GRATEFUL LIVING The Joy of Stewardship
Leisa Anslinger
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ISBN: 978-1-62063-184-3
Table of Contents Preface Session 1: See with New Sight Session 2: Open Your Mind, Heart, and Hands Session 3: Jesus Calls. Will You Answer? Session 4: Discover Your Unique Call Session 5: Go and Bear Fruit Session 6: Live the Mystery Session 7: Called to Higher Things Session 8 Let Go of Obstacles Session 9: Respond to Beauty Session 10: Take Your Place Session 11: Be Grateful. Live Generously Session 12: Make a Commitment
Session 1: See with New Sight Focus: What are you looking for in your life?
Prayer Loving God, source of all that is good, we give you thanks, and we ask you to be with us as we gather together. We ask you to give us sight, free from the distractions and obstacles that keep us from seeing your grace in our midst. Guide our minds and hearts toward your vision for our world, and make us ready to share our gifts to bring your vision to life. This we ask, this we seek, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Word of God They came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. (Mk 10:46-52)
Share What word, phrase, or image from the scripture reading touches your heart or speaks to your life?
Reflection “Master, I want to see.” Jesus asked what Bartimaeus wanted him to do, and in that moment, Bartimaeus blurted out what he most desired. Sight. Vision. The ability to see the world and be part of it. Able to see, Bartimaeus could have gone his way to pursue the sort of life for which he likely dreamt for many years. Instead, with new sight, Bartimaeus followed Jesus. With the vision of Christ standing before him, Bartimaeus saw clearly and chose Jesus’ way, the way of love, mercy, and peace, the way of discipleship. We, too, are confronted with a choice—to be passive participants in the life of the Church, attending Sunday Mass and devoting the rest of
the week to our own interests and desires, or to be disciples who actively spread the Gospel with our words and deeds. Bartimaeus become a disciple because of what he had received from God through Jesus, because of divine grace, the free gift of God’s love. His response was unlike that of the nine lepers who were healed by Jesus but did not pause to absorb the enormity of what they had received (Lk 17:11-19). Before we even consider the ways in which we may respond to God’s grace through acts of generosity and justice, we do well to take stock of the ways in which God has been and will be at work in our lives. We may not be physically blind, yet, like Bartimaeus, most of us need new sight. We need to see life clearly, unimpeded by the distractions that so often block our view. We need vision—to see with eyes of wonder and awe, to perceive Jesus, our savior and brother, who walks with us, while seeing all we need to do in order to share Christ’s love in the world. We need to hear Jesus say to each of us, “What do you want me to do for you?” and trust in the Lord’s goodness, mercy, and grace. We need a “flash of insight—a certain way of seeing” by which we view the world and our relationship to it in a fresh new light. (SDR, p. 39) As we grow as good stewards, we begin to see life differently. We see ourselves, others, and the world around us as God’s handiwork, and recognize God’s grace in the daily circumstances of our lives, even when times are challenging. Seeing the hand of God in our lives, we can’t help but be thankful. And gratitude changes everything. Like Bartimaeus, whose life was transformed when Jesus gave him sight, we are changed when we see God’s grace in our midst. Indeed, stewardship, our grateful response as Jesus’ followers, “is an expression of discipleship with the power to change how we understand and live out our lives.” (SDR, Introduction) What is stewardship, and how can embracing stewardship have such a powerful impact on our lives? Put simply, a steward is one who cares for the property, resources, or affairs of another. Think of the steward of a vineyard, for example. The steward is not the owner of the vineyard but is entrusted with the cultivation and care of the vines and harvesting of the grapes. Stewards are responsible and accountable for all that has been entrusted to them. When we apply the meaning of stewardship to our lives, we understand that all we are, have, and will be is entrusted to us by God. The Christian steward “receives God’s gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them in justice and love with all, and returns them with increase to the Lord.” (SDR, p. 9) While the call to be good stewards comes with responsibility, the steward’s way is not burdensome. In fact, many who intentionally live and grow as stewards find themselves filled with joy. We will explore many aspects of the stewardship way of life in the sessions that follow. For now, reflect and share together, using the questions below as a starting point.
Share Take a few moments to silently reflect on the following questions. Then share your responses. •
Take moment to reflect on the ways in which you have received God’s grace, God’s unconditional love, throughout your life? Share these signs of God’s live with the group.
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In what ways do you need new, clearer sight in your life?
Insight from Father Kenneth Van Haverbeke Matilda is homebound now, so what can she do for the parish? She feels bad, because she used to do dinners and all kinds of stuff. She likes to crochet blankets, so we came up with the idea that that’s her passion. Let’s get some other parishioners to take those blankets to an organization called A Better Choice which helps unwed teens with unplanned pregnancies, and give those blankets to those young ladies. It wasn’t on the stewardship form. but don’t say, “Matilda, you can’t do that.” Create a service role for Matilida. Quit trying to get people to fit into ministries. Instead, start with the person and create a service role around the person. That’s what stewardship is: the grateful response of a Christian disciple who recognizes and receives God’s gifts and shares these gifts in love of God and neighbor. Adapted from a presentation by Father Kenneth Van Haverbeke Former director, Office of Stewardship, Diocese of Wichita
Invitation to Act Gathering and sharing in a small Catholic community fosters growth in our faith and in our spirituality. Still, no communal sharing is complete without a serious commitment to putting our faith into practice. In this session, we have established the ways in which stewardship gives us new sight and clearer vision as followers of Jesus. How does this inspire you to act? Here are some possibilities. 1. Prayer: Pause at the end of each day and recognize any unexpected blessings you experienced. Write them down and keep the list in a visible place as a reminder. Say a prayer of gratitude for these and all your many blessings. 2. Community: Think about the people or groups within your parish whose caring and sharing inspires you to live more fully as a Christian disciple. Send them a note, email, or make a phone call to express your gratitude to them in the coming month. 3. Service: Be mindful of the talents or abilities you have been given. Notice how these gifts help you to contribute positively at home, work, or school, in your parish and in the wider
world. We will consider this in greater depth in future sessions. For now, make a commitment to use your gifts in small ways as opportunities arise. 4. Formation: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is quoted as saying, “Be prepared to meet your grace in the daily circumstances of your life.” Reflect on this in your own life. How do you encounter the grace of God? What is your response to “your grace?”
Pray God our Father, you have formed us in your image and fill our lives with abundant blessings. You ask us to nurture the gifts we have been given, — all we have, are, and will be; our lives, talents, faith, and resources — and call us to use them wisely and well. Jesus, Savior and Brother, you most perfectly show us the steward’s way, committed to seek and to follow God’s will, ready to give generously, to show mercy and share compassion, to sacrifice in order to bring your love into our world. Holy Spirit, fire of love, inspire us now. Strengthen us as we resolve to live more fully as disciples and to grow as good and faithful stewards. May we give glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Looking Ahead To prepare for the next meeting, read the scripture passage and reflection in Session 2.