FOLLOW ME AND BECOME JOYFUL STEWARDS

Stewardship Sunday

Fr Luke A Veronis

“Follow me.” These are the words that Jesus says to Matthew the Tax-Collector. Jesus invites someone who is an outsider, someone hated by all, someone who was a thief and a traitor, someone whose lifestyle was far from God. Knowing all this, Jesus still says to Matthew, “Follow me.”

What a special invitation to someone so unworthy. And yet, are we so different? Who among us can claim to be worthy of God’s divine calling? Who among us can say, ‘Yes, I deserve to follow Jesus?’ We are all unworthy before the holiness of the Almighty. We all are like the Prophet Isaiah, who after he saw a vision God’s glory cried out, “Woe is me. I’m an unclean man from an unclean people.” Despite his unworthiness, however, God still called Isaiah to become a great prophet and messenger of the Lord. And unworthy as Matthew was, Jesus called this tax-collector to become one of His closest disciples and apostles, even having him become one of the four Evangelists who would tell the story of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Well, unworthy as all of us are today, Christ calls us and invites us once again “Follow me.” We are called on this Stewardship Sunday to follow Christ and act as good and faithful stewards with all the blessings He has given us. A Steward was a caretaker of a Master’s property. The good and faithful steward understood that all he had was the Master’s; the steward was simply a servant or caretaker who tried to use His Master’s property and treasure in a way that would honor the Master.

Stewardship Sunday isn’t about pledges, budgets, or parish planning. Much more than that, it’s about the vision of God’s Church and our role in fulfilling this vision. Who are we? Why are you a part of this Church Family? What is your role in participating in the vision and work of this Church to glorify God? And how do you offer the gifts God has given you back to Him, through your time, effort, talents, and treasure?

Being a faithful steward of God’s Church isn’t something to grudgingly look at? We should never ask “How much do I owe to the church?” Instead, we ask ourselves how has God blessed us? What does the Church mean to you? Do you realize it’s a privilege and honor to be a part of God’s family, serving as His ambassadors in the world? Thus, how do you respond to these blessings?

Remember what this Church all about? We are the family of God who come together weekly to WORSHIP and honor the Lord God through our prayers and services. Through Worship we come into contact and communion with the Living God each time we gather together. What an incredible blessing we receive! How do we respond to this blessing and what do we give back to the Lord in thanksgiving?

We are the family of God who gather together in life-giving FELLOWSHIP. What makes life meaningful are loving relationships. We live in a society where so many people feel alone, disconnected from others. In this Church, how many of us have dear friends, more like brothers and sisters who have become our family. We gather together from our different backgrounds and live out as a loving family. What an incredible blessing! How do we respond to this blessing and what do we give back to the Lord in thanksgiving?

We are the family of God who LEARN AND GROW in our spiritual lives, never staying static but coming to know God in more intimate ways. We have opportunities to read Holy Scripture together and discover the treasure within. We learn about the saints and find inspiration from them. If we take advantage of the educational opportunities offered, we discover the treasure of our faith’s Holy Tradition that leads us into union with God. What an incredible blessing! How do we respond to this blessing and what do we give back to the Lord in thanksgiving?

As the family of God we create opportunities TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER and to OFFER A WITNESS OF GOD’S LOVE to the world. We offer our Living Bread Luncheon every month. We collect 100 baskets to give out for Thanksgiving, and 50 boxes of pantry supplies for Saint Innocent Orphanage. We give 100 backpacks and supplies to the local schools to begin the school year. We offer backpacks with supplies to women getting out of prison and will go and build another home for a poor family in Mexico. We package 15, 000 meals for people in need around the world, and will reach out in other ways to serve the poor. What an incredible blessing! How do we respond to these blessing and what do we give back to the Lord in thanksgiving?

Stewardship Sunday is a day we want everyone to reflect on what the Church means to you and how are you responding to God’s blessings in your life. Think about how you are participating and supporting this Church and all its ministry? What is this church and our faith worth to you?

We don’t ask you to support this church – by giving of your time, talents, and treasure – because we need to pay our bills. No! We ask you to reflect on how much you love Jesus Christ and this Church and believe in the mission and vision that we strive to fulfill! Does your giving of time and treasure honor the love you claim for Christ and His Church?

We are the Family of God filling our lives with the Lord’s Presence and Love while sharing His Good News and Love as His ambassadors to the world! This is the exciting privilege and opportunity each of us have to be a part of this. Yet, how do you participate? How do you joyously and generously support the Church. Are you living up to the calling of a Good and Faithful Steward in the Church?

The Tax-Collector  Matthew, without hesitation, gets up, leaves everything, and follows Christ. This is the heart and spirit of stewardship. It’s not about money or obligation or fundraisers or pressure. Stewardship is understanding that all we have is not our own but it is God’s. We are caretakers of His blessings, invited to give back to Him what is already His. When we truly understand this, we will say, like the Apostle Matthew, “Lord, I will follow You. My life is Yours.”

Stewardship teaches us to turn away from our self-centeredness and become Christ-centered. We embrace the vision of the Church and joyfully and generously support her ministry and life.

Stewardship isn’t the Church asking you to give because the Church needs your money and time. It’s an invitation to reflect on how God has blessed you and then gives you an opportunity to participate and share His blessings generously. Remember, we give because God first gave us. Our stewardship reflects our gratitude to what the Lord has given us.

Don’t give out of obligation or out of guilt or out of fear. Discover the joy of giving and give generously because it’s a privilege. When we offer our time, our gifts, our resources, our talents, our presence—we offer our very selves to God through this Church Family and the ministries that we do here.

Our giving of time, talents and treasure reflects our understanding and desire to participate in the vision of the Church

Just as Christ called Matthew by name, He calls each of us today, and says Follow Me in how you use and give your time, Follow Me with your generosity, Follow Me in your service to My Church, Follow Me in caring for the poor, the lonely, the broken, and those in need through the ministries of this Church.

All we have in life is a gift from God. What we do with what we have is our gift back to God. Our stewardship is simply our opportunity to show the gratitude we have for Christ and His Church.

So today, on our Stewardship Sunday, Christ invites each of us to “Give Me your heart. Give Me your time. Give Me your love. Give me your talents. Give Me your finances. Give me your willingness to follow. Give me all generously.”

May we imitate the Apostle Matthew and offer our whole lives back to God through acting as good and faithful stewards, giving joyfully and generously with gratitude!