VIII Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Is 49:14-15
Ps 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
1 Cor 4:1-5
Mt 6:24-34

We hear in today’s reading from Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, Brothers and sisters: Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Although St. Paul is not speaking directly to us, but rather to the Church leaders; I believe that this most certainly applies to us as well.  What is a steward?  What is stewardship?  We’ve been somewhat conditioned to immediately think: stewardship means something to do with finance or with administration.  Skeptics consider it a euphemism: talking about donating money without talking about donating money.  But spirit of stewardship includes a nice little alliteration of three things: “time, talent, and treasure”.  At the very heart is a sense of duty and responsibility, and most especially privilege.  We are privileged to receive God’s gifts: blessings of time, talent, and treasure; and He entrusts these gifts to us to evangelize to bring salvation into the world, but also very much for our own spiritual benefit and growth.  It would be an absolute waste to bury the gifts that He has given to us and leave it unused.  Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “Most people today want a religion which suits the way they live, rather than one which makes demands upon them. Religion thus becomes a luxury like an opera, not a responsibility like life.”  Our faith demands an integration of the gifts in our life and to be good stewards of His gifts.

Today, I’m here to speak about the “Stewardship of Time.” What is stewardship of time?  It is time spent in prayer with God – cultivating and deepening that relationship with Him.  You might have noticed that it is March and Lent hasn’t started and you’ve been keeping quiet hoping that the Church might just skip it this year… The Church didn’t forget! Ash Wednesday is THIS WEDNESDAY.  he discipline of Lent involves three things: FASTING, PRAYER, and ALMSGIVING. They’re connected if you look at it this way: FASTING or giving up things coincides with the very spirit of Lent: simplicity and austerity. Simplicity is meant to spiritually and physically clear out the clutter in your life and to hunger and thirst for God, making room for Him.  After you have cleared out the clutter with fasting, giving things up, and are really thirsting and hungering for Our Lord, it makes sense that PRAYER will fill you up; He is the only one that truly satisfies and we often neglect that.  And then finally, ALMSGIVING (giving to the poor) – corporeal acts of mercy or charity – is your personal response to God’s spiritual work in your life; you are so filled with Him that you are moved to compassion and love for others.  These three disciplines – fasting, prayer, and almsgiving – go hand-in-hand.  Don’t try to outthink Lent saying, “Instead of giving up something, I’m just going to do more of something.”  Do all three – clear out the clutter, pray to Him, and allow Him to work through you – otherwise you’re just doing your New Year’s Resolution that failed three months ago.

So have you prepared for Lent?  Have you looked at what you are going to do and not do?  If you haven’t started, you’re already behind.  You can still catch up: After Mass TODAY, spend some time as a family and talk about what you are going to do. That way you are ready for our Mardi Gras Celebration on Tuesday and roll straight into Lent on Ash Wednesday.   Really spend time in prayer and ask God what you should do for Lent – challenge yourself, make it pinch a little.  Don’t just make it a program for weight-loss or reading the “self-help” books, but make it a true spiritual journey in God.  In addition to your personal time of prayer, check out our Parish Bulletin and look for opportunities to grow spiritually and with the community.  Seton is really blessed to have so many ministries to help you with grow spiritually.  If you don’t know how to begin, where to go or what to do, that’s alright.  Chances are the person sitting next to you is just as clueless as you are.

Friday evenings here at Seton are wonderful.  So just clear your calendar every Friday night until Easter (I’m serious).  First we have our Lenten Soup Supper in the Parish Hall at 5:30pm, followed by Stations of the Cross, and then Evening Prayer afterwards; three wonderful things rolled into one.  You don’t even need to be Catholic to do these things, so bring your friends and family or maybe someone who’s been away from the Church.  And for all you guys and girls in High School– this is a special invitation for you – you can join me for a special scripture study during the Soup Supper called: “SOUPER SCRIPTURES”!!

Next Monday evening the Seton’s Women’s Club has a special Lenten talk.  There’s a “Day of Retreat for persons with disabilities and caregivers” here at Seton on March 15. There are lots of Bible studies at Seton in the coming weeks: there are the regular ones on Sunday and Wednesday Mornings; a “Bible Book of the Month” on Thursday evening; a study on Corinthians starting on Tuesday evening.  Just check out our bulletin, plenty of opportunities for spiritual growth, time with God – each and every week!!

Of course to be a good “steward of your time” in the midst of a busy life could very well mean that you have to actually schedule time to pray daily.  Instead of a generic desire to “pray more”, lookup our daily Mass schedule and the schedules of other parishes around you and schedule daily Mass before or after work.  (You can look up mass times easily online).  Take advantage of our additional reconciliation times after Mass on Saturday morning or one of three penance services during Lent.

Our readings today speak about hope in the midst of anxiety and trials.  They tell us that we are not forgotten, that we are the most treasured of God’s creation, and that we have hope.  Four times he tells us not to worry – what would He rather us do?  Simply to Pray – to depend and grow in relationship with Him.  We need to pray all the time, but especially in a time of anxiety and trial.  The world out there is only getting worse, but we don’t have to; we can grow and we can trust in Him through prayer.  We can pray, and pray without ceasing we do.  He’s given us a personal relationship with Him and desires an even more intimate one – it can be as intimate as you allow it to be in your prayer.  The invitation to pray is always there, are we going to seize Him? Seize God? One of my favorite quotes is from a Benedictine monk and he said, “Unless you believe that prayer is the best use of your time, you will never find time to pray.”

Among those three gifts in stewardship, I believe that the stewardship of “time” is the most important.  Think about it: Our gift of treasure vary, our gifts of talents and skills vary, but all of us are given the same amount of time: one lifetime.  All of us are given today to use at our disposal; how are you going to spend it?  Are you going to use it to work late or watch one more TV show, talk and gossip on the phone, spend time on Facebook? Or are you going to use it to appreciate one more moment with the one whom you love the most, Our God?  It is a popular saying to say, “Carpe diem” – Latin for “seize the day!”; but I say to you “Carpe DEUM” – Seize God!  Every day and at every moment we can choose among many good things to do with our time, let’s make it a good one!