To Be a Christian Steward
A Summary of the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship
“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Pt 4:10).
What identifies a steward? Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means more. As Christian stewards, we receive God’s gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.
A Prayer for Stewardship
Gracious and loving God,
open our eyes to see your hand at work
in the splendor of creation.
In the beauty of life.
Touched by your hand our world is holy.
Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us,
to share your blessings with our
brothers and sisters,
and to experience the joy of life
in your presence.
Amen.
Striving to make stewardship a way of life, we, the members of the Catholic community of Resurrection Parish, are committed to furthering the Word and work of Christ by caring for each other, for the poor, and for all of God’s creation. In gratitude for the gifts we receive through God’s generosity, we joyfully give back a portion of our gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure, acknowledging that God is the gracious Source of everything we have.
The word “Stewardship” usually triggers a unique cluster of thoughts and feelings. Many of us understand Stewardship as pertaining only to church financial contributions. Although this is part of stewardship, it is not the whole picture. Stewardship is three-fold: Time, Talent, and material gifts (treasure).
Stewardship is one of the most important ways in which our parish will experience a closer relationship with God and each other, and at the same time meet our spiritual and physical goals.
What is Stewardship? Stewardship can best be defined as a way of life, an attitude of gratitude. Recognizing that all we have is God’s gift to us, we cherish and tend our gifts in a responsible and accountable manner, sharing them in justice and in love for others, and returning them with increase to the Lord. Through our care for others and through living the mission of the parish community, the Kingdom of God is built up on earth.
Embracing the gift of life as a Christian steward takes effort and prayer. Our parish Stewardship Committee meets once a month in order to assist Resurrection Parish in its journey toward becoming a “Stewardship Parish”—-a parish where everyone who comes to our doors will experience the visible presence of Jesus Christ as together we reach out to feed the hungers of our hearts.