Stewardship: key to understanding Christian life

by Wayne Pelzel

Stewardship - the mention of the word more often than not evokes the image of money and giving, but stewardship is much more than that. The dictionary defines stewardship as "the responsibility of managing some assets or affairs or property of someone else." In other words - managing something that isn't your own. And stewardship is the key to understanding the Christian life.

Our farmers have known about stewardship for years. They have understood that although they own the land they farm, they are also called to care for the land because one day that land will be passed on to the next generation. Living beside our farmers here in the Diocese of New Ulm, we too can understand stewardship and that we can never really own the land. As stewards, it is only temporarily in our care.

With an understanding of land stewardship, you’ve no doubt seen items written about Christian stewardship, but maybe never really took the time to understand it or embrace the concept. What is Christian stewardship really about?

As Catholics we believe that all that we have comes from God and this begins with God’s gift of life to us. Since we’ve received these gifts from God, as stewards we’re required to use our master’s property wisely and well.

Remember the parable of the talents in Matthew, Chapter 25? From Sacred Scripture we can draw the conclusion that Christian stewardship means God entrusts us with gifts and expects a return on His investment. And as Christian stewards, in gratitude for God’s gifts to us, we want to return a certain percentage of those gifts to God.

God’s gifts to us for stewardship purposes can be broken down into three major categories: time, talent and treasure. Time is obviously our life, talents are God’s specific gifts to our uniqueness, and treasure is that of value which we accumulate in life. God wants and expects that some of these gifts will be returned.

The U. S. Bishops in their l992 pastoral letter, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response” gave this clear description of the Christian steward. The Christian steward is “one who receives God’s gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them in justice and love with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord.”

In upcoming issues of The Prairie Catholic, I will talk more about this wholesome and holy concept. And, in that same time frame, the entire diocese will embark on a plan to pass on this scripturally based concept of stewardship to all of us.

Wayne Pelzel is Director of the Office of Development for the Diocese of New Ulm.