People use the word stewardship in many ways. For Christians, stewardship means giving generously of everything we have. It means giving of our time, our talent and our treasure. Stewardship derives out of a sense of gratitude to God for everything we own.
Stewardship means living an authentic Christian life. It is so much more than going to Mass on Sunday and dropping a few dollars in the basket. It is more than an occasional volunteer experience here or there. It means a total dedication to living as a disciple of Christ each and every day.
Stewardship is a conscious, committed life in Christ. It involves all the resources God has given us. We take care of our bodies by eating well and exercising regularly. We take care of the resources that God has blessed us, including the earth and all of creation. We use our knowledge, skills and experience to work toward a better society for all.
Ironically, living a life of stewardship is very rewarding. The more we learn to give, the more we tend to receive back in blessings beyond our imagination. As Jesus promised, “I came that you may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Do you want this abundant life? If interested in living a life of stewardship, we invite you to read future articles that the diocesan stewardship commission will be presenting on these pages in the next few months. We invite your feedback and offer any assistance we can make to you and your parish as you try to deepen your faith and live a life of genuine stewardship.
For the Stewardship Commission of the Diocese of Davenport, Dan Ebener. Contact: Ebener@davenportdiocese.org
