The Fruit of a Life Lived in Gratitude to God
 The readings for this Sunday remind us that what has been given to us by God, whether spiritual or material, is not for our exclusive possession. When someone objected to Moses that the spirit of God had fallen upon two men who were “outside the camp,” Moses responded: “Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!” Similarly, when some of Jesus’ disciples objected that someone who was not a part of their group was doing great things in his name, he rebuked them, saying: “Do not prevent him...For whoever is not against us is for us.” The second reading for this Sunday, from the Letter of James, pulls in the material aspect of this as well, reminding us that material wealth in time will rot away, but justice toward our neighbor endures. The bottom line is this: (1) all our gifts, material or spiritual, have been given to us by God; (2) we should not resent the gifts given to others by God; and (3) all that has been given to us is, in turn, to be given for others. In this sense, the Christian life can rightly be seen through the lens of stewardship. Unfortunately, this word has too often been associated only with material giving, when it is meant to be an all-encompassing way of life. Sharing of ourselves and our gifts to the church or to causes and organizations (or universities) that are dear to us should be the natural fruit of a life lived in gratitude to God. I think this can especially be applied to the gift of education. And so, whether we are still in school or many years removed from our formal education, let’s pledge ourselves anew to this stewardship. Fr. Thom |
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