January 2021

Our readings today remind us of God’s authority. 

As we reflect on our Gospel, we recognize that God possesses all authority and that we want to give Him all authority. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath. All were fixed on His words and astonished at what He had to say. Suddenly everyone’s attention shifted to a man with an unclean spirit who began to question Jesus and His authority. Jesus responded, “Quiet, come out of him!” and removed the evil spirit from the man. All were amazed at the healing of this man. 

Life can sometimes look like the synagogue in Capernaum. We are living as disciples of Christ when we suddenly recognize evil around us — through events in our lives, temptations we are enduring, or by falling into sin. It can distract us, consume our attention, or even cause us to despair. In these moments of trial, we must remember the Healer in our Gospel today. Recall His words, “Quiet, come out of Him!” Jesus has the power and authority over evil, for He has conquered sin and death. He also has the power and authority over us. And when we invite Him to have that authority, He will heal us and help us persevere. 

Today, we are reminded that God is in control and that we want Him to be in control. He is the loving Healer that will work miracles in our lives if we give Him the authority to do so.
 
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Today’s readings call us to be decisive in our faith. 

Simon, Andrew, James, and John demonstrate this decision for us in their response to Christ’s calling, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." In both instances, the men immediately abandoned what was before them and followed Christ.

Imagine if Simon and Andrew looked at their Savior and said, "Thanks for the offer, but we will finish up fishing and meet you later." That is no way a disciple should respond to Christ’s call. Yet, that is how we often respond to Jesus' offer to us, "Come after me." We can easily fall into the misconception that we have plenty of time to live active discipleship. But as faithful stewards of our time, we must change our ways and immediately follow Christ more intentionally, because Christ is calling us to act now.

These men became members of Jesus' twelve apostles. They surrendered their entire lives to follow Christ. We, too, are called to surrender our lives to the Lord so that He may work through us. We might think, “God isn't calling me.” But indeed, He is. Just as He called four ordinary fishermen, He is calling each one of us. Renewing and reevaluating what God might be asking of us throughout our lives is a key component of our stewardship journey.

As we settle into this New Year, let us ponder the ways we can renew our commitment to God. Let us ask ourselves: what are we casting our nets for? And are we willing to leave it behind for something much greater? And if not now, when?
 
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Our readings today focus on the vital attributes of being a disciple of Christ. 

The Gospel of John portrays these attributes as he bears witness to Jesus’ first disciples. Upon seeing Jesus, John proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The lamb is a reference to the Jewish sacrificial offering at Passover and reveals Jesus as Savior. Once the two that were with John heard this, they immediately followed Jesus. Jesus turned to them and asked, “What are you looking for?” They responded with, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” 

Imagine Jesus asking you, “What are you looking for?" We might respond with answers like a better job, more kids, retirement, or any number of things that we think will make our lives better. The things we seek may be righteous, but as disciples of Christ, we should first and foremost seek the Kingdom of God. If we strive to respond to Jesus’ question in the same way the first disciples responded, essentially by asking, “Where are you, Lord?” then we will not be disappointed with the outcome. 

Our story of Jesus’ first disciples concludes with Andrew intentionally sharing the Good News of Christ to his brother Simon Peter. Andrew had the gift of meeting the Lord and did not hoard it to himself. Instead, he sought his brother and proclaimed what he had experienced, which serves as a reminder for us. Our calling is to be missionary disciples — to seek the Lord and share what we have found. Our faith is a gift! We should strive to share this gift with others.
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Our Christmas season concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus was not baptized because he needed to repent — rather, He was revealing who He is and what He came to do.
 
It is from His mission that we can receive the sacrament of baptism — when we become adopted sons and daughters of God. From that moment, we belong to Christ — we become His stewards. Our lives should be a reflection of this relationship. The way we live should reveal who we are.
  
In our First Reading, the prophet Isaiah shares a message of hope, “Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy?” We should ask ourselves, "Who is the king of our hearts?" As Christian stewards, it should be God. We often fill our lives with things that satisfy us only for a moment. If we truly do belong to Christ, then we will make Him our top priority. What we fill our lives with should reveal that He is King.
 
In our Gospel, Mark reveals the intimate relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and God the Father proclaimed, “You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased.” We, too, have access to an intimate relationship with God. But like all good relationships, it flourishes with effort. How we spend our time and share our gifts says a great deal about who we are. 

— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Today, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. The Gospel account of the three magi traveling to meet Baby Jesus is one that we know well. Yet, when we pause to reflect on this moment when these men met Christ for the first time, we recognize that there is much to be said for us still today. 

When the magi entered the house, it says, “they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.” Clearly these men knew that they were in the presence of their King. They also came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which symbolize Christ’s kingship, divinity, and humanity. 

Christ is still manifesting Himself to us today. We enter God’s house weekly, and we are in His presence. When we meet Him, do we offer Him our gifts — our time, talent, and treasure? As Christian stewards, we are called to respond with love, reverence, and gratitude.   

Let us prepare our hearts to receive Christ’s many manifestations in our lives. We just need a grateful disposition to receive them.
 
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants