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During the last several weeks we have thought, prayed, and reflected on what it means to be a Christian steward. Recognizing and receiving God’s gifts gratefully, cultivating those gifts, and sharing them lovingly and with justice. This is the final week of Prayers and Reflections. Please reflect upon the gifts that you have received from God and prayerfully discern how you can return them with increase. Let us be generous as we give out of gratitude for our blessings, returning to God in proportion to the blessings we have received, especially stewardship of treasure as it relates to The Next Chapter – Making Missionary Disciples Capital Campaign. In this way, our gifts take on spiritual significance and contribute to our sanctification.

This week’s emphasis is on “Sharing God’s Gifts Lovingly.” We will have an opportunity to meditate on how God gives to us because of His love for us. We will also see that God wants us to share His blessings with others because of our love for Him and our love for our neighbor. This week’s reflection asks us to consider how we can share God’s gifts with others.

In the Prayer and Reflection for this week we are asked to give thought to how we cultivate the gifts God has given us to manage. The prayer this week will lead us to a deeper understanding of how the more we nourish and cultivate God’s gifts, the more readily we are willing to share those with others. Please take the time this week to reflect on how we can nurture and cultivate those gifts.

This week’s emphasis is on “Receiving God’s Gifts Gratefully.” The prayer invites us to consider God’s blessings in our lives. Please take the time to spend just a few minutes each day to reflect on the many gifts you’ve received and what it means to receive those gifts gratefully.

Did you know that you are a “steward”? We are all stewards, or caretakers of the gifts God grants us. According to the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, a Christian steward: 1) receives God’s gifts gratefully, 2) cultivates them responsibly, 3) shares them lovingly and in justice with others, and 4) returns them with increase to the Lord. The question is not whether or not you are a steward, the question is: are you willing to grow in stewardship? Over the next four weeks you’ll find weekly ‘Prayers and Reflections’ focused on the four characteristics of a Christian steward.