Stewardship

     When the topic of stewardship comes up, most people think of giving of themselves: their time, their talent and their treasure. It touches every aspect of our lives. But how much does it really  touch our lives? An oft-cited adage is that we spend our personal resources on what we consider a priority in our life. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt.6:21)  Often that means we concentrate our personal resources on establishing our future – getting an education, getting the best job we can, getting the best living situation we can, providing for our families. Those are certainly all worthy pursuits. But how do our choices reflect our stewardship of God’s gifts in service to God? Often, they don’t.  Or at least not to the degree that we would hope. We relegate our time, talent and treasure on His behalf after we have allocated our resources to our other priorities. And that is really not the way it’s supposed to be, is it?

     If we are in keeping with the biblical meaning of stewardship, we give proportionately from our first fruits, not just what is left over. That comes as a complete paradigm shift to many of us. It is countercultural in today’s world of consumerism and individualism. We are all expected to give of all three fruits, not just the one we have in abundance. So while at certain stages of our lives we may feel that we have more talent but can’t give any of our time or treasure, or more time but can’t give any treasure or talent, what God asks of us is to give to the extent we can of each. And we can always give some level of each. It is easy to say, “Others have more talent than I do.  My talents are not very useful,” Or to say:” I am just too busy right now; I will have time to give to others when I finish my degree, or when the IPO is launched.”  Or, “I will give treasure once I am set in a job / I have finished paying off my student loans / I am in a home / I have my children’s educations covered/ I have enough for retirement. In other words, we can easily adopt a mentality of “me first.”

     The real issue of stewardship is this:  Are we managing our resources as though they are ours or as though they are God’s?   Our lives are shaped by the decisions we make and the priorities we choose. As good stewards, we are asked to thank God for the gifts we have received from His bounty by returning a portion of the time, talent and treasure given to us. It’s a way of life that asks: what talent can I share, what time can I share and what treasure can I share? As Catholics, we are challenged to choose stewardship as a lifestyle based on our baptismal call. Stewardship leads to a deeper relationship with Jesus.

     Many of the students in the Catholic Community at Stanford are very generous with their unique gifts and talents, and some give of their time as well.  Normally, however, most of us feel the constraints of both time and treasure: we often feel we do not have enough. It is true that we all are unlikely to have enough time and treasure to accomplish ALL of the things we would like to do. So the question is: what is the most important to you? How will you feel that you have made a mark on this world? Will it be by pursuing your goals first, or God’s? When you project to the end of your life, what do you hope you can look back upon as having contributed? A kingdom for yourself? Or helping build God’s kingdom?  Your answer to this question will determine how you manage the time, abilities, and money God has placed under your care.  

     In this first Sunday of Lent, we have a unique opportunity to offer: Stanford students can make an impact of geometric proportions. A number of our CC@S Permanent Community members and our staff, through their abundant generosity, have offered a $5,000 stewardship challenge that will extend throughout the entire season of Lent.  They will match any new pledge or increase of an existing pledge made by a student during Lent up to $5,000. So this is what we ask you to do. First, we ask each of you to review prayerfully your financial situation and commit to a monthly financial donation.  No gift is too small.  Then we ask you to go to our website where you will see a link to becoming a recurring donor through PayPal. By setting up a recurring donation, you will become one of our Living Faith Society members. Not only will you be supporting your Catholic campus ministry, but you will also receive the Living Faith daily devotional each quarter. The devotional provides a different scripture verse and short meditation for each day of the year.

     As part of your renewed commitment to your faith this Lent, commit to a sacrificial offering of your gifts: of your time, your talent and your treasure. All three. Your offering of your gifts will be multiplied to accomplish countless good works in our parish and community.

     Rabbi Hillel wrote:  “If I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?”

May God continue to bless you always,

M’Lis Berry

Director of Development, CC@S