Traveling offers opportunity to be good stewards

Summer time is here! Time for vacations, travel and new adventures!
Yes, summer is a time when many of us take a break from our everyday lives and go on a vacation to relax or travel to visit family and friends. Traveling to new places is always an adventure and presents a great opportunity for us as Christian disciples striving to be good stewards. 
The Gospels are full of stories of Jesus traveling with His disciples and teaching in different towns and cities. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He commissioned His disciples to, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations …” — Matthew 28:19 
How can traveling give us the opportunity to be a disciple? I am not suggesting that we should pass Rosaries to strangers on the corner of a busy street while we are on vacation. I’m talking about continuing to live your life as a Disciple of Christ. Don’t take a vacation from prayer or Sunday Mass. Pray before meals even if you are on a cruise ship sharing a table with strangers, in a restaurant, or the guest at a friend’s home. This act of Christian stewardship is a beautiful witness of our faith.  
How are we supposed to know when and where to go to Mass when we’re in an unfamiliar city? Well, there’s an app for that! Search Mass Times for Travel in the app store to find the Mass times in unfamiliar cities. Even better, ask your waiter or retail clerk while you are visiting the area where you can find the closest Catholic Church. You never know, your question or kind interaction could be just the invitation to Mass a person needed.
Stewardship and discipleship go hand in hand. Through stewardship, we are called to be disciples and as disciples of Christ we are called to be good stewards of all the gifts and talents given to us by a gracious and loving God.  
Sharing our faith and showing our love for others along every journey is simple when we are living our faith. It is vitally important to set this example for our children and grandchildren.  
“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:35
— Shannon Roh is the Executive Director of the Office of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile.