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Exploring the word

22 Sep 2013 - Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Whatever our differences, most of us put self-preservation very high on our lists. Even a soldier or martyr willing to die for a cause usually prefers to survive it. Mothers and fathers who make great sacrifices for their children still look for a fragment of the day that belongs to them alone. Whatever else we desire to do, above all we want to live. The gift of life is precious, unique, and fundamental to everything else we have and all that we are. So it makes sense that we instinctively protect it, even if in critical circumstances we may heroically choose to lay it down. The steward in the parable is a sensible man. Not especially virtuous, he betrays the definition of stewardship by squandering the boss’s money. Certainly high on his list of priorities is the “eat, drink, and be merry” lifestyle that he had to embezzle to afford. Now the party’s over and he’ll have to pay for his dishonesty. Self-preservation kicks in, and he figures out one more way to play the system to save himself. In a weird way the steward shows absolute integrity through the story. He’s always looking out for Number One and he’ll do what’s necessary to stay afloat. And Jesus invites us to admire this fellow. Not for his dishonesty of course, but for his integrity. As Jesus says: If only the children of light showed as much investment in their way of life as the children of this world do in theirs! The unjust steward is remarkably—we could say perfectly—unjust. He doesn’t waffle and weave but remains faithful to his ultimate priorities. His game plan makes more sense, really, than the person who recites creeds and participates in rituals of grace and redemption and then wanders vaguely into petty pursuits that have no meaningful connection to what they’ve professed. It makes no sense to say we believe in the forgiveness of sins—and then refuse to forgive those who trespass against us. It’s kind of crazy to believe in a God who is love—and yet inhabit small and unloving lives. We’re fools to admit the Lord hears the cry of the poor—while remaining deaf to the demands of compassion, charity, and justice. If self-preservation is really what we’re about, living what we believe is a great place to begin. Related scripture links Render to Caesar: Luke 12:13-15 Other money passages in Luke: Luke 6:20; 12:13-34; 14:33; 16:14, 19-31; 21:1-4 Catechism links Money: CCC 952; 2269; 2401-2414; 2419-2425; 2443-2449 Pray for the powerful: CCC 1349; 1900-1904; 2240; 2636; 2822

Authors Alice Camille

dishonesty stewardship

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The inner word

22 Sep 2013 - Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

This week we hear of two examples of dishonesty, one about some businessmen who not only cheat their customers but are also hypocrites about it: They impatiently but piously wait for after the “new moon,” when commerce was prohibited, so they can get back to shafting people with their crooked scales. The steward in the gospel, though working behind his employer’s back, was actually trying to correct an injustice by subtracting some of the huge interest his master was charging, an act of clever refinancing Jesus commends. Do you talk as if you believe one thing but do the opposite? How can you bring what you say into line with what you do? Do you bring to your faith the same attention and effort you do to your job, finances, and all the other details of life?

dishonesty stewardship

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Exploring the word

30 Dec 2012 - Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Cycle C

In miracle-birth stories we’re reminded that all babies are a gift from God. When a child arrives into our families, we talk about being blessed, but then we might promptly begin to act in ways that betray our unconscious belief that children are more like possessions. We name them, pay for them, raise them, and are in every way responsible for them. They “belong” to us; are they not ours? Actually, no. We can only be stewards of a blessing but never owners of it. Children, like your material resources and your life itself, are given to you for your prudent investment by One who expects a return on that investment one day. The best response to the gift of a child, Hebrew custom has it, is to present the child back to God as soon as possible. As the ceremony goes, so does the intention. Hannah does more than this, of course. In her case she made a vow to offer the child wholesale to God, and she does so, returning Samuel to the shrine where she once prayed for him. “Here!” she says to Eli the priest. “God heard my prayer for this child at your shrine. Now you raise him.” For Mary and Joseph, the presentation of Jesus was ceremonial and not so literal. They brought him to Jerusalem, Simeon blessed him, Anna prophesied about him—and then his parents took him home. After that, it’s unclear whether Jesus went up to Jerusalem again until the age of 12. His parents did, so maybe he went with them. Jerusalem is a long walk from Nazareth. It would have taken days, not a trip to be taken lightly. Perhaps they went only once a year, at Passover, when observant Jews gathered at the Temple. In Luke’s gospel, going up to Jerusalem is a signal. Luke’s story is directed to this one goal: To get the Word of God to the City of God. Luke starts at the Temple, with the story of Zechariah and the angel. Jesus is brought there by his parents, twice. This second time he chooses to remain there, to debate with the teachers. He will not return after this visit until his triumphant entry into the city in chapter 19. He will weep at the sight of Jerusalem—and then sweep into the Temple area and clean it out. After that he will promptly begin to debate the teachers again—this time, to the death. Mary and Joseph knew that their child did not belong to them but to God. They surrendered him three times in Jerusalem. When given up to God, family stewardship can reach its highest potential. Related scripture links Mary as role model of obedience: Luke 1:26-38 Joseph as role model for trust in God: Matt. 1:18-25; 2:13-15, 19-23 Be compassionate: Luke 6:36; see also Matt. 5:48 Other temple scenes in Luke: 1:5-25; 2:22-38; 4:9-12; 19:45-48; 20:1-21:38 Catechism links Hannah: CCC 2578 Jesus and his parents: CCC 471-474; 502-507; 531-534; 583-586; 2599 Children of God: CCC 1691-1695

Authors Alice Camille

Children stewards stewardship

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Who's listening?

19 Sep 2010 - Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

No one in church this weekend can escape the need to earn and manage money. The issue scripture puts before us today is how we use it. Which master do we serve? Service requires a total commitment of ourselves, and we are free to direct our energies to whatever we choose. Do we devote ourselves to matters of money in such a way that it rules our lives, makes us exploiters of others, and gets between us and God? Or do we use our resources to lift up the needy--cleverly, if need be, like the steward in the gospel--not grasping money but letting it pass through our hands, which we keep open in prayer and service?

money stewardship Service

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The 17-year itch brings out cicadas

12 May 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

This Sunday’s reading from the Book of Revelation uses richly symbolic language to speak well of those who “have the right to the tree of life.” Any day now billions of cicadas will emerge from the earth after 17 years underground and create a lively—and life-giving—chatter in trees across the East Coast. They emerge to mate and lay eggs in trees and pose little threat to the environment, but they will make a racket so loud in some areas as to drown out the sound of a passing jet, scientists say.The insects will arrive in such numbers that people from North Carolina to Connecticut will be outnumbered roughly 600-to-1. They won't harm people or animals who avoid eating them, say researchers who study cicadas. At worst, they might damage a few saplings or young shrubs. Mostly they will blanket certain pockets of the region, though lots of people won't ever see them.The insects come out only when the ground temperature reaches precisely 64 degrees. After a few weeks up in the trees, they will die and their offspring will go underground, not to return until 2030. Their emergence and egg-laying aerates the soil and helps to prune trees, and the decaying bodies of dead cicadas fetililize the ground. "It's just an amazing accomplishment," said May Berenbaum, a University of Illinois entomologist. "How can anyone not be impressed?"Homily hint: The cyclical emergence of the cicadas reminds us that we share this earth with many other living creatures, countless numbers of which live in the soil beneath our feet. For Catholics, good stewardship of the earth and its resources is part of a consistent ethic of life. Source: An article by Seth Borenstein for the Associated Press

stewardship cicadas

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What gives with charitable giving?

12 Oct 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“The Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples,” promises the reading from the Book of Isaiah this Sunday. When it comes to making sure charities can provide for people in need, poor and middle-income Americans are giving more than in years past while the nation’s wealthiest are giving less, according to a report by The Chronicle of Philanthropy that analyzed taxpayers’ IRS data. According to the report, Americans give on average about 3 percent of their income to charity each year, a level that hasn’t varied much over the years. But the giving gap between richer and poorer givers is significant, especially in view of the widening income gap. The report shows those who earned $200,000 or more donated 4.6 percent less of their income between 2006 and 2012, while those who earned less than $100,000 gave 4.5 percent more. Why the difference? Chronicle editor Stacy Palmer noted one factor: level of church attendance. Utah residents proved to be the most generous, with a giving rate of 6.6 percent. Utah is also known for its large population of Mormons, whose church asks them to give at least 10 percent of their income to charity. New Hampshire residents were the least giving, with a rate of 1.7 percent. Maine and Vermont weren’t so charitable either, also ranking among the lowest. Palmer suggests the meager handouts in northern New England are partly because of lower rates of church attendance, but the low rankings also stem from residents’ “independent streak” and a tradition of self-reliance. On the other hand, America’s wealthy are more inclined to support the arts and higher education than poorer donors, the report said. Homily hint: There are many ways to contribute to charities. Stewardship leaders speak of “the three T's”: time, talent, and treasure. Where do you make your contribution? If you draw a blank on the question, perhaps it is time to rethink your priorities and make room for the common good. The charity you help today may one day be helping you or a loved one. Source: Articles by Lindsey Bever for The Washington Post and Alex Daniels for The Chronicle of Philanthropy

stewardship charitable giving

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Stakes rise along with global temperatures

23 Nov 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The psalmist speaks of the Lord as a shepherd who gives repose “in verdant pastures . . . beside restful waters.” Verdant pastures may become a thing of the past and restful waters may start to dry up if a new United Nations report on global warming is accurate. Despite some countries’ recent pledges to cut back on carbon dioxide emissions, the report warns that the world still isn't close to preventing a dangerous level of man-made warming. It says nations will have to impose drastic curbs on their still rising greenhouse gas emissions to keep a promise made by almost 200 countries in 2010 to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times. Government officials and top climate scientists will meet in Berlin from April 7-12, 2015 to review the 29-page draft study that also estimates the needed shift to low-carbon energies would cost between 2 and 6 percent of world economic output by 2050. Temperatures have already risen by about 0.8 C (1.4F) since 1900 and are set to breach the 2 C ceiling on current trends in coming decades, U.N. reports show. "The window is shutting very rapidly on the 2 degrees target," said Johan Rockstrom, head of the Stockholm Resilience Centre and an expert on risks to the planet from heat waves, floods, droughts, and rising seas. "The debate is drifting to 'maybe we can adapt to 2 degrees, maybe 3 or even 4,'" said Rockstrom. Such rises would sharply raise risks to food and water supplies and could trigger irreversible damage such as a meltdown of Greenland's ice, according to U.N. reports. The draft outlines ways to cut emissions and boost low-carbon energy, which includes renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro- and solar power, nuclear power, and "clean" fossil fuels whose carbon emissions are captured and buried. It said such low-carbon sources accounted for 17 percent of the world's total energy supplies in 2010 and their share would have to triple or quadruple by 2050, according to most scenarios reviewed. Homily hint: We still have time to save our planet from a toxic overdose of greenhouse gases but the clock is ticking. Solving the problem will require the same level of energy and ingenuity that created it in the first place. God gives us the intelligence to fix this; now it is up to us to be good stewards of creation. Source: An article by Alistar Doyle for Reuters

stewardship global warming

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Food companies craft mega-merger

29 Mar 2015 - Preaching the News for Sunday

This Sunday’s gospel centers on preparations for ceremonial meals related to the Passover feast in ancient Israel. Fast forward 2,000 years and many meals prepared in the U.S. quite likely involve at least one product from either H.J. Heinz or Kraft Foods Group. The two corporations said Wednesday that they would merge to form one of the world’s biggest food empires, combining two of the most iconic names in the American kitchen and potentially signaling big changes for how the country eats. Homily hint: One of the reasons these two food companies are merging is their need to adjust to changing consumer perspectives on prepared foods. The public is demanding more organic and natural fresh foods. Taking care with what we eat is good stewardship over the miracle of life we have been granted For more on the merger, see: Heinz will buy Kraft Foods in mega-merger for American food

stewardship natural foods consumer eating habits

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Pope sees green when it comes to the environment

19 Apr 2015 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Acts of the Apostles this Sunday says that those who denied Jesus at his Crucifixion did so out of ignorance. Those who deny climate change in the face of overwhelming evidence do so out of ignorance, environmentalists say, and it appears Pope Francis is with them. The Vatican is set to host a major conference on climate change this month and the “green pope,” as some are calling Francis, will release an encyclical on the environment this summer. Homily hint: Responsible stewardship over creation is a theme that goes back to the Book of Genesis. We may be a long way from the Garden of Eden but we can do our best to preserve what remains of our beautiful natural environment and to repair the damage already caused by our rapid industrial growth. Slow down and smell the flowers—while we have them! For more on Pope Francis and environmentalism, see: Pope Francis throws the weight of his office behind tackling climate change

Environment Pope Francis stewardship of creation

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Everglades forever damaged by global warming?

26 Apr 2015 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes,” opines the psalmist, raising issues of trust and skepticism this Sunday. President Obama on Wednesday paid his first visit to the Everglades, delivering an Earth Day speech that targeted Republican skeptics of global warning by pointing out the threat rising seas pose to the imperiled River of Grass and South Florida’s drinking water. His choice of a venue, Everglades National Park, also was clearly calculated to make political points against Republicans who question whether climate change is man-made, despite significant scientific scholarship concluding that it is largely a result of carbon emissions. Homily hint: A clean and healthy environment should not be a partisan issue. Yes, it involves trade-offs and sacrifices, but who among us can deny we could do better on environmental issues? Do your small part as an act of good stewardship. For more on Earth Day, see: Obama in Everglades: Threats from climate change ‘can’t be edited out’ of conversation

Environment stewardship

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