| Stewards
of God's Gifts
February
24-25, 2007
Luke
4:1-13
It
is clear from today's gospel that if we are to live as Christians,
our lives will involve temptations. If Jesus was tempted,
then certainly we shall be also. What might be less clear
from the gospel is that temptation is often founded on a dispute
over how we should use our talents and our abilities. When
Jesus is led by the Spirit into the desert to prepare for
his ministry, the devil comes and tries to tempt him to use
his talents and gifts for his own sake rather than for God's
purpose. This text is not saying that our welfare and God's
purpose are opposed. Usually when we do God's will we are
also doing the best thing for ourselves. But the argument
between Jesus and the devil is one over principle. Who has
real authority over Jesus' gifts and abilities? Is it Jesus'
choice how he will use them or does God have the higher claim?
Jesus rebuffs the devil's temptation and insists that God
has the higher claim.
This
gospel then calls us to consider who we really are and how
our gifts and abilities should be used. Do we think that we
have complete control over how we use our gifts and abilities,
or do we think that God has the higher claim? The answer for
a Christian is clear. We believe that God is our creator and
that everything we have comes as a gift from God. Our very
life is a gift. We would not exist had not God granted us
life. The same is true for all that we do—our ability to think,
our ability to work, our ability to run, to sing, to listen,
to create—all of these abilities are gifts that God has given
us. The same is true of time. Every day that we are given
is a gift, a gift that allows us to choose how we will live
that day and what will we use it for.
For
the Christian believer, the vision is clear. All that we are,
all that we have comes from God. All is meant for God's glory.
To a person that does not have faith, this is nonsense. What
I have, I have, and I use it as I want to use it—as long as
it is not illegal or does not hurt other people. But the Christian
perspective is different. It sees everything that we have
as a gift which has been entrusted to us. We are stewards
of our own lives, of our own abilities, of our own time. And
we know that God someday will ask us, “How did you spend your
life? What did you do with the time, with the abilities and
the talents that I gave you?” All of us are tempted from time
to time to imagine that we are independent of that responsibility.
But the Christian knows better. He or she understands that
we are all stewards of God's gifts.
Now
I know that you all know this. This is not news to anyone.
And yet it is a good thing every once in awhile for us to
ask ourselves, “What kind of claim am I allowing God to have
over my time and over my talents?” The answer to that question
will vary from time to time in our lives. Parents certainly
are constantly called as stewards to use their time and talent
in the raising of their children. All of us are called as
family members and friends to use our abilities to build unity
and joy within our families and in our relationships. All
of us feel called from time to time to give of ourselves to
our community. The same is true of our church community. The
simple truth is that we could not function as a parish unless
many people gave of their time and talent to make our ministries
and our life together possible.
It
would be a disaster to view our relationship to St. Noel in
commercial terms. It is not that the pastor and staff were
providing services and you were buying them. Our parish should
not be compared to a department store or gas station. It would
make me the proprietor of a business and you the customers.
But we are not a business. We are a parish, a community, a
family in which together we share our talents and our abilities
so that we can grow to know Christ better.
We
are so blessed at St. Noel to have so many people who live
according to that vision. We have hundreds of people who give
of their time and talent. There are over fifty ministries
that are active in our parish. Yet every so often it is important
for us as a parish to highlight areas where there is still
need. This is why last week I mentioned to you that our staff
had selected nine areas in our parish where we could use more
time and talent. I asked you to reflect upon whether you might
be called to meet any of those needs. After Mass today there
will be a stewardship open house in our Banquet Center . I
invite all of you after Mass to come. There will be representatives
from the nine areas we have identified, explaining further
the nature of the ministries. Come even if you know already
that you can not at this time offer your time and talent.
Even if this is the case, we are all members of this community,
and we should be aware of the needs that are present in our
shared life. Moreover, you might know someone who has the
time and ability to help, and you might encourage him or her
to step forward. This stewardship open house does not indicate
we are in a crisis. We are doing very well as a parish. If
no one responds to any of the needs, we will still have a
vibrant life together. It is simply a normal part of parish
life to lift up areas where time and talent are needed, so
that each one of us might consider whether God is calling
us to respond.
There
are hundreds of reasons why at this time you do not have either
the gift or the time we need. That discernment is between
you and the Lord. The only thing that I am asking, and the
only thing I must ask you to do, is to consider: “What kind
of a claim am I allowing God to have over my time and talent?”
It is an important question. It is a question that's very
appropriate to this season of Lent, when we try to be better
disciples. We are stewards of everything that we have. So
reflect today, “Is God calling me to use more of my time and
talent in any area of my life?” Of course, if you discern
that God is calling you, I would suggest you respond.
|
