Giver of All Good Gifts

Stewardship Prayer

O God, our loving Creator

and Giver of all good gifts,

bless our parish,

strengthen our faith and

grant us the spirit of Christian stewardship so that we may give generously

of our time, talent and treasure

to the spreading of Your kingdom

here in our church

and throughout the world. 

This we ask through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You

and the Holy Spirit, one God,

now and forever.

Amen.  

The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness: the world and those who dwell in it.

Psalm 24:1

Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.  For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

Luke 6:38

What does “Sacrifice”

really mean?

Stewardship calls us to sacrifice.  Yet, what does “sacrifice” really mean?  A good steward knows it means giving off the top, giving a grateful percentage of our income back to God before we take care of our own needs and wants.  However, did you know that the word sacrifice literally means “make holy.”  It comes from two Latin words: sacer or sacred and facere or to make.  When we sacrifice a part of our income to God we literally “make it holy.”  Likewise, our sacrifice can help make holy the work that we do all week when we share the fruit of it with the Lord.

(S. Erschen, Archdiocese of St. Louis)

Excerpts from the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship

“Mature disciples make a conscious decision to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost.”

“Christian disciples experience conversion – life shaping changes of mind and heart – and commit their very selves to the Lord.”

“This mission – proclaiming and teaching, serving and sanctifying – is our task.  It is the personal responsibility of each one of us as stewards of the Church…”

Trusting in god

 Making and fulfilling a stewardship commitment to return a certain percentage of our income back to God first, before any other bills or expenses are paid, takes great trust.  We must trust that God will provide us with all that we need, even as we are returning a portion of our financial blessing to Him.  The story is told of an African fisherman who had that kind of trust.

One Sunday, a missionary in Africa preached to the people about the tithe.  He explained to them what the Bible taught, “The tithes of the herd and the flock shall be determined by ceding to the Lord as sacred every tenth animal as they are counted by the herdsman’s rod.” (Leviticus 27:32)  Early one morning, several days later, one of the native fishermen arrived at the missionary’s door with a large fish, explaining that he was bringing his tithe to the church.

“You must have done well,” said the priest, “if you have already caught ten large fish this morning.”

“Not yet,” replied the man.  “This is the only fish I caught so far.  I am going back to catch the other nine.”

Now that’s trust!

One-Liners

“When you get to your wit’s end, you’ll find God lives there.”

“The will of God never takes you to where the grace of God will not protect you.”

“You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.”

“If God is your co-pilot, swap seats!”

Stewardship and Lent

Lent is a special time, a time for growth.  In The Giving Heart, Daily Gospel Meditations and Prayers 2004, Joseph Creedon reflected on Lent.  He said, “It falls during a time of introspection, when winter morphs into spring, when nature seems dormant but is preparing to burst into life.  Lent is a gift from both God and the church.  We need to unwrap the gift and fully enjoy its potential.”  Creedon combines Lent and stewardship.  “Stewardship is spirituality rooted in the biblical concept that everything we have is a gift from God.  Our lives are a response to God’s wonderful generosity. --- Gratitude changes the way we live and the choices we make.  Lent is a time to empty the myths and illusions that fill our hearts.  Lent is a time to adjust and correct our priorities. ---Through baptism we are invited to be stewards of God’s magnificent generosity.  Lent is the perfect time to hear once again the call to stewardship and the call to wholeness.”   As we enter into this sacred time of the year, take time to reflect on the gifts God has given you, the illusions that fill your heart, and strive to adjust and correct your priorities.

Reflection Questions

for Stewards

• What gifts has God given me?

• Do I trust God enough to share my gifts?

• Am I using and sharing my gifts in ways that are pleasing to God?

• How can I better us my time, talent, and treasure (i.e., material goods) in the service of the Lord and my neighbor?