STEWARDSHIP CHAPTER 8

PSALM 24:1 “THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND ALL THAT IS IN IT.” WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE IN PEACE AND LOVE WITH ALL “THE EARTH,” WHICH “IS THE LORD’S” ALL CREATION IS THE BODY OF CHRIST

POPE JOHN PAUL II DECLARED FRANCIS THE PATRON OF ECOLOGY ECOLOGY, AT ITS HEART IS CARING FOR THE EARTH FRANCIS THROUGH HIS WORDS AND HIS ACTIONS CARED FOR THE EARTH

STEWARDSHIP: CHOOSING SERVICE OVER SELF-INTEREST “STEWARDSHIP IS TO HOLD IN TRUST THE WELL-BEING OF SOME LARGER ENTITY-OUR ORGANIZATIONS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE EARTH ITSELF.” SERVICE IS ESSENTIAL TO THE IDEA OF STEWARDSHIP WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE FOR THE COMMON GOOD FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

FRANCISCAN POVERTY HAS ITS ROOTS IN STEWARDSHIP FRANCIS TOOK THE GOSPEL COMMAND “TO SELL EVERYTHING AND GIVE IT TO THE POOR” LITERALLY HE WAS NOT TO POSSESS ANYTHING BECAUSE ALL THINGS SHOULD BE SHARED OWNERSHIP CUTS US OFF FROM ONE ANOTHER.

STEWARDSHIP INCLUDES ALL 9 QUALITIES OF A FRANCISCAN LEADER FRANCISCAN LEADER-STEWARDS REALIZE THEIR INTERDEPENDENCE WITH ALL HUMANITY, ALL OF GOD’S CREATURES, AND THE HOLY EARTH. PRO-PRIO=WITHOUT ANYTHING OF ONE’S OWN EVERYTHING IS A GIFT, NOTHING IS “PROPERTY”

FRANCISCAN LEADERS HOLD GOD’S CREATION IN TRUST “WE DO NOT INHERIT THE LAND FROM OUR ANCESTORS, WE BORROW IT FROM OUR CHILDREN” NATIVE AMERICANS THEIR LOVE FOR CREATION GROWS FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THEIR SISTERS, BROTHERS, ANIMALS. EARTH. WIND, SKY

MARK 3:1-6 A Man with a Withered Hand.1* Again he entered the synagogue.a There was a man there who had a withered hand.2They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him.3He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.”4Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent.5Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored.b6* The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

1PETER 4:10-11 As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.e11Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,f to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.*

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. LUKE 12:34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.