If you had asked me yesterday, I would have said that good customer service is a business tactic, not an example of Christian stewardship. But this morning, I believe I saw the face of Christ at the auto repair shop.
When I walked into the shop, the mechanic (let's call him Charles) didn't look at me and see dollar signs. Charles looked at me and saw a mom worried whether her car would make it to her son's tee ball game this afternoon. He saw a wife who couldn't ask her husband to take the afternoon off to deal with the Check Engine light. He saw a child of God looking for help.
Charles responded to what he saw in my face by checking my car right away and offering me a temporary solution until he has time to fix the problem completely in a few days. He used his talents to show compassion to a neighbor - and isn't that what stewardship is all about?
By providing such great customer service, Charles gave my son the gift of playing tee ball on a gorgeous spring afternoon and gave my husband the gift of one less worry on a busy work day. And, Charles gave me the gift of understanding that stewardship takes many different forms and that Christ has many different faces here in this world.
I don't know whether Charles is a Catholic or a Christian or an agnostic or an atheist. But whatever he believes, what he did today showed me a lot about how God works through each one of us. Thank you, Charles and thank you, God.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Sometimes It Isn't About Giving at All
Over the last few months, the MOMS Ministry (Mothers Offering Mothers Support) at our parish read and discussed "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. The book uses the story (Luke 10: 38 - 42) of two sisters from Bethany to invite thoughtful consideration of our relationship with Christ.
"On their journey Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, "Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it."
I recognize myself in this Martha (the patron saint of housewives, for obvious reasons). I am often so busy with "doing" that I forget that Jesus is right there, waiting for me to listen.
Joanna Weaver offers a modern analogy that describes me to a T:
"Life is filled with Hula-Hoops. We all have responsibilities, important things that need our attention. If we're not careful, however, our hearts and our minds can be consumed with the task of keeping them in the air...It's easy to forget that while there is a time to work, there is also a time to worship -- and it's the worship, the time we spend with God, that provides the serene center to a busy, complex life."*
My calendar is full of committee meetings and volunteer commitments; I keep lots and lots of Hula-Hoops in the air. Too often, I am so overwhelmed by "giving" that I forget the importance of just sitting and listening to the Lord.
Most of us define Stewardship as giving. But Stewardship means more than that; it means managing our resources wisely. It isn't enough to share the gifts that God has given each one of us. We must also be sure not to waste those gifts. If we deplete our own resources, we'll have nothing left to share.
Like Mary of Bethany, we each need to renew our faith and replenish our resources through the most simple act of worship - through listening to the Word. Only then can we truly be good stewards of God's gifts.
*Excerpted from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver (WaterBrook Press)
"On their journey Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, "Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it."
I recognize myself in this Martha (the patron saint of housewives, for obvious reasons). I am often so busy with "doing" that I forget that Jesus is right there, waiting for me to listen.
Joanna Weaver offers a modern analogy that describes me to a T:
"Life is filled with Hula-Hoops. We all have responsibilities, important things that need our attention. If we're not careful, however, our hearts and our minds can be consumed with the task of keeping them in the air...It's easy to forget that while there is a time to work, there is also a time to worship -- and it's the worship, the time we spend with God, that provides the serene center to a busy, complex life."*
My calendar is full of committee meetings and volunteer commitments; I keep lots and lots of Hula-Hoops in the air. Too often, I am so overwhelmed by "giving" that I forget the importance of just sitting and listening to the Lord.
Most of us define Stewardship as giving. But Stewardship means more than that; it means managing our resources wisely. It isn't enough to share the gifts that God has given each one of us. We must also be sure not to waste those gifts. If we deplete our own resources, we'll have nothing left to share.
Like Mary of Bethany, we each need to renew our faith and replenish our resources through the most simple act of worship - through listening to the Word. Only then can we truly be good stewards of God's gifts.
*Excerpted from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver (WaterBrook Press)
Saturday, October 11, 2008
What is Worth Giving?
As I began thinking about this blog on Catholic stewardship, I was drawn to the words of a Presbyterian minister and a favorite neighbor of my childhood - Fred Rogers. In a speech to Grantmakers for Children, Youth, and Families shortly before his death in 2002, Mister Rogers said, "every one of us -- no matter how much money we have -- needs to know that there's something about us that is worth giving. I think that the saddest person anywhere is the person who feels that he or she doesn't have anything of value (inside) to give."
What a powerful reminder of the different facets of stewardship. Whether we call it "time, talent, and treasure" or "prayer, service, and sharing," stewardship recognizes that every person is graced with gifts from God and that we are each called to share those gifts.
My parish, Christ the King in Missoula, Montana, is in the midst of a million dollar capital campaign. When faced with a large sum of money to raise, organizations often focus only on gifts of money and lose sight of the wider definition of stewardship. I am proud that our campaign invites participation not only from those with money to give, but also those with time to volunteer and with prayers to offer. In short, every member of our parish has something of value to give to our campaign. With the combined generosity, hard work, and prayers of our community, I am confident that our large financial goal will be reached, and that we will all be reminded of the power of true stewardship in the process.
What a powerful reminder of the different facets of stewardship. Whether we call it "time, talent, and treasure" or "prayer, service, and sharing," stewardship recognizes that every person is graced with gifts from God and that we are each called to share those gifts.
My parish, Christ the King in Missoula, Montana, is in the midst of a million dollar capital campaign. When faced with a large sum of money to raise, organizations often focus only on gifts of money and lose sight of the wider definition of stewardship. I am proud that our campaign invites participation not only from those with money to give, but also those with time to volunteer and with prayers to offer. In short, every member of our parish has something of value to give to our campaign. With the combined generosity, hard work, and prayers of our community, I am confident that our large financial goal will be reached, and that we will all be reminded of the power of true stewardship in the process.
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