2011 Stewardship Witness talk

Combined Stewardship Talk

Hi! My name is Kelly Bowman and this is my husband Ralph. Father Jack asked us to talk this weekend, but we were also chaperones for the Sr High Youth Convention so this is actually the first Mass we have been able to do together. Just means it's longer!

When we talk about Stewardship, we are talking about Time, Talent, and Treasure. We usually first think of treasure, it is the easiest to identify and quantify. "I gave X amount every week this year." In recent years though, giving of treasure has not been as easy for many of us. It requires more prayerful reflection, discussion and sacrifice. It also has meant truly trusting that God will meet our needs, believing in the prayer we all say, "Give us this day our daily bread…"

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As important as treasure is, there is far more to stewardship. Time and Talent are just as important and sometimes more difficult to discern. One of the challenges in our journey is recognizing when God is speaking to us. Another challenge is finding our inner strengths, our passions, and answering God's call to live through them. When we are able to do that, God will lead us to amazing places.

Three years ago my oldest daughter started college, she became influenced by another faith and eventually joined that church. Kelly and I were devastated to say the least. I felt as if I failed God in my role as her father. I even went to reconciliation to ask God to forgive me. Afterward, I was talking with father and he reminded me of something very important. God gave each of us the great gift of free will and that she is searching just the same as I did when I went off to college. He reminded me that I just need to love her and help her find her way.

So what did I do? I read. I had to find out how this could have happened. How can I help her find her way through this? How can I help others through this? After a year, and many books and CDs, Kelly and I asked ourselves, "How are we going to make a difference?"

We prayed for God to tell us what to do.

Kelly decided to help with the RCIA program and I had no idea.

Then one day at the end of Mass, in the announcements I heard "the JRH youth program needs help".

I ignored it.

The next week, the same announcement, "The JRH high program needs help."

Again I ignored it.

Then we had some friends over, as we were talking, one of the kids said they wanted to go to the JRH. Program, but she didn't know anyone. I answered her with, "I don't either, but if you go, I'll go down and help". She agreed. Thank you Keely!

So the next week we went. I came home that night turned to God and said, "Are you Nuts? I can't do this." The funny thing is, I think I actually heard Him laugh and say "you asked."

Well, needless to say, I went back and by the end of the 1^st year, I realized that this is where God wanted me to be.

On the last day of the first retreat I went on, I sat down for lunch with Father Jack. After a little small talk, he turns to me and said, "So, I heard that you would lead the JRH Youth program next year."

I almost choked on my lunch, but answered "Well, no one has asked me to."

As I looked into his eyes, I could see Christ looking back at me saying, "Are you deaf?" and then Father said, "Well would you like to?"

I could not say No.

Now Kelly helps me with the JRH as well as RCIA.

I wouldn't trade this experience, the late night planning, the sleepless retreats for anything. I have learned so much from the kid's questions and enjoy helping them understand their faith.

I pray that we all hear God's Call and don't let our fears dictate our actions

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My stewardship journey has surprised me as well. Ralph talked about the impact our daughter's decision had on us, but we learned some important things about our own faith too. We came to Mass almost every Sunday as a family. We lived our faith in our home and with our friends. But we rarely talked about the whys behind our faith and beliefs and we had lost some of the community aspect of our faith by not being actively involved in the St Andrew community. As we began to accept our daughter's decision and the true meaning of free will and unconditional love, we were drawn closer to the Church and to God. Prayers turned into actions and I decided to volunteer with RCIA, to share my faith and the whys behind it, with others. Ralph began working with the Jr High Youth Group. After Father Jack asked Ralph to lead the Jr High, Father Jack told me that he was glad to hear I was going to help Ralph (I hadn't heard about that yet, but Father was encouraging, with comment about working together being good for our marriage bond!).

I am now helping with RCIA, Jr High Youth Group, and working on starting a Health Ministry. There are so many ways to share Time and Talents here at St Andrew - Youth Programs, RCIA, Health Ministry, soon to be a Prayer Shawl Ministry, Children's Faith Formation, Knight's of Columbus, St Vincent de Paul, the Food Bank, Adult Faith Formation, Altar Society, Men's Club, Liturgical Ministers, Projects Rachel and Gabriel, and many more. There is truly something for everyone and every talent, no matter how seemingly small.

The key is finding our best talents (passions) and then a way to share them with others. At an interview this past week with my daughter, Emily, at Loyola Marymount University, a dance professor was talking about the Jesuit tradition of service for others. She told Emily a story about a student in her class who shared with her that simply watching her teach dance, witnessing her love of dance, always makes him smile. The professor then talked about how service for others can be as simple as making someone smile when it helps them with their day, their troubles, their life. Making someone truly smile is one way for us to share Christ's love for us with others.

Christ's commandments to us are "simple". To love God with all our heart, mind and soul, and to love each other. The hard part is determining how we can best do that in all aspects of our lives. I ask everyone to prayerfully reflect on what your individual and unique talents are and how we can each use our talents to serve Christ through service for others.

In the words of Blessed Theresa of Calcutta, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love".

Thank you and God Bless