Last year I was invited to join the Bishops Advisory Committee for the International Catholic Stewardship Council. For years they have sponsored an annual conference on Catholic stewardship, which has enjoyed a stellar reputation. I returned from this year’s conference in New Orleans last night and can confirm, this is one group of highly motivated, dedicated servants and disciples in the Catholic vineyard! I am so pleased to be associated with this group!
Since my classmate and new Archbishop of New Orleans, Archbishop James Checchio was unavailable, I had the great privilege of celebrating our final Mass together at the St. Louis Cathedral on Tuesday evening. Cardinal Tobin, another bishop on the Advisory Committee, celebrated Mass the night before at a different church.
I’m told there were around 800 individuals registered for this year’s conference. I came away so inspired by this group of people. They genuinely understand that stewardship is a way of life, a spirituality to live concretely one’s faith.
Below is the homily from Tuesday’s Mass at St. Louis Cathedral.
A Matter of the Heart
Good afternoon! It is a pleasure to be with you – who represent such a dedicated group of disciples in service of Christ and his Church. It is also for me, personally meaningful to celebrate Mass in this cathedral. Partially because the new Archbishop of New Orleans, Archbishop Cecchio is a classmate of mine from seminary days. But even more so, as a layman in 1987, I was one of the coordinators for the ten day Pastoral Visit of Pope John Paul II to the United States, and I have many fond memories of that trip, including bringing him here to visit this cathedral 39 years ago this month! That experience was such a formative moment in my life.
At this stage of this conference, it is crystal clear to all of you that stewardship is not about money, budgets, annual appeals or parish resources. Our readings today remind us of the much deeper truth which defines genuine stewardship.
Stewardship is fundamentally a matter of the heart because it is grounded in discipleship. Before we are stewards of God’s gifts, we are disciples of Jesus Christ. Before we ask people to give, we invite them to love.
The question is not first, “What do I possess?” but rather, “To whom does my heart belong?”
The Book of Proverbs offers a beautiful image: “Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the Lord; wherever it pleases him, he directs it.”
Even a king, or leader of anykind, with all his power and authority, ultimately finds his heart guided by God. For those who serve in stewardship ministry, this is an important reminder: Our task is not to control outcomes nor to manipulate generosity. Rather, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, trusting that God is already at work directing hearts toward himself. Just as water flows where God channels it, authentic stewardship flows from hearts surrendered to God.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes a striking statement: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” What is striking about this is that Jesus redefines family in terms of discipleship.
A disciple is one who hears the Word of God – who receives the Word – and then acts on the Word!
Stewardship is precisely this response. Every act of generosity, every sharing of time, talent, and treasure, is ultimately an act of obedience and love flowing from the heart of a disciple who listens to the voice of Jesus – the Living Word of God. Stewardship is not fundraising. Stewardship is discipleship lived concretely.
The spirituality of stewardship begins by placing ourselves where the Beloved Disciple is found during the Last Supper. John placed himself at the breast of Jesus. John’s posture at the last Supper is more than a detail of the Gospel narrative.
It is a spiritual posture for every disciple. Meaning, we wish to place ourselves regularly close enough to Jesus that we can hear his Sacred Heart beating. This is our vocation, not to first work for Jesus; not to organize things on his behalf. Rather, we are to remain close to Jesus, because only those who know the Sacred Heart of Jesus can reveal his heart to others.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus teaches us several truths:
- Everything begins in love. God does not ask for gifts before offering himself. The cross reveals that God is always the first giver – the initiative always belongs to God. Our generosity is simply a response to God’s generosity.
- Stewardship is a Relationship. The goal is not increased participation or even larger collections. The goal is deeper friendship with Christ. When people fall in love with Jesus, generous stewardship follows naturally.
- Stewardship requires interior silence and listening. Just as John listened to the heartbeat of Jesus, we must spend time is silence listening to the same Sacred Heart that beats with love for God’s family. Thus, prayer, reading Scripture, celebrating the Eucharist, spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, or taking moments for silence are essential for every disciple. Our ministry becomes fruitful only when it flows from contemplation.
- Stewardship knows how to be sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Not only are we called to remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but we are also called to be attentive to the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwelling within our own hearts! The same Spirit who animated Jesus now lives within us. A true disciple is aware and attune to the interior presence of God, the voice of God, the invitation of God and thus capable of discerning the will and direction of God.
My friends, we share a unique vocation to help others recognize that life is a gift; faith is a gift; time is a gift; everything we have is a gift because everything ultimately belongs to God.
Our first ‘witness’ is not our expertise nor how successful we are, but rather it is our witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ – our discipleship. People will learn stewardship most powerfully not from presentations or campaigns, but from encountering people whose hearts clearly belong to Jesus.
May the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the first disciple of Jesus, keep us always close to her Son, that our hearts may always be directed by him. May her prayers obtain for us the grace to have hearts that reflect the Sacred Heart of Jesus, guiding us always to live as faithful disciples and joyful stewards of God’s Kingdom.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
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