St. James R. C. Church at 429 Route 25a E, Setauket, NY 11733 US - Stewardship -- A Way of Life

As we travel on our journey in faith as stewards and disciples we should be continually asking ourselves... "What Shall I Return to the Lord?" Elementary school systems throughout the country have established "Gifted & Talented" programs for those students who are among the top percentile of their peers. Such programs are designed to enrich students whose math, science, and language arts abilities well exceed the norm. On average, this only amounts to 1-2% of the student population. If the Catholic Church was ever going to establish a "gifted and talented" program for the lay faithful, the percentage of people allowed to enter such a program would have to be a resounding 100%!! The spirituality of Stewardship teaches that we are ALL gifted and talented!! Each and everyone of us, no matter who we are, has been given gifts and talents by God. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus explains this important Stewardship theme. All that we have, both spiritually and materially, comes ultimately from God. In the parable, an owner gives talents and gifts to three people before he departs for a trip. While away, the first two figures use their gifts and talents returning a large portion to the owner upon his return. The third figure buried his gifts and talents in a field and was scolded for not doing anything with them. He was scolded and looked down upon by the owner. Like the characters in the parable we too will be called upon to render an account of how we have used the gifts and talents given to us. As we travel on our journey in faith as stewards and disciples we should be continually asking ourselves, "What shall I return to the Lord?" "What Shall I Return to the Lord?" First, there are spiritual "gifts" such as faith, hope, and love that we are called to use properly and make a return to the Lord. Second, there are "talents" of the body and brain in which we are also called to employ wisely and return to the Lord. How to begin "returning" to the Lord: Step 1: Avoid the temptation of thinking and believing that you are not really talented, that you do not truly possess any special giftedness. In the prophetic words of the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "The call of Christianity is not always to do monumental and extraordinary things, but to do the ordinary things of everyday life well and with love." Step 2: Begin looking at your life as it exists right now. Look at your status as a married or single person, with children or without. Look at the type of work you do. Examine the various people you come into contact with each day: family, co-workers, community, parish. In all of these areas, there are gifts and talents that you and others possess which could be used well and could be returned to the Lord. Step 3: Know that all which you can do well, all that which you have become successful at, all that which gives you support, all that which brings you happiness - is pure gift. From a spiritual perspective, God is the ultimate owner of everything which you possess be that material or physical. None of it is totally and completely yours. Attempt, through prayer, to adopt this spiritual outlook, for it is the outlook that helps make the spirituality and practice of stewardship a way of life. Spiritual Gifts and Talents Faith Hope Love Wisdom Knowledge Healing Leadership Administration Understanding Listening Computers Athletics Care-Giving Creativity Music Art Carpentry Poety Teaching Writing Public Speaking Cooking Gardening Compassion Sewing Praying Organizing And many more...!

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