we exercise stewardship over our daily lives? Are we
prepared to give an accounting? How will we allow Christ to
work in and through us to prepare for the reconciliation of
the heavens and the earth?

For the weekend of November 21/22, 2009
Solemnity of Christ the King
Today’s Gospel reading records, arguably, the most important
exchange in all of literature, the one between Jesus and Pilate.
While Pilate presumes the conversation is about an earthly,
political “king,” Jesus, by contrast, suggests to Pilate that he is
that “faithful witness” of a wholly transcendent kingship, one
that is envisioned by Daniel and the reading from the Book
of Revelations. As we approach the Advent season, this week
would be a good time to reflect on how we understand our
role as stewards of this transcendent kingship and how we
can better serve Christ to bring about this new kingdom.

For the weekend of November 28/29
First Sunday of Advent
A profound stewardship blessing is offered by St. Paul to the
Thessalonians in today’s second reading. He encourages the
community to continue to show loving concern for its members
and to care for the needs of others. We witness for the
first time the spirituality of stewardship at work in a New Testament
community that is putting the Eucharist into action.
An Advent spirit prevails that is transforming and filled with
hope for the coming of the Lord Jesus. What are we doing to
promote this spirit of stewardship in our personal lives and in
our community of faith?

Un Momento de Corresponsabilidad

Spanish Version:

Para el fin de semana del 31 de octubre/ 1º de noviembre de 2009
Solemnidad de Todos los Santos
En el Evangelio de hoy Jesús inicia el “Sermón en la Montaña,”
con las “Bienaventuranzas.” Muchos comentaristas Cristianos
creen que estos pequeños mensajes de consuelo y esperanza
hablan de la esencia de vivir una vida en Cristo. Pero, ¿qué
significa para el Cristiano corresponsable ser pobre en espíritu,
tener hambre de justicia, ser humilde, limpio de corazón, o ser
un conciliador de paz? Abrazar la corresponsabilidad Cristiana es
vivir las Bienaventuranzas, y tornar al revés las expectativas de la
sociedad; vivir con valores diferentes, y disponer otros estándares.
¿Qué podemos hacer hoy para ser buenos corresponsables de las
Bienaventuranzas?

Para el fin de semana del 7/8 de noviembre de 2009
Trigésimo Segundo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Jesús habla a sus discípulos acerca de la pobre viuda que depositó
dos sencillas monedas de cobre en el cofre del templo. Él ilustra
con esta narración, la enseñanza sobre la corresponsabilidad. A
pesar de su pobreza, la pobre viuda en el Evangelio de hoy no
rechaza su generosidad para Dios. Aún en su desesperada vida,
empobrecida, ella contribuye a una institución terrenal para
dar gloria y alabanza a Dios. Lo más importante no es el valor
monetario, sino el amor, la confianza y la gratitud expresados
a través de la donación. De la misma manera el Evangelio
nos hace persuasivas preguntas de corresponsabilidad: ¿qué
valoramos nosotros? ¿En qué, o en quién ponemos nuestra
confianza? ¿Cómo reflejan nuestra generosidad hacia Dios, las
contribuciones que hacemos a nuestra comunidad de fe?

Para el fin de semana del 14/15 de noviembre de 2009
Trigésimo Tercer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
¿Cómo viviría su día, si supiera que este es su último día de
vida en la tierra? Indudablemente, este no sería un día normal.
El punto de la lectura del Evangelio de hoy es que el final
del tiempo es siempre inminente. El buen corresponsable
permanece piadosamente en alerta, listo para dar cuentas, y
vivir cada día en conocimiento del juicio y la salvación por
venir. ¿Cómo ejercitamos diariamente la corresponsabilidad
en nuestras vidas? ¿Estamos preparados para entregar cuentas?
¿Cómo permitiremos a Cristo trabajar en nosotros, y a través de
nosotros, en la preparación para la reconciliación de los cielos
y la tierra?

Para el fin de semana del 21/22 de noviembre de 2009
Solemnidad de Cristo Rey
La lectura del Evangelio de hoy registra, posiblemente el
intercambio de información más importante en toda la literatura,
el diálogo entre Jesús y Pilatos. Pilatos asume la conversación
en términos terrenales, “rey” político; Jesús, por el contrario,
sugiere a Pilatos que él es ese “testimonio verdadero” de un
reino totalmente trascendente, aquel que es anunciado por
Daniel y la lectura del Libro de las Revelaciones. Esta semana,
al aproximarse, la estación de Adviento, podría ser un buen
momento para reflexionar acerca de cómo entendemos nuestro
rol como corresponsables de este reino trascendente y cómo
podemos servir mejor a Cristo para traer este nuevo reino.

Para el fin de semana de 28/29 de noviembre de 2009
Primer Domingo de Adviento
En la segunda lectura de hoy, San Pablo ofrece una profunda
bendición a los Tesalonicenses. Él impulsa a la comunidad a
continuar mostrando amorosa preocupación por sus miembros
y a cuidar de las necesidades de otros. Nosotros atestiguamos
por primera vez la espiritualidad de la corresponsabilidad en
el trabajo, en una comunidad del Nuevo Testamento que está
poniendo la Eucaristía en acción. Prevalece en ella un espíritu
de Adviento que transforma y llena con anticipación la venida
del Señor Jesús. ¿Qué estamos haciendo para promover este
espíritu de corresponsabilidad en nuestras vidas personales y en
nuestra comunidad de fe?

Source: ICSC November e-newsletter

A Prayer for My Parish

2009-10-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Gracious and loving God, we ask you to send
your Holy Spirit upon our parish to fill us
with love. Make us instruments of your love to
everyone that we encounter at home, at work,
in our neighborhoods, and in our parish community.

Work through us so that we can bring your
truth to those who are searching for you.

Help us to grow in gratitude so that we can
recognize and thank you for all the good
things you have given us.

Instill in us a deep sense of generosity so
that we are willing to share our gifts,
our talents, our time, and our financial
resources.

Deepen our desire to follow your will and to
do all things for your honor and glory.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lour
and Savior. Amen.

Source: Our Sunday Visitor

Glory and Thankfulness

2009-10-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

Glory and Thankfulness – Hallmarks of Stewardship, Adapted from an article by E. Jane Rutter, Director of Stewardship, Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri

Jesus calls us to follow. The Christian vocation represents a call to be a disciple of Christ. Receiving our commissioned summons in Baptism and Confirmation, we can focus on listening and for Christ’s personal calls throughout our lifetime. We respond through our spiritual formation and stewardship expressions.

Every day gives new opportunities to show that we choose to live as one of Christ’s disciples. Our expressions can show that we have listened to the Gospel messages, have received God’s gifts gratefully, are nurturing our gifts responsibly, sharing them justly and generously and returning each with gratitude through our daily living.

October 4 Respect Life Sunday – Stewardship demonstrates respect for God’s creation. Be aware of the many educational opportunities, prayer services, public witness events and programs to raise funds for those in need that are hosted in your diocese throughout the month of October to help build a culture of respect and defense for every human life. Each person is called to demonstrate reverence for human life through his/ her own special and unique gifts of creation.

October 18 World Mission Sunday - Organized by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, World Mission Sunday is an important day in the life of the Church because it reminds Catholics worldwide about the importance of giving: “…as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration” and for the missionary activity of the Church (see Redemptoris Missio 81). We are reminded, as stewards and disciples, that it is the Lord through His universal Church, who we are called to serve - with the same love that He gives to each of us.

October 25 World Priest Day - This Sunday we celebrate the men who have exercised a unique stewardship of their lives by entrusting them to the Lord as priests. It is an opportunity for Catholics to thank, affirm and share their love and support for priests. Started by the Worldwide Marriage Encounter community, it is joined with the Serra Club’s celebration of Priesthood Sunday today. Throughout this year, dedicated as the Year for Priests, we can pray for vocations, and encourage those who might respond to this unique call. We can also respond to our own baptismal call by working collaboratively with our priests to build up the Kingdom of God.

October 31 “All Hallows Eve” – In the annual rhythm of the Church’s life of prayer and worship, the Solemnity of All Saints begins with Mass on Saturday afternoon, October 31, as well as Evening Prayer I in the Liturgy of the Hours. We rejoice in those who celebrate the heavenly banquet with Jesus Christ and we recall the Church’s rich tradition of faith-filled stewards. Keep “All Hallows Eve” from becoming “hollow” by celebrating the Christian connection to Halloween and the positive messages that stem from the holiday for the benefit of ourselves and the spiritual formation of our children. Celebrate this day as a Catholic heritage of faith.

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council Website

Stewardship Prayer

2009-10-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

Gracious and loving God,

As we gather in Your name,
lead us into a deeper encounter
with Your Son,
Jesus Christ
who transforms us by Your grace
and reveals Your active presence
in our lives.

By the power of Your Spirit,
help us become better stewards of
Your abundant blessings,
Open our hearts to the needs of our Church
and to the hunger in the world.

And in this Year for Priests,
show us how to nurture them,
walk with them
and labor with them
to hasten Your kingdom.

We ask this through Christ, Our Lord.
AMEN

Dios amoroso y bondadoso,

Al reunirnos en Tu nombre,
guíanos hacia un encuentro más profundo con Tu Hijo,
Jesucristo;

Quien con Su gracia nos transforma
y nos revela Su presencia activa
en nuestras vidas.

Por el poder del Espíritu Santo,
ayúdanos a ser mejores corresponsables
de Tus bendiciones abundates.

Abre nuestros corazones a las necesidades de nuestra Iglesia
y al hambre en el mundo.

Y en este año de los sacerdotes,
muéstranos como cuidar de ellos,
como caminar con ellos
y como trabajar con ellos
para así acercarnos a Tu Reino.

Te lo pedimos a través de Cristo, Nuestro Señor.

AMÉN

Thoughts on Stewardship

2009-10-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

Stewardship is the language of our faith, spoken through our actions, which was exemplified by the life of Christ.

Source: Becoming a Successful Stewardship Parish

Resources for Parish Bulletins - October 2009

2009-10-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

A Stewardship Moment

English Version

October 4th – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our relationships with our spouses, family, friends, coworkers,
and those in our community of faith are gifts from God.
Jesus reminds us today that it is hardened hearts that damage
or even break up a relationship. We pray that we may be good
stewards of our relationships. We pray that we may be patient
with others, seeking to understand while wanting to be understood.
We pray that through humility and loving service our
relationships will be as God intends them to be.

October 11th – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus makes a dramatic statement regarding the rich in today’s
Gospel. We are all rich compared to most in the world. Our
society causes us to occasionally develop a misplaced trust
in our money and our possessions instead of trusting in God’s
generosity. When we seek security in at-risk things, like our
possessions, we are vulnerable to anxiety and fear. As good
stewards we know that our possessions must not possess us,
lest they get in the way of our discipleship.

October 18th – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today is World Mission Sunday – a reminder of our call to evangelize.
What is evangelization? It is to be good stewards of the
Gospel. Gospel means ‘good news’, and not to share this good
news would be poor stewardship. We don’t have to be experts
in scripture to share the good news. We can be a light to others
simply by the example of our lives – by loving and serving one
another.

October 25th – 30thSunday in Ordinary Time
After healing the blind man Jesus told him to go, to be on his
way. But the man decided to follow Jesus. Being a disciple of
Jesus is a choice. The stewardship way of life likewise involves
a choice, in fact many choices. We choose to be grateful, we
choose live generously, and we choose to trust that God will
always provide for our needs. These are three choices central to
the stewardship way of life.

Spanish Version

Para el fin de semana del 3/4 de octubre de 2009
Vigésimo Séptimo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Las relaciones con nuestro esposo/a, familia, amigos,
colegas, y con todos aquellos en nuestra comunidad de
fe, son dones de Dios. Jesús nos recuerda hoy que es un
corazón endurecido el que daña o rompe una relación.
Nosotros oramos para que seamos buenos corresponsables
de nuestras relaciones. Oramos para que seamos pacientes
con otros, buscando entender mientras deseamos ser
entendidos. Oramos para que a través de la humildad y
el servicio amoroso, nuestras relaciones sean como Dios
intenta que sean.

Para el fin de semana del 10/11 de octubre de 2009
Vigésimo Octavo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Jesús hace una dramática declaración referente a la
riqueza en el Evangelio de hoy. Todos nosotros somos ricos
comparados con la mayoría en el mundo. Ocasionalmente,
nuestra sociedad nos genera el desarrollo de una confianza
fuera de lugar, en nuestro dinero y posesiones, en lugar de
la confianza en la generosidad de Dios. Cuando buscamos
seguridad en cosas de riesgo, como nuestras posesiones,
nosotros somos vulnerables a la ansiedad y al miedo. Como
buenos corresponsables, sabemos que nuestras posesiones
no deben poseernos, no sea que interfieran en el camino de
nuestro discipulado.

Para el fin de semana del 17/18 de octubre de 2009
Vigésimo Noveno Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Hoy es Domingo Mundial de las Misiones –un recordatorio
de nuestro llamado a evangelizar. ¿Qué es la evangelización?
Es ser buenos corresponsables del Evangelio. El Evangelio
significa “buenas nuevas”, y el no compartir estas buenas
nuevas sería una corresponsabilidad muy pobre. Nosotros no
tenemos que ser expertos en las escrituras para compartir las
buenas nuevas. Podemos ser una luz para otros, simplemente
con el ejemplo de nuestras vidas –por el amor y servicio de
unos con los otros.

Para el fin de semana del 24/25 de octubre de 2009
Trigésimo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Después de sanar al hombre ciego Jesús le dijo que continuara
su camino. Pero el hombre decidió seguir a Jesús. Ser un
discípulo de Jesús es una elección. La corresponsabilidad
como forma de vida, involucra también una elección, de
hecho muchas elecciones. Nosotros elegimos ser agradecidos,
elegimos vivir con generosidad, y elegimos confiar en que
Dios siempre proveerá de nuestras necesidades. Estas tres
elecciones son el centro de la corresponsabilidad como forma
de vida.

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council. Courtesy of Dan Potvin, Director of Stewardship and Development, Archdiocese of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Stewardship Prayer

2009-09-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

Prayer can be used for parish meetings or other occasions when a prayer is needed.

Stewardship Prayer

Almighty and every faithful Lord, gratefully acknowledging Your mercy and humbly admitting our need, we pledge our trust in You and each other.

Filled with desire, we respond to Your call for discipleship by shaping our lives in imitation of Christ. We profess the call requires us to be stewards of Your gifts. As stewards, we receive Your gifts gratefully, Cherish and tend them in a responsible manner, Share them in practice and love with others And return them with increase to the Lord.

We pledge to our ongoing formation as stewards and our responsibility to call others to that same endeavor. Almighty and ever faithful God, it is our fervent hope and prayer that You who have begun this good work in us will bring it to fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Source: The Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs

Family Time: Teaching Stewardship to Children

2009-09-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

Making Candy Stew

Many people are familiar with the story of “Stone Soup.” In the story a man creates a delicious soup for all his neighbors by starting with a stone in a pot. Each person who comes along volunteers to add another ingredient until a wonderful blend of vegetables, spices and meats is simmering for all to share and enjoy.

The lesson, of course, is that when each of us contributes our humble gift we can make something wonderful. You can teach the same lesson by gathering a group of children and asking each one to bring in a small sandwich bag of different kinds of wrapped candy — like caramels, butterscotch drops, Hershey kisses, etc. Talk about whether each person has enough in their bag to share with everyone (probably not). Also discuss whether it would be more fun to eat all of one kind of candy or to try lots of different kinds. Then provide a large bowl where all the bags can be emptied and stirred together. Now you have CANDY STEW!

While they enjoy the great variety that happens when everyone shares his/her gifts — THAT’S STEWARDSHIP! — you may want to read and discuss St. Paul’s thoughts on different gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 or the story of the Loaves and Fishes in John 6:1-15.

Returning Some of the Candy

God calls each of us to return a portion of our gifts to Him. You can demonstrate this principal by distributing small handfuls of wrapped candy to the children in your group. Do not let them touch the candy until everyone has a share. Purposely give more than enough candy to some children so that you arrange to “run out” before you get to the last ones. Then ask them to reflect on this situation. Is it fair that some get no candy while others have lots? Pass a bowl around and ask the children to return a fair portion to share with those who have none. Compare this to our Offertory. Discuss how sharing can make us feel. Explain that throughout life we will always have more than someone else. Therefore, God asks us to share, or return, some of what He gives us so that we can help others.

"Teaching the Concept of “First Fruits”

Throughout the Old Testament, God calls us to bring Him the “first fruits.” (i.e. Deuteronomy 26:1-4) What exactly does that mean to a child? You can demonstrate the concept with 10 apples. Explain that God asks us to give the first and the best of 10 to Him. That means for every 10 apples, one very nice apple should be given to God. Let the children help pick out the best apple for God. Another way to demonstrate the concept of “first fruits” is to core an apple. Then cut the main fruit of the apple into ten slices. Lay the core and the ten slices out in front of the children. Ask them which piece of the apple they would give to Jesus if He came to share a snack with them. Would they give Him the core? Explain that all God asks for is one of the ten slices. That’s not too much to give Him, is it? Talk about how we give Jesus the core when we don’t give our best or don’t share.

Source – Adapted from Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Stewardship and Development and the Diocese of Austin, Stewardship and Development Office.

Cultivating a Stewarding Community

2009-09-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Cultivating a stewarding community involves the ongoing formation of attitudes and expectations, practices and habits that offer a redemptive alternative to today’s cultural economy of scarcity.

In contrast to the cultural economy, God's economy is one of shared abundance, ruled by the promise of full and plentiful life lived in community. A church with vision, leadership, and practices reflected in a community of gratitude and generosity offers both Good News and a challenge to the world as it is.

Christian stewardship involves cultivating a church that is shaped by God's economy, and that lives according to God's abundance. Such change requires not a quick fix, but long-term vision. Not a one-time program, but a congregation-wide formation process.

Source: Center for Parish Development

Raising Charitable Children

2009-09-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Stewardship is a life long journey that can begin at any age. It is also essential that parents teach their children to be good stewards of the gifts they have received from an early age. A few resources can help parents share this journey with their children:

"The Giving Book - Open the door to a lifetime of giving," by Ellen Sabin, Watering Can Press, 2004,

This colorful and playful book provides a hands on approach to teaching children about being charitable. Filled with illustrations, projects and approachable activities, parents and children can share, think and experience the foundation of what it means to share with others. The workbook helps make philanthropy fun and understandable for young children and is a wonderful way to bring the important message of stewardship home to families.

"Brother Juniper…the most generous of the brothers" by Diane Gibfried, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006

Brother Juniper is an excellent choice to open a discussion about generosity. Father Francis of Assisi and his followers are famous for their piety and generosity; but Brother Juniper, who is beloved because he is simple, is the most generous of all. He literally gives someone the robe off his back, even though he is naked underneath (the amusing watercolor illustrations include two images of rear nudity).

One day, he is left alone at the church. When a poor man arrives asking for help, Brother Juniper gives him candlesticks. He offers the golden chalice to a hungry woman with eight children. By the time the brothers return, he has given away the entire church, from the furniture to the walls themselves. The others are so angry that he hides himself in shame. The following Sunday, however, as the friars congregate for prayers, they are amazed….

Raising Charitable Children, by Carol Weisman, F.E. Robbins & Sons Press, 2006

An easy reading how-to guide for introducing children of all ages to charity and volunteering, Raising Charitable Children is packed with practical advice and inspirational, real-life stories of friends and family who have made philanthropy a fun, rewarding part of a child's life.

For more information about these and other resources for families, please contact us.

What is Stewardship? A Diocesan Model

2009-09-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

What follows is a model of stewardship from the Diocese of Colorado Springs. Could this model serve as a guide to us of what stewardship could/should look like in the Diocese of Tucson?

Stewardship in the Diocese of Colorado Springs

What does it mean to be a steward?
"God wishes human beings to be his collaborators in the work of creation, redemption, and sanctification; and such collaboration involves stewardship in its most profound sense." (Stewardship: A Disciple's Response, Pastoral Letter on Stewardship United State Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Because we are created in God's image we have the ability to collaborate in the work of creation, redemption and sanctification. This collaboration first took place in the Garden of Eden when God asked Adam to name the animals, tend the Garden, and to partner with Eve. This collaboration continues to this day through Christian Stewardship. Just as Adam and Eve stewarded God's gifts to humanity, we are called to do the same.

As Catholics we are stewards of our Christian Faith. This is a rich and vibrant faith, the deposit of which has been passed down through hundreds of generations and spread throughout the world. Martyrs died for our faith and billions have flocked to it. Through the Eucharist we are united in our call to love and serve.

As men and women, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, we are stewards of the relationships God has given us. Fathers and mothers are stewards of their children who rely upon them for love, education, food, shelter, and faith formation. Husbands and wives are stewards of each other, responsible for each other's salvation. Being a good spouse is being a good steward of God's gift.

As workers we are stewards of the talents God has given to us. Whether you are a computer engineer or a doctor, a lawyer or gas station attendant, God has gifted humanity with the dignity of work. Our daily work contributes to His work of creation and is an echo of his command to Adam to name the animals in the Garden.

As wage earners we are stewards of the treasure God gives us. Responsibility with money is good stewardship, because "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) This is especially important for the times in which we live. We are locked into cell phone contracts, cable bills, and internet service, encumbrances unknown a generation ago. Do we spend more on cell phone contracts than we give back to God?

As members of the community, we are stewards of God's creation. Are we using natural resources responsibly? Are we making our planet a more desirable place for future generations? A responsible sense of the environment is stewardship of God's creation. Are we taking care of each other? Improvement of the community starts with involvement.

What is Stewardship in the Diocese of Colorado Springs? The Diocese of Colorado Springs is a unique place. We are the smallest Diocese in the state but we are very diverse. There are rural and urban communities, rich and poor, young and old, and mountains and plains parishes. Our brothers and sisters speak Vietnamese, Korean, and Spanish, among other languages.

Stewardship in Colorado Springs means that we are united in our call to love and serve. It means that the northern parishes in Douglas County, the rural parishes in Stratton, Kiowa, or Leadville and the diverse parishes in Colorado Springs are united through the Eucharist and share a common mission to love and serve.What opportunities are there for Stewardship within the Diocese?Within the Diocese of Colorado Springs, there are many opportunities to grow as stewards:

Enjoy a vibrant and faith-filled life at your parish
Be a good steward of the relationships God has given to you.
Demonstrate good Stewardship in the workplace
Plant a tree, turn out a light, clean up trash on a hiking trail
Volunteer at your local parish, a local nonprofit, or the Marian House Soup Kitchen

Parish Offertory: There is no better way to support your local parish community than by participating in its offertory. The offertory provides the basic resources needed to operate and serve those within the parish boundaries

Returning God's Gifts Appeal: There is no better way to support the Diocese's mission than participating in the Annual Returning God's Gifts Appeal

Copyright © Diocese of Colorado Springs, All rights reserved.

Question for reflection: What might you do to promote a broader view of stewardship at your parish and the diocese?

Stewardship Observations

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Seeking to know, understand and

implement good parish stewardship practices

will result in the long-term, life-long willingness of

parishioners to participate in and to support the mission

and ministries of their church.

Source: The Diocese of Wichita

Quote of the Day

2009-09-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

For Where Your Treasure is,
there your Heart will be also,

-- Matthew 6:21

Stewardship Prayer: Serving God from the Heart

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O God, I resolve to put You first in my life.
I recognize that You have blessed me
with all that I have and all that I am.

I commit to giving back to You the first portion
of my blessings. Doing so may seem scary at times,
but I hear Your reassurance in Scripture: Do not worry any more,"
and know that I can depend on You.

I resolve to sacrifice when neccessary but always
to do so out of a spirit of sincere love, just as your Son, Jesus did for me.

I humbly accept the challenge to share from my means rather than my excess.
I recognize that being a good steward is nothing more than being
truly Christian. I thank You Lord for blessing me and I trust Your love.

Dear God, I resolve to be generous with my time, talent and treasure,
giving in proportion to the gifts I have received. At times I may fail,
but I pledge to keep trying. In so doing I will confidently live each day
Serving You from the heart.

Source: Diocese of Wichita

Perspectives on Stewardship and Development

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Stewardship is a grateful response to God's love. Based in Scripture, all that we are and all that we have flows from God as gift. In turn, we serve as stewards of our spiritual and material gifts and we share these gifts in love of God and neighbor.

Development is the management strategy, within this spiritual relationship, that allows Catholic parishes and institutions to attain their goals through a means of conversion, visioning, planning, public relations and charitable giving concepts.

Source: Diocese of Wichita

Stewardship and Health Care

2009-09-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Follow the link below to an interesting article from O'Meara, Ferguson, Whelan & Conway:

http://www.osvenvelopes.com/portals/0/tgs.html

The article by Dan Conway presents a perspective on stewardship that includes the health of the body as well as the soul.

Evangelization and Stewardship

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In various ways, stewardship of the Church leads people to share
in the work of evangelization or proclaiming the good news,
in the work of catechesis or transmitting and strengthening the
faith, and in works of justice and mercy on behalf of persons in
need. Stewardship requires support of the Church’s institutions
and programs for these purposes. But, according to their opportunities
and circumstances, members of the Church also should
engage in such activities personally and on their own initiative.

Source: Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, a Pastoral Letter on Stewardship

Quote of the Day

2009-09-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)

Quote of the Day

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As a community of people involved in different ministries, do we dare to try to find ways to challenge people to be disciples of Jesus, people of faith, people who will share their gifts with us? Could we not make this the primary commitment in all our ministries by preaching the challenge of faith?

-Archbishop Thomas Murphy

Resources for Parish Bulletins - September 2009

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A Stewardship Moment

English Version:

For the weekend of September 5/6, 2009
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. James teaches that those who are poor in the eyes of society
are the ones who have been chosen to inherit the Kingdom
of God. Indeed, we are saved because of our poverty; we are
redeemed out of our need; not because of our material wealth
or achievements that the world finds praiseworthy. St. James
also suggests that we are stewards of others, especially the
poor; and it is how we respond to the poor and needy that will
define our relationship with the Lord. How do we respond to
the less fortunate right within our own parish?

For the weekend of September 12/13, 2009
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. James asks what our love for Jesus Christ can possibly mean
if it does not result in action on behalf of our neighbor. He
suggests that that faith is demonstrated most acutely in care for
the needy, the suffering, and the underprivileged. Stewardship
includes proclaiming the Good News by putting our faith into
action on behalf of others. In what ways have we been willing
to make sacrifices and renunciations for the sake of Jesus
Christ and our neighbor?

For the weekend of September 19/20, 2009
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to turn society’s idea of greatness
upside down. He teaches that true greatness lies in being
a servant to others; a good steward of our relationships. We
want success, but Jesus defines success differently than we do.
Jesus redefines our notion of greatness and success. How do
we define success? Is our notion of success the same as what
Jesus teaches?

For the weekend of September 26/27, 2009
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. James warns against accepting the standards of the world
and assuming that what is normative in society needs no countercultural
challenge. The temptation to hoard riches and make
sharp bargains at the expense of the powerless is pervasive
because these things are generally done and look respectable
enough. St. James points to God’s judgment on these attitudes
and actions of amassing wealth and comfort at the expense of
others. How might we better stewards of the material blessings
we have been given?

Spanish Version:

Para el fin de semana del 5/6 de septiembre de 2009
Vigésimo Tercer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Santiago enseña que aquellos que son pobres a los ojos de
la sociedad, son quienes han sido elegidos para heredar el
Reino de Dios. Ciertamente, somos salvados por nuestra
pobreza; somos redimidos de nuestra necesidad; no
por nuestra riqueza material o los logros que el mundo
encuentra laudables. Santiago sugiere también que somos
corresponsables de otros, especialmente del pobre, y es la
forma en la que respondemos al pobre y al necesitado la que
define nuestra relación con el Señor. ¿Cómo respondemos al
menos afortunado dentro de nuestra parroquia?

Para el fin de semana del 12/13 de septiembre de 2009
Vigésimo Cuarto Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Santiago pregunta qué puede significar nuestro amor
por Jesucristo si no resulta en acción y en beneficio de
nuestro prójimo. Él sugiere que la fe es demostrada más
profundamente en el cuidado por el necesitado, el que
sufre y el menos privilegiado. La corresponsabilidad
incluye proclamar las Buenas Nuevas poniendo nuestra
fe en acción en beneficio de otros. ¿En qué formas hemos
estado dispuestos a hacer sacrificios y a renunciar a nuestro
confort en el nombre de Jesucristo y para beneficio de
nuestro prójimo?

Para el fin de semana del 19/20 de septiembre de 2009
Vigésimo Quinto Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús continúa revirtiendo la idea de
la sociedad acerca de la grandeza. Él enseña que la verdadera
grandeza está en servir a otros; ser un buen corresponsable de
nuestras relaciones. Nosotros deseamos el éxito, sin embargo,
Jesús define el éxito en una forma diferente de nosotros.
Jesús redefine nuestra noción de grandeza y de éxito. ¿Cómo
definimos nosotros el éxito? ¿Nuestra noción de éxito, es la
misma que Jesús enseña?

Para el fin de semana del 26/27 de septiembre de 2009
Vigésimo Sexto Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Santiago advierte acerca de aceptar los estándares del
mundo, y pretender que lo que es normativo en la sociedad
no necesita un desafío contracultural. La tentación de
acumular riquezas y hacer regateos ingeniosos a costa del más
débil es persuasiva, ya que estas cosas se hacen y parecen
suficientemente respetables. Santiago señala el juicio de
Dios acerca de esas actitudes y acciones de acumular riqueza
y confort a costa de otros. ¿Cómo podríamos ser mejores
corresponsables de las bendiciones materiales que nos han
sido dadas?

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council

Stewardship and the Parish Stewardship Council

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To many, the term stewardship is misunderstood. All too often, due to the manner and context in which we use and communicate the term stewardship, there has resulted a fear and negative connotation as to what it implies. The frequent use of the term outside of and absent its fundamental and foundational understanding of and connection to the Christian call to discipleship tends to suggest and form, in the minds of many, that it is simply a process to enhance development and / or fundraising efforts.

The U. S. Bishops‟ pastoral letter, “Stewardship – A Disciple’s Response,” first published in 1992, states, “Stewardship is an expression of discipleship, with the power to change how we understand and live out our lives. Good stewards live with joy and gratitude for the blessings they have received–including those that have multiplied through diligence and hard work. Indeed, good stewards live in communion with Christ and through Christ and the Spirit strive to return all gifts to the Father „with an increase’.”

Under the direction of the parish pastor, it is the role of a parish stewardship council to witness, invite, encourage and provide the opportunity and facilitate the spiritual and practical “Formation of Christian Stewards” within each of their respective parish communities.
In order to effectively fulfill the role and duties entailed in serving as a parish stewardship council, those selected to serve must, as a pre-requisite, be formed in the spirituality of stewardship, witnessing to such in their own Christian way of life and actively involved in the process of forming Christian stewards within their parish community.

From: The Catholic Diocese of Wichita

Quote of the Day

2009-08-29T19:30:00.001-07:00

“As each one has received a gift,
use it to serve one another as good
stewards of God’s varied grace."

Peter 4:10

Quote of the Day

2009-08-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

"The promotion of the practice of stewardship is important for the misson of the Church and for the spiritual well-being of each individual Christian. Everyone benefits from the sacrificial gift one makes of his time, talent, and treasure." (Mt 28: 19-20).”
Pope Benedict XVI

Giving Supports Ministry

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FINANCIAL HEALTH GROWS MINISTRIES, FOSTERS GIVING

We all know that giving is an integral part of our Christianity, that everything we have comes first from God, and that we have a moral obligation to share with those in need. When we encounter those around us who are generous with their time, talent and treasure, we recognize them as persons who put their Christianity into action.

Giving, however, doesn’t always come easily. It’s one thing to take blankets and clothes to the neighbor whose house just burned down, but it’s quite another to give money when we’ve lost a job or are concerned that our church may not handle the funds wisely. Habits can also work against giving—missing Mass, forgetting church envelopes, believing the parish has enough donations without ours. Sometimes we’ve simply become accustomed to a lifestyle that requires all of our income to support. Parish leadership is the key to removing all these obstacles that get in the way of generous giving. When our churches demonstrate a strong, healthy financial position, parishioners are encouraged to “step up to the plate” and give more. Ministries—better funded and vibrant—can reach across the aisle and provide tangible service that members are able to touch and feel. A culture of service is created and becomes the norm rather than the exception for church families.

Discipleship

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Stewardship may also be thought of as a component of discipleship.
A helpful metaphor is to think of discipleship as a gem with stewardship being but one facet of that gem.

The Christian disciple is not only called to be a good steward of the gifts God has given. He/she is also called to personal holiness, to evangelization, to lifelong learning, to the sacramental life, and to prayer, service, and sacrifice—all facets of the gem. We are privileged to have access to the gem, but with that privilege comes the responsibility to polish those cuts and facets in
accord with God’s will for us.

Characteristics of Stewardship

2009-08-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

Characteristics of Stewardship

Christian stewardship can be identified by several meaningful characteristics, according to Stewardship, a national newsletter written by Parish Publishing:

- Christian stewardship provides spirituality that the lay person can take home from church, exercise at work and express through personal involvement in the community and church.

- Christian stewardship successfully bridges the material world around us and the world of the Spirit within us.

- Stewardship enables Christians to measure the extent of their faith in and love of Jesus by the kind and quality of the stewardship they perform.

- Stewardship gives joy! Those who voluntarily give their time and abilities for work in the parish and community will always experience joy if they give them for Christ. They are not, however, guaranteed freedom from frustration.

- Stewardship is not job-oriented or project-minded. It is a way of life for a lifetime.

- Christian stewardship takes a positive view of money. It sees money not only as a medium of exchange but also as a symbol of the person who has it. The way we acquire it, use it, and share it, we are revealed in those actions.

- Christian stewardship helps us to become aware that God is the ultimate giver of the gifts we have. To give to God should be from the top—not from what may be left over.

- Stewardship teaches Christians to be concerned about where and how to share their parish financial overflow. Stewardship is not giving just to meet the budget needs.

Resources for parish bulletins - August 2009

2009-08-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

English Version:

For the weekend of August 1/2, 2009
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus proclaiming that he is “the bread of life.” He then offers an invitation to come to him. For us, the invitation is to live the Eucharistic life in Christ. What does it mean for our parish family to live together in the Eucharist? What does it mean for us to share the Eucharist together, to participate in the “bread of life” together? Does it mean we love each other, support our community of faith, work together? Do we carry each other’s burdens? Celebrate our joys? What are the practical implications of being good stewards of our Eucharistic life together?

For the weekend of August 8/9, 2009
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Ephesians urges us to be mindful that part of our life together in the Eucharist means being kind to one another, compassionate and forgiving, just as Christ has forgiven us. What can we do this week to show our kindness, compassion and forgiving attitude toward others in our family of faith?
How can we be even better stewards of our faith community as, what St. Paul refers to as “Imitators of God?”

For Saturday, August 15, 2009
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The words of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,” are prominently placed near the beginning of the Gospel of St. Luke. They initiate the Gospel Canticle at Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. They are heard in today’s Gospel. The Feast of the Assumption offers, among its numerous Marian themes, a celebration of the Our Blessed Mother’s life of holiness, a life full of grace, a life from which new life in Jesus Christ bursts forth. Mary is the model of Christian stewardship par excellence; one who carries and brings forth the life of Christ. As a Eucharistic people, how can we be imitators of the Blessed Virgin and allow Christ’s presence within us, to be present in the world? How can our lives proclaim the greatness of the Lord?

For the weekend of August 16, 2009
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus announces that he is the “living bread.” And we understand that the Eucharist is the center of our life in faith: in our families, parish, local church and throughout the world. We are the stewards of Christ’s life in the Eucharist. We are called to put the Eucharist into action. How do we do that? St. Paul enjoins
us to be always grateful, to worship, to try to understand the will of the Lord and to watch carefully how we live. What are some of the ways we can put the Eucharist into action this week?

For the weekend of August 22/23, 2009
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, we hear that a number of Jesus’ followers left him because his message was too difficult for them to accept. In essence, they did not believe in him. He then asked the Twelve if they wished to leave as well. Peter responds by making a profound profession of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Twelve made a choice and stood by their choice, remaining loyal to their commitment to Jesus. A good question for our reflection might be this: Are we satisfied with the stewardship we exercise over our baptismal commitment? Are we just “along for the ride?” Are we keeping Christ in front of us as we make decisions about our daily activities, our relationships, our parish, issues in the workplace, issues such as peace and justice? What is the quality of our stewardship?

For the weekend of August 29/30
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the reading from the letter of St. James we are urged to be “doers” of the Gospel, not just listeners. Being a “steward” of God’s Word is a matter of listening to the Good News, embracing the Good News and putting the Good News into action in our day-to-day lives. And whenever we are uncertain as to what decisions to make or actions to take as good stewards of the Gospel, St. James reminds us: We can never go wrong if we resist popular values that are not compatible with the Gospel, and we come to the aid of those who are burdened, distressed and poor.

Spanish Version:

Para el fin semana del 1-2 de agosto de 2009)
Décimo Octavo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
En el Evangelio de hoy escuchamos a Jesús proclamar que él es “el pan de vida.” El ofrece entonces una invitación a seguirlo. Para nosotros la invitación es para vivir la vida Eucarística en Cristo. ¿Qué significa para nuestra familia parroquial vivir juntos en la Eucaristía? ¿Qué significa para nosotros compartir juntos la Eucaristía, participar en el “pan de vida” juntos? ¿Esto significa que nos amamos unos a otros, que apoyamos nuestra comunidad de fe y trabajamos juntos? ¿Estamos dispuestos a cargar los problemas los unos de los otros? ¿Nos une la celebración de nuestras alegrías? ¿Cuáles son las implicaciones prácticas de ser buenos corresponsables de nuestra vida Eucarística juntos?

Para el fin de semana del 8-9 de agosto de 2009
Décimo Noveno Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
La Carta a los Efesios nos recomienda estar conscientes de que parte de nuestra vida, juntos en la Eucaristía, significaser amables, compasivos y estar dispuestos a perdonarnos unos a otros, justamente como Cristo nos ha perdonado.¿Qué podemos hacer esta semana para mostrar una actitud amable, compasiva y de perdón hacia otros en nuestra familia de fe? ¿Cómo podemos ser aún mejores
corresponsables de nuestra comunidad de fe de acuerdo a lo que San Pablo describe como “Imitadores de Dios”?

Para el sábado 15 de agosto de 2009
La Asunción de la Bendita Virgen María
Las palabras de la Bendita Virgen María, “Mi alma proclama la grandeza del Señor,” son colocadas prominentemente al inicio del Evangelio de San Lucas. Se inicia con ellas el Cántico del Evangelio de la Oración Vespertina en la Liturgia de las Horas. Son escuchadas en el Evangelio de hoy. La Festividad de la Asunción ofrece, entre sus numerosos temas Marianos, una celebración de la vida de santidad de
Nuestra Bendita Madre, una vida llena de gracia, una vida de la cual brota la nueva vida de Jesucristo. María es el modelo de corresponsabilidad Cristiana par excellence; es quien alberga y lleva en ella la vida de Cristo. Como pueblo Eucarístico, ¿cómo podemos ser imitadores de la Bendita
Virgen y permitir la presencia de Cristo dentro de nosotros, para que esté presente en el mundo? ¿Cómo pueden nuestras vidas proclamar la grandeza del Señor?

Para el fin de semana del 16 de agosto de 2009
Vigésimo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Jesús declara que él es el “pan de vida.” Y nosotros entendemos que la Eucaristía es el centro de nuestra vida de fe: en nuestras familias, nuestra parroquia, nuestra iglesia local y alrededor
del mundo. Nosotros somos los corresponsables de la vida de Cristo en la Eucaristía. Somos llamados a poner en acción la Eucaristía. ¿Cómo hacemos esto? San Pablo nos enseña a ser siempre agradecidos, a participar en el culto, a tratar de entender la voluntad del Señor y a observar cuidadosamente cómo vivimos. ¿Cuáles son algunas maneras en las que podemos poner en acción la Eucaristía esta semana?

Para el fin de semana del 22-23 de agosto de 2009
Vigésimo Primer Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
En el Evangelio de hoy escuchamos que muchos seguidores de Jesús lo abandonaron, porque su mensaje era muy difícil de ser aceptado por ellos. Esencialmente, ellos no creyeron en él. Entonces él preguntó a los Doce si ellos también deseaban abandonarlo. Pedro respondió, haciendo una profunda profesión de fe en Jesús como nuestro Señor y Salvador. Los Doce se quedaron por su propia elección, permaneciendo leales a su compromiso con Jesús. Esta podría ser una buena pregunta para nuestra reflexión: ¿estamos satisfechos con la corresponsabilidad que nosotros ejercitamos sobre nuestro compromiso bautismal? ¿Estamos solamente “a lo largo del camino para ser llevados en el viaje”? ¿Estamos colocando a Cristo frente a nosotros cuando tomamos decisiones acerca de nuestras actividades diarias, nuestras relaciones, nuestra parroquia; en cuestiones de nuestro trabajo, o en temas de paz y justicia? ¿Cuál es la calidad de nuestra corresponsabilidad?

Para el fin de semana del 29-30 de agosto de 2009
Vigésimo Segundo Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
En la lectura de la carta de Santiago, nosotros somos impulsados a ser “hacedores” del Evangelio, no sólo oyentes. Ser “corresponsables” de la palabra de Dios es cuestión de escuchar las Buenas Nuevas, abrazar las Buenas Nuevas y poner las Buenas Nuevas en acción en nuestra vida diaria. Y cuando estemos inciertos sobre que decisión tomar o que acción realizar como buenos corresponsables del Evangelio, Santiago nos recuerda que nunca estaremos en el error si nosotros nos resistimos a los valores populares que no son compatibles con el Evangelio, y estamos prestos para ayudar a quienes seencuentran agobiados, a quienes sufren y a los pobre

Source: International Catholic Stewardship Council

Living Our Baptismal Promise

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As Catholics, we are encouraged to share what we have with others, to respect our neighbors as ourselves and to assist those less fortunate. We typically respond to this request when asked and proceed to go about our daily lives until the next request is heard. What most individuals do not realize is that by sharing of ourselves and helping those around us, we are, in essence, practicing Christian stewardship.

In fact, "stewardship" reaches far beyond financial contributions and encourages Catholics to live their lives as disciples of Jesus. Equipped with this knowledge, we have the power to change how we understand and live out our lives, beginning a life-long process of sharing our gifts of time, talent and treasure out of gratitude, not out of obligation. Living our baptismal promise becomes the motivational force behind our actions.