Our readings today challenge us to be good stewards. We have been given so much. And with the much that we have been given, comes great responsibility. We are to use our time, our talents, and our treasure for the building up of God’s Kingdom and for service, especially to the poor. What we have, then, is not our own. We are entrusted with it, to use it well. Someday, an accounting is coming. The Lord will ask us what we did with our gifts, our abilities, our money and our things. The introduction to today’s readings in the missalette says it very well, “The Lord Jesus does not condemn money.” We are just being reminded that what we do, even with our money, does matter a great deal to God. A lot of times, where our wallets and checkbooks are, so too are our hearts. And so, what kind of stewards are we? Are we trustworthy? Or are we squandering what God has given us? What would God say to us today about what He has entrusted to us? How much do we really need? And what good can we accomplish with our blessings?

These are perfect readings today for us, as we continue to prepare for Part II of the “On This Rock… We Build Our Church” campaign. Last week, we heard from the campaign chairs, Chip and Marianne McLean and Mike and Deb Grisham. This week, we’ve invited two of my most favorite people, Andy and Diane DeNardo to speak to us about stewardship, and about our new church and new campaign. Please welcome, Andy and Diane DeNardo to our Mass today.

(ANDY AND DIANE WILL GIVE THEIR WITNESS AT ALL OUR MASSES
OF HOW GOD HAS WORKED IN THEIR LIVES THROUGH ST. MARIA
GORETTI PARISH, OF HOW THEY HAVE BECOME BETTER STEWARDS,
AND HOW ALL OF US CAN HELP WITH THE BUILDING OF OUR NEW
CHURCH.)