Why does stewardship call us to give? Of course, our parish and other charities need our financial support to run ministries, pay bills, staff and much more. However, do we ever consider our need to give?
The Gospels are filled with stories about giving because our Heavenly Father wants to teach us to be good stewards of the treasures He so generously entrusted to us. The Parable of the Talents (Mt 25:14-30), The Poor Widow’s Contribution (Mk 12:41-44) and the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37) are just a few examples of stories about stewardship.
In St. Matthew’s Gospel, He even tells us "Where your treasure is, there also your heart will be" (Mt 6:21). Funny, we all love to talk about things nearest our heart, but there never seems to be a good time to ask for money. A wise man once said, “There is never a good time to ask for money, but there is never a bad time to ask someone to be part of something good.” Being a good steward to our parish and favorite charity is intrinsically good!
Stewardship is not about giving to a need, but rather it is about our need to give. We need to give because our Heavenly Father calls us to be a good steward and live a Christ-centered life. Many Bible stories demonstrate examples of Jesus’s disappointment when we are greedy, lazy or selfish. However, He is overjoyed when we follow in His example of generosity with all the gifts He so generously entrusted to us.
We need to give because it is good and pleasing to God. In the end, don’t we all want our Lord to say to us "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy." – Matthew 25:21
— Shannon Roh is the Executive Director of the Office of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile.