Have You Discovered The Good Steward In Yourself?

Homily 11 17 2013
33rd Sunday OT - C

View the Readings for this day

This weekend is the 33rd and last numbered Sunday in Ordinary Time for this liturgical year. Recall that Ordinary does not refer to "average" or "normal," but to time outside our two great seasons of celebration - Lent and Easter, and Advent and Christmas.

Next Sunday is the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King). The readings for this weekend ask the stewardship question, "What are the obstacles which stand between you and holiness, between you and lives of stewardship?"

The Liturgical year more or less follows Jesus' life on earth. Therefore, it is appropriate that the Gospel for this Sunday is drawn from Luke 21, which is Christ's last discourse with His Apostles and us prior to the Passion (which in the Gospel of Luke begins with Luke 22). All three readings are complex, and we must listen carefully to grasp the stewardship significance of them.

There is a finality to them. The first reading is from the prophetic Book of Malachi, the absolute last Book of the Old Testament. Malachi is also the 12th Book of the Minor Prophets, the number 12 having particular implication in Scripture from the Twelve Tribes of Israel to the Twelve Apostles. Malachi means "God's messenger."

The Book was written to address what was seen as a laxity among the Israelites in relation to their practice of their faith. It thus also reminds us, especially as we prepare for Advent, of our need to sharpen our senses, our prayer lives, and our faith lives.

God has made promises to us, but for us to reap the benefits of those promises we must delve more deeply into our faith as good stewards and good Catholics.

The second reading from Saint Paul's letter to the Thessalonians says in effect, and this again is germane to our preparations for Advent, "This is not time to be idle." Stewardship is active, not passive. As good stewards our preparations for Advent and Christmas should provide opportunities for more prayer, more contemplation, and more dynamic outreach to those in need.

Paul reminds us that there is time enough to rest in Heaven, not while here when we can have a positive impact on those around us. The Gospel from Luke pinpoints some of the major obstacles to stewardship as a way of life. He focuses on two in particular: wealth and power

It is worth mentioning that this Gospel passage immediately follows the Lesson of the Widow's Mites (Luke 21: 1-4). Consequently, we can clearly see the stewardship statement here: Do not aspire to wealth or power, but like the widow, strive to give from your want, your poverty, not from your excess. That is excellent preparation for the glory of Advent and Christmas.

As a follow-up to our Stewardship talks I would like to kindly ask everyone who has no yet completed and returned a Parish Stewardship Card...to please pick up a card from the pew and remember to fill out the different parts for time, talent and treasure.

Each one of us has received special blessings from God and I ask you to really take a step in raising your giving of stewardship, Does your giving actually reflect the amount you want to give back to God and the Church?

Make sure you fill out also the time and talent cards so we can update lists. If you no longer wish to be involved in a ministry, it would be good to say that you would like to be taken off the list. This is a time for adding new people on to ministries and for others to decide that they no longer want to serve in a certain ministry.

Return your cards either through the collection basket, dropping them off at the office or by mail. WE are aiming at 100 percent participation and hope that you will take one or two steps to participate this year. Even if you turned in a commitment card in before, we need a new card from you this year.

The Commitment card is designed to help parishioners make a financial decision, based on faith, as to how much you are going to give to the parish on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis.

Thank you for the sacrifice and commitment you make to our parish.. Don't worry about what others give or if they don't. The real question is: What are you giving as a gift to the Church? Are you giving only what you have leftover. One's giving should be based on how grateful you are for all the blessings God has given you.

jjl

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