Archive for July, 2012

“Since stewardship is a way of life, and not simply a program of church support, the most important ingredient in any effort to encourage giving of time, talent, and treasure is the personal witness of individuals [pastors and lay leaders] who have experienced a change of heart as a result of their commitment to stewardship.”

Sylvester D. Ryan, chairman of ad hoc committee on stewardship that produced Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response (Washington D.C.: USCCB, 2002) 59.

“The decision to live as a community that embraces stewardship as a way of life typically does not happen all at once. Often the decision follows a period of challenge for the [church]; quite often a financial challenge prompts the initial exploration of stewardship. When the pastor or pastoral leaders reach a decision to foster stewardship within the [church], they are taking a step of faith that truly has the power to change the life of the community and the lives of individuals. It is in many ways how the life of the disciple becomes “real,” as people begin to think about their priorities, about how they spend their time, give of their financial resources, and see themselves as created and gifted by God for the building of God’s reign.”

Leisa Anslinger and Victoria Shepp in Forming Generous Hearts: Stewardship Planning for Lifelong Faith Formation (New London, CT: Twenty Third Publications) 83.

“Gratitude, like a fresh, brisk wind, draws me back to the truth and sets me and my small life in the greater context of God’s person and purposes. Gratitude prepares me for soul searching under God’s guidance and direction, not my own. Each day is a gift. There is a significant “Other,” a giver and lover of my soul.

Sometimes it’s easy to look back on a given day with gratitude. Just pausing to reflect brings to mind various blessings, conversations or “coincidences” that would otherwise have been lost to history. It feels natural to remember to acknowledge, to look back and say, “This is a day the Lord made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!”

At other times, though, choosing gratitude is an act of faith. In particularly painful or confusing season of life, gratitude dries up. Even then God is with us. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,” claims the psalmist. Why? Because there is no real threat? No. “For you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). God’s presence really did accompany you throughout the day–as threatening or evil as the day may have been–whether you realized it or not. Perhaps just that assurance will form the foundation of your gratitude today.”

Mindy Caliguire in Soul Searching (Downers Grove: IVP) 45.
 

Is the Generosity Monk married? Yes!

I like to tell people that I am married to a modern day Teresa of Avila. Not really, though my wife is a spiritual director. She is Jenni of Littleton and today is our 20th wedding anniversary. In her honor enjoy this selection of poems, quotes, maxims of Teresa of Avila. I love them all, especially the last one which captures her response to God’s extraordinary generosity.

“Let nothing disturb thee;
let nothing dismay thee:
All thing pass; God never changes.
Patience attains all that it strives for.
He who has God finds he lacks nothing:
God alone suffices.”

“It seems as if Thou didst subject those who love Thee to a severe trial: but it is in order that they may learn, in the depths of that trial, the depths of Thy love.”

“However many years life might last, no one could ever wish for a better friend than God.”

“It is no small pity, and should cause us no little shame, that, through our own fault, we do not understand ourselves, or know who we are…We shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God; for, beholding His greatness, we realize our own littleness.”

“God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher.”

“Always think of yourself as everyone’s servant; look for Christ our Lord in everyone and you will then have respect and reverence for them all.”

“Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

“May it please His Majesty that the extraordinary generosity He has shown this miserable sinner serve to encourage and rouse those who read this to abandon completely everything for God. If His Majesty repays so fully that even in this life the reward and gain possessed by those who serve Him is clearly seen, what will this reward be in the the next life?”

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

References: “Poem IX”, in Complete Works St. Teresa of Avila ed. E. Allison Peers, Vol. 3 (1963) 288. Ch. XXV. “Divine Locutions. Discussions on That Subject” §22 & 23. Cover material: The Interior Castle. First Mansions, Ch. 1, trans. by E. Allison Peers (1961) 18; First Mansions, Ch. 2: The Human Soul, trans. By the Benedictines of Stanbrook (1911), rev. and ed. by Fr. Benedict Zimmerman. Fourth Mansions, Ch. 3: Prayer of Quiet, as translated by the Benedictines of Stanbrook (1911), revised and edited by Fr. Benedict Zimmerman. Maxim 25 in “Maxims for Her Nuns” in Complete Works St. Teresa of Avila ed. by E. Allison Peers, Vol. 3. (1963) 257. Neuberger, Anne E. A Circle of Saints: Stories and Activities for Children Ages 4-8. (New London, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2009) 72. Teresa of Avila The Book of Her Life (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2008) 138.

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. James 5:1-3

“Unused wealth does the kingdom no good and condemns those who refuse to use it for God…We live in the last days and have done so since Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:17). Christ can return at any point. Where is our treasure? Are we laying it up on earth so that we might live in comfort, planning for a long life here (see cf. Luke 12:31-21), or do we focus more on amassing treasure in heaven with God, being merely grateful for the blessings he has given us here and now? The condemnation is not for owning wealth per se, but for hoarding rather than using it for kingdom purposes…Our view of eternity will affect how we live today.”

Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell in James: Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008) 221-222.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts 2:42-45

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Acts 4:32-35

“The sharing of possessions among the early believers, according to these passages from Acts, was on the same level of importance as the preaching of the apostles, the breaking of bread, prayers and the worship of God. But such sharing was not simply a renunciation of one’s worldly possessions. Nor was it merely a generous act to help those in need. While both of these are true and necessary, the larger purpose for relinquishing wealth and possessions was so that authentic community in Christ would become a reality.”

Drew Smith in Radical Generosity: Normal for Christian Community blogpost at ethicsdaily.com on 11 June 2010.
 

“What more could you be told than You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Lk 10:27; Mk 12:31)? So what is well-being for you must be well-being for your friend. As regards the friend’s clothing, Whoever has two shirts, should share with the one who has none; as regards the friend’s food, and whoever has food should do likewise (Luke 3:11). You’re fed, you feed; you’re clothed, you clothe.”

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, (354-430) Sermon 299D.3, trans. Daniel Doyle and Edmund Hill (New York: New City Press, 2007).

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet. Acts 4:36-37

“When he humbly places the proceeds at the apostles’ feet, he forgoes the usual social benefit of praise and public honor. In effect, his donation is a private contribution to the common purse. With this narrative, Luke encourages others with wealth and status in the church to cross social barriers and benefit those in need.”

David G. Peterson in Acts of the Apostles (Pillar New Testament Commentary; Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 2009) 207.

“When we give to God, we give Him what is His; and when we give to the poor we merely redistribute God’s wealth.”

J. Duncan M. Derrett in Law in the New Testament (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 2005) 74.

Lord Jesus,

You came to show us that the meaning of life consists in giving.

You told us that those who cling too tightly to what they have, without thought of You or others, end up losing everything.

You offered us new values by which to measure the worth of a person’s life.

Help us to realize it is not temporal success, or riches, or fame that gives life meaning. Rather, it is the service rendered to You and others that brings fulfillment and makes our lives worthwhile.

May all our service help build the kingdom of God, and may our obedience bring true freedom, our generosity increase love, our sacrifices bear much fruit, and our death lead to eternal life.

Amen.

Thomas P. Scholler, “Stewardship Prayer for Generosity” in Called by Christ, Gifted by the Spirit: An Invitation to Christian Stewardship. 2nd edition. Archdiocese of Detroit.