From Father Tony Kadavil:
synopsis
(TIME, TALENTS & TREASURE IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD)
Introduction: A word of thanks to all the parishioners who are actively involved in the various ministries in our parish which impact the lives of many people. Special thanks to those parishioners who sacrificially and regularly make their financial contribution to our parish by tithing. Who is a steward? He is somebody’s manager. We are all stewards of God because, as Psalm 24 reminds us, God is the sole owner of everything we have: “The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness” (Ps 24:1). St. Peter reminds us of our duty of stewardship: “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1Peter 4:10). The New Testament refers to our stewardship to God 87 times. Paul claims that he is the steward of Christ’s Gospel. The good steward never forgets that God is the Source of all he possesses and that all his possessions are given to him in trust, so he handles them accordingly.
Biblical basis of stewardship by tithing: Both the
Old and the New Testaments are full of references to tithing to the Lord.
Tithing in the Old Testament: 1) Abraham first
gave a tithe offering as a spontaneous thank you to God. “Then Abram gave
the priest king Melchizedek a tenth of everything”(Genesis 14:18-20). 2)
When Jacob awoke after his dream, he made a conditional pledge
to God, thanking Him for the protection, provision and safe return home from
his journey, saying, “the Lord shall be my God … Of everything You give me,
I will faithfully return a tenth part to You”(Genesis 28: 21, 22). God
demanded tithes from His people through His prophet Malachi: “Bring
the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and
try Me in this, says the LORD of hosts: Shall I not open for you the floodgates
of Heaven, to pour down blessing upon you without measure?” (Malachi
3:10) [Confer also Leviticus 27: 30, Num 18:26; Deut 14:24; 2Chr
31:5.] In the New Testament, there are a number of references to
giving God a tenth of the first fruits, even of garden herbs (Mt 23:23, Lk
11:42, Heb 7:1-11). Jesus encouraged the generous sharing of
our blessings with others: “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good
measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into
your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out
to you.” (Luke 6:38). St. James advises that every Christian
should diligently pray and seek God’s wisdom (James 1:5), for how much
he or she should give. St. Paul exhorts the Christians in
Corinth to contribute “what they can afford” to support the ministry of
the Church (1Cor 16:1-4). He further exhorts: “Each man should give
what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor 9:7). The early
Christians offered thanks to God by helping others through the Church:
“They would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all
according to each one’s need.“(Acts 2:45). So, let us resolve on this
Stewardship Sunday to make pledges to give faithfully, lovingly, and
sacrificially, our time, talents and money to our parish community and thus
thank God for His abundant blessings.
STEWARDSHIP AWARENESS SUNDAY 2020
(TIME, TALENTS & TREASURE IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD)
Homily starter anecdotes: #1: “The
Lord’s are the earth and its fullness” (Ps 24: 1): On one of
the most valuable pieces of real estate in the world stands the Royal Exchange
in London’s financial district. Carved across the top of the Royal Exchange are
the words, “The Earth is the Lord’s.” This is, or should be, a constant
reminder to those who are caught up in that financial world that they are
merely stewards. How wonderful it would be if, over the Royal Exchange of my
heart and yours, we could always see those words and remember that God is the
owner; we are the stewards.
#2: A Biblical story on tithing from the book of
Genesis: “With All My Heart.”
There was a young man named Jacob who started off in life with questionable
character. Catching his brother Esau in a weak moment, Jacob traded a bowl of
soup for Esau’s birthright. Later tricking his father, Jacob passed himself off
as Esau and stole the family blessing. Is it any wonder the name Jacob means
“deceiver”? Forced to leave home because Esau had threatened to kill him, Jacob
set off for his Uncle Laban’s house. On the way, Jacob had a personal encounter
with God one night in a dream. This visitation had such a dramatic impact upon
Jacob that when he awoke he vowed to give God a tenth of all God prospered him
with from that day forward. Going back to the beginning of our story, how could
God use a man of Jacob’s character to accomplish his purposes on earth?
Remember that God chose Jacob to father the twelve tribes of Israel and to
continue the lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come. What did
God see in Jacob’s heart that was worth saving despite his weaknesses? A
generous heart. God saw that Jacob would honor Him with his treasures, that he
would be a faithful and regular steward of God’s blessings. Stewardship Sunday
reminds us that the same God will honor the generosity of our heart when we are
faithful in the support of the ministries of our Church. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
#3: Steward in a ship: If you’ve taken a cruise,
you know the value of a good steward, someone who tends to your comfort. The
steward keeps your cabin clean, makes your bed, provides fresh linen, replaces
needed supplies, and arranges your towels into animal designs. The title “steward”
comes from an Old English word for someone who oversees the house or hall of
another. In Christian terminology, it’s common for believers to think of
themselves as stewards. We’re sailing through the solar system on the good ship
Earth, and we feel so at home here we can almost think it belongs to us. But
it’s not our ship; it belongs to the Owner, God. We’re placed on board to care
for what belongs to Him, and that often means serving others. (Dr. David
Jertemiah). (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Time, Talents, Treasure: There are three areas
of stewardship: time, talents and treasure. Accepting the Biblical model of
returning 10% of the “first fruits” to the Lord, we attempt to utilize at least
10% of our time for prayer, reflection, and works of mercy and
ministry. (Here is the average American weekly schedule of 168 hours: working —
50 hours, sleeping (45), eating (15), watching TV (12); socializing
(6); shopping (5); movies/reading (4); hobbies (3); sports/exercise (2);
religious or stewardship activities (1) hour which is only .6% of the weekly
time, while the Stewardship target is 16 hours. By the age of 50, the
average American will have spent 11 years in front of a television!). Our
individual talents are difficult to fit into a tithing model
of returning 10% to the Lord, but in true Christian humility we recognize that
the gifts that are uniquely ours are not to be “hidden under a bushel,” nor to
be used solely for our own satisfaction and profit. Rather, our talents are to
be used to glorify the Giver by using them wherever they are needed, in our
families, in our parish or in the wider community. Jesus reminds us: “Where
your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Luke 12:
34). When we commit to a life of Christian Stewardship, we commit to norms
different from those of society in general. How does our society spend its
treasure? (Statistics are total per year. Soft Drinks $44 Billion; Diets $29
Billion; Pets $8 Billion; Cut Flowers $3.4 Billion; Sports $35 Billion; Candy
$12 Billion; Video Games $5.5 Billion; Skin Care $2.7 Billion; Religious $1.7
Billion = 1.3% of the total expense).
Biblical basis of stewardship by tithing: Both
the Old and the New Testaments are full of references to tithing to the Lord.
Originally, the tithe was an Old Testament concept. The practice of
tithing was rooted in the Old Testament and was reinforced by the teaching of
Jesus and his Apostles and the example of the early Christians. The tithe was
basically a requirement of the Law by which all Israelites were to give 10% of
everything they earned and grew, to the Temple.
A) The Old Testament.
1) Genesis 14:18-20: Abraham first gave a tithe offering as a
spontaneous thank you to God. “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out
bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High and he blessed Abram…. Then
Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
4) Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe
into the storehouse, that there may be food in My House, and try Me in this,
says the LORD of hosts: Shall I not open for you the floodgates of Heaven, to
pour down blessing upon you without measure?” [Cfr also Num 18:26;
Deut 14:24; 2Chr 31:5)]
1) There are a number of references to giving God a tenth of
the first fruits, even of garden herbs in the New Testament (Mt 23:23, Lk
11:42, Heb 7:1-11). But Jesus has no specific teaching on tithes although
he encouraged the generous sharing of our blessings with others: “Give and
gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and
overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.” (Luke 6:38).
2) St. Paul exhorts the Christians in Corinth to contribute
“what they can
afford” to support the ministry of the Church (1Cor
16:1-4) “On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside and
save whatever one can afford.” (1Cor 16:2) and he commends their
generosity for giving beyond their means (2Cor 8-9) to share with those
in need.
3) Every Christian should diligently pray and seek God’s
wisdom (James 1:5), for how much he or she should give. “Each
man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor 9:7).
3) The early Christian community took Jesus literally when he told the rich
young man to sell all he had and give it to the poor. As evidenced in the Acts
of the Apostles (Acts 2:45): “they would sell their property and
possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need,” They
set us a challenging benchmark.
Other theological reasons why we should be stewards in
our parish:
1) Stewardship is an act of thanksgiving to God who continues to bless us with
time, skills, health and wealth. By sharing these blessings with God’s other
children in, as well as outside of, the parish, we are returning to God what is
due to Him. Stewardship is the model given by Jesus as He generously gave
Himself in the service of others and offered his life for all of us. By our
stewardship, we make a humble return of that sacrificial love.
2) By faithful stewardship in our parish, we are helping our
own brothers and sisters, because by Baptism we are all made the children of
the same Heavenly Father and brothers and sisters of Jesus our Lord and Savior.
3) Stewardship by sharing is the ultimate criterion of
reward or punishment on the day of the Last Judgment. (Matthew 25: 31 ff:
The six questions by Jesus the judge on the day of the Last Judgment (Did you
share food, drink, clothing, home, mercy and loving service?), concern our
stewardship of His blessings to us.
4) Generosity to God and our neighbors is the source and
means of additional blessing from God: Luke 6: 38: “Give,
and gifts will be given to you, a good measure, packed together, shaken down
and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.”
5) Good stewardship is the sign of a dynamic and growing
parish community radiating true Christian charity, not only within parish
boundaries, but in the rest of the community as well.
6) Stewardship fulfills a basic psychological need in human
beings. Nature has gifted us with external organs and senses precisely to reach
out to others. They are meant to be our own extensions and God’s extensions to
reach out to others. Psychologically, the need of the giver to give is greater
than the need of the receiver to receive.
7) Stewardship widens our vision, broadens and softens our
hearts and sanctifies our lives.
1) “I have no time. I am awfully busy.” But we might
remember that we can always find time for extra entertainment, socializing and
so on!
2) “I am not talented. I have no special skills.” Remember
that God doesn’t make junk. Each one of us is a bundle of skills,
potentialities and gifts.
3) “Somebody else will do it.” No, each of us is an integral
part of this parish family, and we each must do our part, big or small. Each of
us is unique.
How should we exercise stewardship?
1) By actively participating in one or more ministries in
the parish (give a list of ministries which are active in the parish).
2) By using our special skills and training in fixing things
in the Church, parish hall, rectory and school at minimal cost.
3) By inviting friends and neighbors and by assisting
shut-ins to join us at Mass in our parish Church.
4) By faithfully and sacrificially contributing our fair
financial share of the costs of running the parish, as worthy children of a
generous and loving Heavenly Father.
5) By actively participating in the liturgy by audibly
reciting the prayers, singing the songs and behaving reverently in the Church.
6) By spending our time and talents in the family, and by
training our children in prayer life (spending daily at least 10 minutes in
prayer and Bible reading), and by teaching them Christian behavior, prayers and
basics of our faith.
# 1: The sad tale of a dollar bill: The twenty-dollar bill
reminisced about its travels all over the country. “I’ve had a pretty good
life,” the twenty proclaimed. “Why, I’ve been to Las Vegas and Atlantic
City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a
cruise to the Caribbean.” “Wow!” said the one-dollar bill. “You’ve really had
an exciting life!” “So, tell me,” says the twenty, “where have you been
throughout your lifetime?” The one-dollar bill replies, “Oh, I’ve been to the
Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church, most of the time to
the Catholic church and…” The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, “What’s a church?”
# 2: Tithe first: A missionary in Africa heard a knock on
the door of his hut one afternoon. Answering, the missionary found a native boy
holding a large fish in his hands. The boy said, “Father, you taught us what
tithing is. So I have brought you my tithe.” As the missionary gratefully took
the fish, he asked the boy. “If this is your tithe, where are the other nine
fish?” At this, the boy beamed and said, “Oh, they’re still back in the river.
I’m going back to catch them now.”
# 3: A stewardship puzzle: A boy told his father, “Dad,
there are three frogs sitting on a limb that hung over a pool, and one frog
decided to jump off into the pool, how many frogs would be left on the limb?”
The dad replied, “Two.” “No,” the son replied. The dad said, “Oh, I get it, if
one decides to jump, the others would too. So there are none left.” The boy
said, “No dad, the answer is three. The frog only DECIDED to jump.” Does that
sound like our last year’s resolution on the “Stewardship Sunday” when we
decided to offer our time and talents to God in our parish?
# 4: God’s Ownership: Many years ago, a popular preacher delivered
a Sunday sermon entitled “God’s Ownership.” Later that day he was invited to
the home of a wealthy parishioner. The rich man conducted the preacher over his
vast estate. Looking over his broad acres and recalling the morning’s sermon,
the rich man said, “Do you mean to tell me that this land does not belong to
me?” To which the preacher replied, “Ask me that question one hundred years
from now!”
# 5: “If I’ve said ‘no’ to them, how can I say ‘yes’ to
you?” There was a congregation that was struggling to build a new church.
Almost all the members had stepped forward generously with their pledges. But
there was one major holdout, the town banker, and he hadn’t given a penny. So,
very reluctantly, the minister decided to make a personal call on the banker to
plead his case. The banker responded candidly. “I know you must think I’m a
cheapskate, Reverend, but I’m really under terrible financial pressures at the
moment. My son’s at an Ivy League school at a cost of $25,000 a year. My
mother’s bedridden in a rest home at $60,000 a year. My daughter’s husband
abandoned her and the nine kids and she needs $40,000 a year. Now you gotta
understand, Reverend. If I’ve said ‘no’ to them, how can I say ‘yes’ to you?”
(Fr. Dennis Clarke)
# 6: “I challenge you to do it again.” There was a
millionaire businessman who was giving his testimony before a congregation.
“When I started out, I could barely afford to pay the rent. I got a job – an
ordinary job – and God led me to perform an extraordinary act of trust. I took my
first paycheck, every penny of it, and gave it to the church. Ever since that
time, God has continued to bless me, and God has made me a millionaire,
starting with that simple act when I gave God everything I had.” And when he
sat down, an elderly woman sitting near him leaned over and said, “I challenge
you to do it again.”
# 7: “Whatever God wants, God takes!”: There is an old story
of the three traveling evangelists who were talking about how they dealt with
the offerings that were collected during their evangelistic meetings. The first
one said, “I draw a big circle on the ground, and then I throw the money in the
air. Whatever lands inside the circle belongs to God, and whatever lands
outside the circle belongs to me.” “Oh, I can do better than that,” said the
second evangelist. “I put a coffee can in the middle of the floor. Then I throw
the money in the air. Any money that lands inside the coffee can, belongs to
God, and I get to keep anything that lands outside.” Then the third evangelist
grinned and said, “I’ve got you both beat. I just throw the money in the air,
and whatever God wants, God takes!”
# 8: Tithe and tip: What’s the difference between giving God
a tithe and giving a tip? A tip is 15% and a tithe is 1%
8) The marooned tither: There were two men shipwrecked on an
island. The minute they got onto the island one of them started screaming
and yelling,
“We’re going to die! We’re going to die! There’s no food!
There’s no water! We’re going to die!” The second man was propped up
against a palm tree and acting ever so calmly it drove the first man crazy.
“Don’t you understand?!!” “We’re going to die!!” The second man replied,
“You don’t understand; make $100,000 a week.” The first
man dumbfounded, looked at him and asked, “What difference does that
make?” “We’re on an island with no food
and no water –we’re going to DIE!!!” The second man answered, “I make $100,000
a week, and I tithe ten percent of my wages. My pastor will find me”.
- “I am
building a cathedral.” Many years ago, in England, three men were pouring
into a trough a mixture of water, sand, lime and other ingredients. A
passer-by asked them what they were doing. The first said, “I am making
mortar.” The second: “I am laying bricks.” But the third said, “I am
building a cathedral.” They were doing the same thing, but each looked at
it differently. And what a difference that made! We can see something
similar in the way people relate to their parish, why they give. One
person says, “Oh! All they do down there is ask for money.” The second
person replies, “Well, you have to pay the bills.” But the third person
says, “I am building the Body of Christ.” The three are doing the same
thing, but what a difference in their attitudes! (Fr. Phil Bloom)
ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL PRAYER
Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving me hope. Hope for the growth of our
Faith, hope for the promise for our future, and hope for the care for our
community. You show me every day that all I am, and all I have, are gifts from
You. Lord, my gifts are meant to be shared. Show me and help me to understand
that others, perhaps unknown to me, depend on me for help. We ask you to bless
the Annual Catholic Appeal which gathers the gifts that are offered to You in
order to fulfill the needs of many. Amen (http://www.stmps.org/)
LP
“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle
A (No. 62) by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com
Visit my website by clicking on http://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies under CBCI or Fr. Tony for my website version. (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website- http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020) Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Ave, Mobile, AL 36604
