Posts
Reasons why we should be stewards in our church parish and local community
- It is an act of thanksgiving to God who continues to bless us with time, skills, health and wealth. By sharing these blessings with His other children in the parish and outside it, we are returning to God what is due to Him. We Stewardship is the model given by Jesus. He gave generously of himself to others and offered his life for all of us. By our stewardship we make a humble return of that sacrificial love shown by Christ.
- By faithful stewardship in our church parish and community we are helping our own brothers and sisters because by creation we are all God’s children and by baptism we are all made brothers and sisters of Jesus our Lord and Savior.
- Stewardship by sharing is the ultimate criterion of reward or punishment on the day of the Last Judgment. (Matthew 25: 31 ff: Did we share food, drink, clothing, home, mercy and loving concern with those we encountered?).
- Stewardship is the source and means of additional blessing from God: Luke 6: 38: “Give, and gifts will be given to you, a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.”
- Stewardship is the sign of a dynamic and growing church community radiating true Christian charity among its members and to the whole world.
- Stewardship fulfills a basic psychological need in human beings. God in creating our bodies has gifted us with external organs and senses precisely to reach out to others. They are meant to be our own extensions and God’s extensions through us to reach out to others. Psychologically, the need of the giver to give is greater than the need of the receiver to receive.
- Stewardship widens our vision, broadens and softens our hearts and sanctifies our lives.
Lame excuses:
- “I have no time. I am awfully busy.” But we always seem to find the time for pleasure, entertainment, socializing and so on.
- “I am not talented. I have no special skills.” But God doesn’t make junk! Each one of us is a bundle of skills, potentialities and gifts.
- “Somebody else will do it.” Maybe yes, but maybe no. In any case, we are each an integral part of this parish family so we must each play our role, big or small. Each of us is unique.
How can we live out stewardship?
- By actively participating in one or more ministries in the church parish or volunteer service groups in the community. [I am appreciative of all who participate in our church ministries and of new volunteers who signed up at the recent Ministry Fair.]
- By using our special skills and training in fixing things in the church, Valentin Hall, and rectory we keep cost at a minimal.
- By inviting friends and neighbors and by assisting shut-ins to join us in the Sunday worship mass in our parish church.
- By faithfully and sacrificially contributing our fair share of support to the church parish, as worthy children of a generous and loving Heavenly Father.
- By actively participating in the liturgy by loudly reciting prayers, singing songs and behaving reverently in the church.
- By spending our time and talents in the family by training children in prayer life (spending daily at least 10 minutes in prayer and Bible reading) and teaching them Christian behavior, prayers and basics of our faith.
- Parents of young children should do something in church ministry. Your example helps your children develop good steward habits. I quote from John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (1839-1937) who said the following: “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.” In like way, young children seeing parents involved in church ministry learn to be involved at a young age. As adults, these children are able to participate in church more easily because with their parent’s example while growing up, they are able to develop a life habit of volunteering and doing good.
Source: Fr. Anthony Kadavil
0 comments:
Post a Comment