St. Thomas More Catholic Church Weekly Bulletin 2014-05-04 Father Henry Picnic Photos | Page 8

STEWARDSHIP

Christian Stewards: People of the Resurrection

For those immersed in the secular world, Easter is long over. The pastel bunnies, the chocolate
eggs, the color-splashed jelly beans which appeared in the marketplace so temptingly just as
Christians were beginning the fasting of Lent, have long been swept from the store shelves
to be replaced in anticipation of the next marketable holiday. For the Christian steward, how
backward this all seems. Yes, we believe that the Paschal mystery and the life-changing events
of Easter are not over. They are not an end but a triumphal beginning, and they have altered us
in a quite radical way.
The mystery and miracle of Easter challenge us to live as different people, as people of the
Resurrection. What does this mean? For those new Catholics who participated in the Rite of
Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a period of mystagogy helps to understand this mystery.
Indeed, this ancient Greek word actually means “to lead through the mysteries.” During
mystagogia, many parishes introduce their new members to service in a quite practical way.
Here are the ministries of the parish; here are the charities we support; here are the needs of our
community and our congregation. How do you choose to live out your faith in the Resurrection in
a quite tangible and real way? How do your gifts fit into our needs? Essentially, however, this is a
question that the Easter season calls forth in all Christian stewards not just our newest members.
We have lived through Lent and the Paschal mysteries, all the while trying to deepen a relationship with the person of Christ. It’s as simple, yet as amazing and complex as that. The deeper
the relationship grows, the
more we become rooted
in it, the more this relationship with Christ comes to
dominate our lives. We no
longer compartmentalize
Jesus, we hold him at our
center.
And the mysteries lead
us to the fundamental
question at the heart of
all Christian stewardship,
the question that Easter
compels us to ask: How
do I steward my resources
– my time, my money, my
abilities and gifts, my very
life – so that they are in
service to the Kingdom of
God? It’s not a part-time
question. It’s not a seasonal
question that’s swept off the shelf periodically. It’s the basic question which the Easter season
demands of us: Jesus, how do you want me to serve you?
- International Catholic Stewardship Council

A Stewardship Prayer for May

Loving Father,
During this Easter season, we rejoice in your Son, who has renewed us in freedom and joy
through the mystery of his Resurrection. We have been called to proclaim his Gospel; not
because we are good enough, holy enough, or talented enough; but because you wanted us to
have this gift and this responsibility. Give us the courage to be faithful to this call. Help us make
every day of our lives an experience of Easter. And keep us ever mindful of our charge: to go
in peace to love and serve the Lord; that as stewards of your world; we are empowered by the
Holy Spirit to transform it, bring it justice and peace, and offer it, in gratitude, back to you.
We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen