September 30, 2018 —Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

NM 11: 25-29; PS 19: 8, 10, 12-14; JAS 5:1-6; MK 9:38-43,45,47-48

Sometimes stewardship messages are sprinkled subtly within the Sunday readings; other times they hit us like a Mack truck. This week’s readings contain a bit of both.

The “Mack truck” message is contained in the second reading, once again from the letter of St. James. He gives a chilling description of the outcome of a life based on materialism and pleasure-seeking. “Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire.” St. James is not condemning people for having wealth. His harsh words are for those who acquire wealth and luxuries as if these things are the ultimate purpose in life. He makes it vividly clear what will happen to the material possessions and the owners of these possessions at the end of their lives.

When we hold onto possessions too tightly, they come to possess us. The “stuff” can easily become the focus of our energy and attention. Attachment to material things slowly and steadily corrupts.

In the Gospel today, Jesus is anything but subtle about the need to detach from everything that keeps us from loving Him. “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off… If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off… And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.”

The urgency of our need to detach from all that is not God, is clear. The spiritual discipline of tithing can help us with this. Tithing leads us to let go of unhealthy attachment to material things and leads us to attach instead to God, relying on Him as our true source of security. We come to understand that all that we have is a gift from our loving Father and we use it to bless others and glorify HIm. What wonderful freedom there is in living this way! Amazingly, we actually enjoy material gifts, and all other gifts, moreas a result because we realize where they really came from are using them as God intended.

Also, in today’s Gospel Jesus warns, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck.” Whether we are aware of it or not, we are always serving as a witness of our Catholic faith and an example of Catholic living in modern society. We have a serious obligation to examine our lives to see if the example we give in the use our gifts leads others to Christ… or away from Him.

Lastly, in the Gospel, the disciples of Jesus complain that “outsiders” are preaching the Good News and Jesus essentially responds, “Good for them!” Again we must examine our lives. Do we in this parish have an attitude of openness to others? Do we welcome all, even those who are not the “insiders” here, to join us in sharing the Good News of the Gospel?

What powerful challenges we have before us this week. Let’s pray for each other as we set out to embrace them.

September 23, 2018 —Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

WIS 2:12, 17-26; PS543-6 and 8; JAS 3:16-4:3; MK 9:30-37

This week’s readings shed further light on the contrast between the worldly wisdom that Jesus rebuked in Peter last week, and the wisdom of God, modeled perfectly for us by Christ. They teach us that living as Christian stewards requires us to swim against the tide of our me-first culture and stake out a path for our lives that may be quite different from of that of our neighbors, friends or co-workers.

Our first reading comes from the Book of Wisdom, written about 50 years before the coming of Christ. It predicts the reaction some would have to our Savior’s life, saying that many would find His goodness and teachings “obnoxious” — particularly when He calls them out for their own violations of God’s ways. If we, as Christian stewards, are called to follow in the footsteps of our Savior, then we can expect this same type of reaction at times. Like Jesus, we are to respond with patience.

The second reading, once again from the letter of St. James, also details the contrast between human nature versus “wisdom from above.” When we give in to our natural inclinations to jealousy and selfish ambition, we can expect the negative consequences they bring — “disorder and every foul practice.” On a global scale we can expect (and indeed see) wars erupting due to selfishness and untamed greed.

In contrast, when we seek to live as Christ lived and think as He thinks, our minds and hearts will be pure. Our lives will become “peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruit.” What an inspiring way of life. Certainly worth the risk of being labeled “obnoxious” by some from time to time.

So how do we fight our tendency toward egotism and selfishness? How can we live not as the world advises but in the wisdom from above? What can we do to lead a Christ-like life?

Jesus shows us one way in today’s Gospel. “Taking a child, He placed it in their midst, and putting His arms around it, He said to them, ‘Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.’”

In this context Christ is speaking not only of youngsters, but all “little ones,” those who are vulnerable or needy in any way — through poverty, physical or mental illness, advanced age, difficult family situations — the brothers and sisters St. Teresa of Calcutta would call “Jesus in distressing disguise.”

They are all around us if we open our eyes. Like Jesus, we can put our arms around the little ones in our community and channel some of our energy, ambition and talent towards them.

Giving the best of ourselves to these brothers and sisters may be a little messy at times. It may put us in situations that are far outside our comfort zones. Maybe our colleagues and neighbors will not understand our actions. We may even seem obnoxious to some folks. But in reaching out to little ones in Jesus’ name, it is Jesus Himself we are touching. And that is a most privileged way of life.

This week ask the Lord for the wisdom from above to notice the little ones in your neighborhood, community, or this parish and to show you concretely how you can reach out to them. Take at least one step. You will be stepping closer to Jesus Christ Himself.

September 16, 2018 — Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

IS 50:5-9A; PS 116:1-9; JAS 2:14-18; MK 8:27-35

Sometimes, the Sunday readings bring peace and consolation. Other times, they come as a swift kick in the pants. Today’s readings definitely fall in the latter category.

In the Gospel from St. Mark, Jesus begins to instruct the Apostles in what was ahead for Him – and for them if they wished to follow Him. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

Peter’s immediate reaction to Jesus’s words probably resonate with many, if not all of us, when we are faced with the prospect of self-denial. He pulls Jesus aside to try to talk him out of this craziness. In Peter’s worldly way of thinking, Jesus should not have to suffer (and for that matter, neither should Peter!).

But rather than agreeing with him or trying to soften His words, Jesus seems to double down on His message, rebuking Peter with this strong language: “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” It seems Jesus meant exactly what He said earlier. What’s more, He was inviting Peter, and all of us, to join him in this way of life that is costly and self-sacrificing.

Why? Isn’t Jesus all about love? Of course He is. He islove. And Jesus shows us by His example that real love requires toughness as much as tenderness. Real faith in Him is displayed through actions, not words.

The second reading, from the letter of St. James, helps us to know that our faith and our love are real and not mere words. “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it: So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

This passage makes it clear that faith and love are not alive in us until they are demonstrated through works. “Works” of any kind will involve some self-denial. Getting up early to serve at the soup kitchen on my day off requires sacrifice. Helping out in the CCD program when I could be catching up on work emails costs me. Praying in front of the abortion clinic may get me jeered at by passers-by. Making a sacrificial gift each week to the offertory means I have to give up some dinners out or the newest tech product.

But when I do these costly works and embrace the self-denial they require, I have the joy of knowing my faith and love are real. I attain the peace of soul that only comes from imitating Jesus’ way of life. By laying down my life for Him, I gain a life that is really worth living.

September 9, 2018 —Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

IS 35:4-7A; PS 146:6-10; JAS 2:1-5; MK 7:31-37

This Sunday’s readings once again illustrate the timeless message of stewardship interwoven throughout the Word of God. Today’s readings offer beautiful illustrations of two of the “Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship” — hospitality and service — and the joy that a life lived for others can bring.

The first reading from Isaiah starts off with a powerful message of hope meant to be shared. “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared.” What a message of encouragement and consolation the prophet is instructed to give!

By virtue of our Baptism, we modern-day prophets are entrusted with this same message. We, too, are called to share the good news of salvation with others, starting in our own families and circle of friends and extending to all in our parish and community. Sharing this Good News is the true goal of hospitality.

In our second reading, from the letter of St. James, we see that all are equally worthy of our hospitality. “If a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Sit here, please,’ while you say to the poor one, ‘Stand there,’ or ‘Sit at my feet,’…have you not become judges with evil designs?”

Clearly, we are to welcome and serve everyone who walks through our church’s doors, extending warmth and a dignified greeting to all. The person who wanders in late to Mass, who is not dressed to our personal standards, may be just the person who is most in need of the message of hope we read of in Isaiah this week. Sometimes we can offer that message simply with a smile and offer to come and sit next to us in “our” pew.

The Gospel reading from Mark gives further illustration of hospitality and service, and the connection between the two. In this passage we find Jesus on the go, and “people brought to Him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged Him to lay His hand on him.”

These people had already heard the Good News that Jesus was preaching. In response, they reached out to a man who literally could not hear and brought him close to Jesus so that he could receive the Good News, too. This is true service. This is hospitality at its finest.

Jesus responds immediately to this act of service and hospitality, opening the deaf man’s ears and removing his speech impediment! And what about the people whose service and hospitality had made this encounter possible? Jesus blessed them for it, confirming their faith to such a degree that they were “exceedingly astonished” and could not stop themselves from proclaiming the miracle they had witnessed.

This scripture passage illustrates a wonderful aspect of stewardship living – we simply cannot outdo our God in generosity. The more we give of ourselves to welcome and serve others for His sake, the more He blesses and strengthens our own faith. This week let’s challenge ourselves to step out of our comfort zone to reach out to someone who needs to hear the Good News of Jesus. We may just find ourselves astonished at what miracles He accomplishes!

September 2, 2018 —Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

DT 4:1-2, 6-8; PS 15:2-5; JAS 1:17-18,21B-22,27; MK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

In today’s Gospel from Mark, Jesus instructs us in the best way we can honor Him, teaching us the meaning of true worship. Jesus reveals that the way we truly worship Him is by giving Him our hearts. The heart is the deepest part of us, the very core of our being. He wants our heart connected to His heart. He wants a strong, real, and intimate relationship with us.

Stewardship is all about giving our hearts over to the Lord, giving Him first priority so that we can have this profound relationship with Him — a relationship that affects every area of our lives.

We also learn in this Gospel passage what our Lord does not want – the pious lip service that the scribes and Pharisees offer. In fact, recalling the words of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus laments, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me.” The scribes and Pharisees were observing the religious rituals of their day and time, but they were simply going through the motions. They were not allowing God to change them and so their worship was in vain. Our Lord is not looking for the number of prayers we can rattle off or our great knowledge of Church teaching.

The second reading, from St. James, reinforces Jesus’ teaching on true worship. St. James tells us to “be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.” In other words, talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. It is not enough to show up at Mass on Sunday as a passive observer. That is vain worship; it is not giving our hearts over to God.

St. James then gives two examples of worship that is pleasing to God. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” Reaching out to the most vulnerable members of society, maintaining a moral lifestyle in our increasingly immoral world, this is true worship.

But how can we determine if we really are giving our hearts over to the Lord and not just paying Him lip service? We must commit to the Lord day by day and not just for an hour on Sunday, important as our Sunday Mass commitment is. We must examine our lives to see if they reflect a life lived out for Him.

Stewardship gives us a concrete means to examine our lives in three fundamental areas — the use of our time, our talents, and our material gifts. A stewardship way of life invites and challenges us to make specific commitments in each of these areas on a regular basis, giving us a practical means to commit to the Lord. How well we are keeping these commitments can give us a kind of measuring stick to see if we are growing closer to Him, or perhaps need to put a little more effort into a particular area of our lives.

When we all strive to give God true worship — putting Him first with all our hearts — what beauty we will find in our homes, our parish, and our world.

August 26, 2018 —Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jos 24:1-2a; Ps 34; Eph 5:21-32; Jn 6:60-69

There are so many stewardship themes in our readings today, but they boil down to this: they challenge us to choose whom we will serve. Will we choose God and others, or ourselves? In the first reading, Joshua poses the challenge this way, “If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve.” As a leader he sets an example declaring, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” And the people, recalling God’s many blessings to them and his great faithfulness time and time again, join Joshua in his choice, pledging “We also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

St. Paul issues a similar challenge in the second reading saying, “Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.” He places this challenge in the context of married life. Husbands and wives are asked to decide whether they will choose to serve themselves or their spouse, and by extension, their families. But the challenge extends to all relationships — friendships, employers and employees, fellow parishioners, even the people hurrying to the checkout line at the store. In choosing to serve others before self, we are ultimately choosing to put God first in our lives. That is stewardship.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus continues His instruction on the Eucharist. Many of his own disciples cannot accept His teachings and instead return to their former way of life, abandoning Christ altogether. Jesus turns to the Apostles and asks them to choose with the question, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter speaks up for the Twelve responding, “Master, to Whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

The demands of a stewardship way of life can be difficult. And the teachings of Christ can be hard to accept. How can we keep going when it gets tough? The people’s response to Joshua’s challenge in the first reading, and Peter’s response to our Lord in the Gospel show us two ways.

When Joshua asks the people to decide whom they will serve they pause and call to mind all the blessings the Lord has given them and His unfailing faithfulness. Filled with gratitude to God, they choose Him. When the going gets tough for us, we too, can pause and remember the many blessings God has given and the many times He has shown His care for us. In gratitude, we are inspired to put Him and others first even when it is difficult.

Peter’s honest response to the choice Jesus poses shows us a second way to stay true to a stewardship way of life. Looking at himself and the world around him, Peter comes to a realization. To paraphrase, he says, “I don’t really see any better options, Lord. I’ve tried life with you and it’s hard. But I’ve tried life without You and it’s harder — it doesn’t satisfy. Where else am I going to go? I choose You, Lord.” Peter knows he doesn’t have all the answers. And so, he humbly chooses to rely on God. When the going gets tough, we can keep going by relying on God and trusting more deeply in Him.

Remembering blessings and relying on Him — two keys to help us choose whom we will serve. Two keys to a beautiful way of life.

August 19, 2018 —Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Prov 9:1-619; Ps 34; Eph 5:15-20; Jn 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowd, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” Their response? Shock and indignation. We can hardly blame them for this reaction — eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of our Lord should cause us a bit of a shock. Yet, how easy it is for us modern-day Catholics to show up at Mass Sunday after Sunday, receiving the Eucharist as simply part of a weekly routine.

If we really spent time praying and contemplating the gift our Lord is offering us in this sacrament, we would be awestruck at the love and power in this gift. Through it, our Lord is giving us the very best He has to give — Himself. In his gift of the Eucharist, He has held back nothing, giving us literally everything he has to give, His very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Not even the greatest theological scholar or the holiest of saints can fully understand this mystery.

Thankfully, the first reading comes as a wonderful consolation to us “ordinary folks.” It says, “’Let whoever is simple turn in here; to the one who lacks understanding… come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

St. Paul delivers a similar message in our second reading, instructing, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity because the days are evil.” So, we don’t need to be saints or scholars in order to receive this sublime gift. But we should do our best to receive the Eucharist with gratitude. And we can look to today’s readings to glean two fundamental principles to become better Christian stewards.

First, the Eucharist is the foundation for a stewardship way of life. Through His gift of the Eucharist, God fills us with His love and strength. This love and strength empower us to live as generous stewards — to be faithful to the ministries in which we serve, to step beyond our comfort zone in material giving, and to offer our very best to our families and secular work.

Second, the Eucharist is our ultimate inspiration for a stewardship way of life. When we really think about what we receive in this gift — God Himself — we will want to make a joyful return to Him by the way we live our lives! The more that we deepen our understanding of this sacrament through study of the Church’s teachings on the Eucharist, the more we will want to live our lives as grateful, generous and joy-filled stewards.

As the book of Proverbs and the great St. Paul remind us, let us not live foolishly, but make the most of our time — during Mass and adoration — by giving the Lord all our attention and devotion in these moments. Let us form ourselves by studying what the Catechismand spiritual writers have to teach us about the Eucharist. Then, coming to Mass each week will be anything but routine.

And in return for this unfathomable gift of our Lord Himself, let us live intentionally and passionately as His disciples every day of our lives.