Greetings! This week we will discuss the final pillar of Christian Stewardship which is Treasure. Discussion about how we are good stewards of our treasure always seems to be a little more sensitive than the other two pillars of Christian Stewardship. It is quite common to convince ourselves that if we had more, then we’d give more rather than vice versa. Why do we all hate to talk about money? Jesus Himself did not find it at all awkward to talk to us about how to approach our money and material belongings. Take a look at these Gospels that are jam-packed with stories about money and belongings: The Rich Young Man (Mt 19:16-24), The Workers in the Vineyard (Mt 20:1-16), Paying Taxes to the Emperor (Mt 22:15-22), The Parable of the Talents (Mt 25:14-30), The Poor Widow’s Contribution (Mk 12:41-44), The Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37), The Parable of the Rich Fool (Lk 12:16-21) and The Parable of the Lost Coin (Lk 15:8-10).

Typically, when we are talking about being good stewards of our treasure, we are talking about almsgiving, or tithing. Tithing is a way to give money to our parish, diocese, or other specific organizations in order to direct our collective money in a streamlined fashion to build up our parish, Church, and the members of our community who are in need. The Catechism of the Catholic Church addresses economic activity and how it relates to the Body of Christ. “Everyone has the right of economic initiative; everyone should make legitimate use of his talents to contribute to the abundance that will benefit all and to harvest the just fruits of his labor. He should seek to observe regulations issued by legitimate authority for the sake of the common good” (CCC #2429). In other words, we each have a right to earn money and material goods through the gifts of our talents and we have a right to reap the fruits of our work, but with those rights comes the obligation to use those material gains for the common good of the entire Body.

The first thing to understand regarding being good stewards of our treasure is that we have a greater purpose for being on this Earth other than to just live in this world alone. We have two goals while we’re here: one is to obtain eternal salvation for our souls and the other is to help other souls obtain eternal salvation as members of the Mystical Body of Christ. With those two goals in mind, we must use everything God has given to us to achieve them which includes our Time, Talent, AND Treasure.

The next most fundamental thing to remember when talking about what it means to be good stewards of our money is understanding that nothing we have actually belongs to us. Everything we have comes from God. Yes, it is true that we work hard, we earn our money, and we purchase our own belongings. However, we have to be clear about what (or Whom, really) enables us to do those things. Our gifts, talents, circumstances, and physical and intellectual capabilities are all gifts from God that allow us to reap physical and material benefits. He can give them and take them away without a moment’s notice depending on what he feels is in our best interest and in the best interest of His Body overall. So, understanding that nothing we have truly belongs to us and that we can lose something, or everything, at any given moment is imperative in our approach to being good stewards of our treasure.

The third principle involved in being good stewards of our treasure is gratitude. If we truly recognize that everything we have comes from our Heavenly Father, no matter how much or how little it is, we ought to consider it all a blessing and to conduct ourselves with a sense of humble gratitude. When this is our attitude toward all our material possessions, we find that we do not share what we have out of guilt, fear, or because we are compelled to by authority. Rather, we are inspired to be generous in sharing our treasure with others because we recognize how generous God has been with us.

Scripture also reminds us that keeping all our material possessions to ourselves ultimately does us no good in the end. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroy, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Matthew 6:19-21). I always have this verse in mind when discussing issues related to material goods with my children or my husband. I very often ask, “Can we take this to heaven with us?” Of course, the answer is always “no” which leads to the conclusion that while we cannot take the material item to heaven, we can benefit from the virtue we obtain by sharing it with others or choosing to do without the good altogether. Between Scripture and the Church’s teaching in the Catechism, we can clearly see that we do the most good for both ourselves and others when we regard our material possessions as gifts from God to be freely and willingly shared for the good of all.

As with our time, we should give back the first fruits of our treasure. It is in giving back to God first, before everything else, that we are blessed more. In order to do that well we must ask God to provide for all our needs and TRUST that he will. Recall the parable of the poor widow who gave everything she had for alms. She was not concerned with where her next meal would come from nor where she would lay her head that night. She was first concerned with doing God’s will in caring for the poor and completely abandoned herself to the care of her Lord. So too, if we give generously from our first fruits and completely entrust our needs to the Lord, He will make sure we are taken care of.

Of course, being a good steward of our treasure does involve some foresight, and active participation on our part. We must keep track and budget our money and be aware of what is coming in and going out. We must be able to discern the difference between a want and a need. We must have an awareness of what will actually help us get to heaven, as opposed to what will keep us a slave to the world. And we must be aware of how our contributions help those in need and assist the Church in the building of the Kingdom on Earth.

Ask yourself if you are truly aware that nothing you have belongs to you and then ask yourself if you are a good steward of your material possessions. Is there an area in which you can improve your personal stewardship of your treasure? Even if you are a relatively good steward of your treasure, identify one specific step you can take to become an even better steward or find another amount or means of tithing to the parish or diocese. Finally, identify a place where you can cut back in your own life and trust God to provide for you in order that you might give Him more of your first fruits. You will be blessed! Father Chad and I hope that you have enjoyed this series on intentional stewardship and that you will join us at the Beyond the Parish Expo in November to look for opportunities to give of your time, talent, and treasure in ways that are meaningful to you.

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