Word to the Wise
Friday, September 4, 2020 - Friday in the 22th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Cor 4:1-5 and Luke 5:33-39]Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. [1 Corinthians]
The words "steward" and "trustworthy" go together. A steward is someone who has been entrusted by someone else with something of value. Accountability is part of this idea as well. A steward must be "found trustworthy." The one who does the "entrusting" is not necessarily the boss of the steward. After all, when we go to a doctor or sit in a classroom, we are placing trust in the doctor or teacher. The same must be true of anyone who exercises a ministry within the Body of Christ. If someone fails to do their duty, the whole community can suffer. Thus, stewardship also means service.
Stewardship can encounter problems, however, when the issue of "power" comes into play. Stewards may think they are free to do what they want in regard to the trust placed in them and forget that they do not own the trust. Stewards may believe that they are rulers rather than servants.
On a number of occasions, Jesus had to remind his disciples that they were not called to be rulers but servants. His "kingdom" would not be like that of the petty rulers the Romans had appointed in Judea and Galilee and other political subdivisions of the day. St. Paul had to remind the "elders" of the communities he founded of their duty to serve and not to rule. (Acts 20:28). The First Letter of Peter makes a similar admonition. (1 Peter 5:2).
In a parish, campus ministry or diocese, nothing can be done in the name of Christ if the people do not trust the "shepherds" and vice-versa! That one sentence from 1 Corinthians, quoted above, sums it up very neatly indeed! AMEN