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Of What Are We Stewards?
As Orthodox Christians we are trustees of God. He has given us in trust.
• The Christian Gospel and Holy Mysteries (Sacraments)
• Life-our own and those given for a time into our charge (children)
• Physical Well-being
• Personal Relationships
• Time
• Talents, skills, education and abilities
• Material possessions, property, wealth
• Power or authority
The Gospel and Mysteries (Sacraments)
We
are called to proclaim the message of Christ to all and to come
together with our brothers and sisters to offer our common liturgy to
God and make frequent use of the mysteries of God and other means of
Grace.
Life
We
are to cherish and protect human life, to stand up for the right to
life of the weak, the defenseless, the elderly and the unborn. We are
to cherish our everlasting life above our mortal life and seek first
the Kingdom of God. We are to direct the hearts and minds of our
children, grandchildren and others towards the attainment of
everlasting life.
Physical Well-being
We
are to care for our own bodies as living temples of the Holy Spirit and
not willingly weaken or destroy them by excessive eating, drinking,
smoking or use of dangerous drugs.
Personal Relationships
We
are to love others as much as we love ourselves and to be like Christ
and to see Christ in even the least and insufferable of our fellow
human beings.
Time
Every
second and every minute we have is a gift from God. We can give God a
portion of this gift by participating in liturgy, volunteering and
serving the needs of the Church and sharing our faith. We are to extend
Christ's victory into every moment of every day, to "redeem the time"
and to "pray without ceasing" and to do all in word or deed in the Name
of the Lord Jesus.
Talents, Skills, education and abilities
God
has endowed each one of us with special talents. We are to consecrate
to God both our inherent and developed talents, skills, and abilities,
and employ these for the building up of Christ's Kingdom. And as there
are many and varying gifts, we are to seek our proper place in His
Church.
Material Possessions, property and wealth
We
are to hold our material possessions in trust, to provide for our needs
and those of our dependents; to care for the poor; to provide for the
spreading of the Gospel; to provide for the physical well-being of the
Church; to provide for the maintenance of the Ministries of the Church;
and to protect our environment for future generations.
Power and Authority
We
must never exercise any office of authority as if the power were our
own, but as a trust from God. Jesus Himself said, " All authority in
Heaven and on earth has been given to me."
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17)
Let
us pray today that we may all be responsible and concerned caretakers
of all that God has entrusted to us. As good stewards of this trust,
let us be devoted and totally committed to serve God and His Church
morally, spiritually, physically and collectively as a family. This is
how true happiness and the joy of life are found.
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