The Stewardship of Our Faith

St. Leo the Great led the Church as Pope from 440-461 AD.  In a sermon on the beatitudes, focusing on “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” he said, “Many wealthy people are disposed to use their abundance not to swell their own pride but to perform works of benevolence. They consider their greatest gain what they spend to alleviate the distress of others.” Indeed, the faithful stewardship of our gifts should lead to the material and spiritual well-being of others. There is great satisfaction in helping someone in need.  

  Yet while we more readily observe the material poverty of others – the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed – there is also a great spiritual poverty in our world. And though we may not be wealthy in material things, there is something even more valuable that we need to share with “the poor in spirit”: the intangible gifts of faith, hope, and love. Indeed, how immense the gift of faith is that we have to offer others! Certainly, material needs are primary in terms of survival and healthy living. But eternal are the spiritual gifts that our baptism requires us offer to others and in which we can take even greater satisfaction! This is at the heart of living as missionary disciples. 

  In that same sermon, Pope Leo the Great said, “The apostles were the first after the Lord himself to provide us with an example of this generous poverty, when they all equally left their belongings at the call of the heavenly master … Therefore, when the apostle Peter was on his way up to the temple and was asked for alms by the lame man, he replied: ‘Silver and gold I have not; but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk.’ What is more sublime than this humility? And what could be richer than this poverty? Though Peter cannot assist with money, he can confer gifts of nature. With a word Peter brought healing to the man who had been lame from birth; he who did not give a coin with the emperor’s image refashioned the image of Jesus in this man.” 

  This Sunday, November 2, as we celebrate All Souls Day in this Jubilee Year, we might reflect upon the shortness of life and the need to prepare our souls to meet the Lord. And during this Jubilee Year, when we can obtain plenary indulgences (total remission of time in purgatory) for ourselves and for those who have already died and gone before us in faith, let us be humble, bold, and courageous in sharing our hope of salvation with those who are focused on other things.  

  Perhaps the greatest gift we might share with our relatives and friends who are away from the Church or inactive in their faith is an enthusiastic welcome back to the sacraments. Just as we might be concerned for the hungry, homeless, and the sick, even more our minds and hearts should have a particular concern for their salvation. As we appreciate the salvation Christ won for us, so let us extend the hope of God’s mercy in this Jubilee Year to relatives, friends and co-workers who are drifting from the faith or have yet to embrace an intentional life in Christ as his disciple. 

  The key to this “spiritual stewardship” is our invitation and our ongoing accompaniment of those who are inactive in the faith. Ask yourself, “Do I care about the salvation of their souls enough to extend myself, in faith, to speak with them with love and concern? Is not our own greatest gain the joy of seeing the image of Jesus refashioned in them? What more could we do for someone than to bring them closer to Jesus in faith and entrust them to His grace and mercy? 

  Now, the best way to approach someone whose faith is tepid and whose relationship with the Church may be strained is to “come alongside them” as Pope Francis often said. In this way, they come to know us and better understand why our faith is important to us. Then, by invitation, we let them see how much their vitality in faith would mean to us. Allow yourself to taste the Lord’s own desire for their souls and then, with humility, invite them to believe in God’s love and enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus going forward, while you accompany them with the witness of your own faith. 

  The Jubilee year comes to a close during the Christmas season a few weeks from now. If you have yet to take advantage of this year of grace, check out the Jubilee Year 2025 information at our website at https://www.gidiocese.org/. We have four Jubilee Year parish pilgrimage sites (Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, and Scottsbluff) where you can obtain the plenary indulgence for yourself or for someone who has gone before us in faith. 

  Beyond the stewardship of our time and talent is the generous treasury of our faith. Together let us cherish our faith, live our faith, and extend our faith in loving outreach to others as missionary disciples.