Homily for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Annual Stewardship Appeal
Several months ago, our parish staff set aside this weekend for the annual pastor’s stewardship homily. We chose this particular weekend simply because of timing – October is the traditional month for our annual stewardship appeal, both here in the parish and throughout the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and this weekend was the best time to begin this appeal. We hadn’t looked closely at the Scripture readings for this Sunday, and, of course, we had no idea what would be going on in the financial world. If we had known about this particular combination of Scripture readings and world-wide financial turmoil, I wonder if we would have chosen today to talk about stewardship. But it really is a perfect time.
Now, when most of us hear the word stewardship, the first thing we think is money. So, you might think, the annual pastor’s stewardship homily is probably going to be a reminder about the importance of giving from our financial resources to support the needs of the Church. But, hopefully, many of us will remember that stewardship is not just about money – it is about generously sharing our time, talent, and treasure with our parish and our wider community. But, still, how can we talk about anything involving money in the Church when the anxieties of the world financial markets are consuming us? As is often the case, St. Paul can help us. He tells us today that he “know[s] how to live in humble circumstances ... [and] also how to live with abundance; [he has] learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry” (Philippians 4.12-13). In other words, St. Paul knows what it is like to go from being secure in his financial circumstances one day, and then to lose it all the next day. Most of us can definitely identify with that. The roller coaster of the economy makes life challenging, to say the least. So what does Paul do? On the ups and downs of an economic roller coaster, Paul remembers that “God will fully supply whatever you need” (Philippians 4.19). He has faith, instead of anxiety; trust, instead of fear. It is said that worry and anxiety are the emotions of atheists. If we truly believe in God, then we know that he will take care of us. Faith can carry us through any turmoil; but we have to really believe.
But still, even if we can find that faith and trust that can be so elusive, what prevents us from keeping everything to ourselves, cautiously guarding what little financial resources we have left? Why on earth should we share with others, when we have so little to begin with? This past week, Pope Benedict spoke on the economic crisis as he opened a World Synod of Bishops that is studying Scripture. He reminded the world of a simple reality that most of us seem to have forgotten: that, in the end, money disappears; it vanishes. “All these things [like success, career, and money, that] we thought were real and were counting on are in fact realities of a second order” (quoted in a Catholic News Service article at www.catholicnews.com). Only one thing lasts, Pope Benedict reminds us – and that is the word of God, a word that appears weak, but is really “the foundation of everything.” Stewardship recognizes that God is the only thing that endures, and then we make decisions based on that fundamental belief, decisions that ultimately help bring the word of God to others. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure with our parish community means that we are able to offer bereavement programs for those who have lost a loved one, helping them to learn how God will carry them through grief. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure means that we can sponsor our high school youth on a mission trip to help rebuild cities like New Orleans that are recovering from natural disasters, giving them a message of hope; and we can also help people in our own community who are struggling with rent, utilities, or food. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure means that we can have professional staff and lay volunteers who visit the sick and the homebound on a regular basis, bringing the Eucharist and the love of our community. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure means that the faith is passed on to our children, and our parish can provide regular opportunities for people of all ages to grow in understanding the word of God. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure as parishioners means that the tuition in our Catholic school is 25% less than it would be without parish support. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure means that we can have a variety of ministries that help us pray and worship God in gratitude for His many gifts.
If we can get to the point where we rely first of all on God’s grace, and not on our bank accounts or stock portfolios, then we will realize that nothing we have really belongs to us, everything is a gift from God. And in gratitude, we are compelled to use those gifts wisely and well, to return the first fruits of those gifts to the one who has blessed us, and to help others find the same faith that guides our lives. That is what stewardship is all about – recognizing that everything we have comes from God, being grateful for those gifts, and then generously returning those gifts to God, even with increase. It doesn’t matter whether we find ourselves in abundance or in humble circumstances; God will supply whatever we need. And you can put all of your stock in that.
No comments:
Post a Comment