Ordinary Time, 30th Sunday (B) We all think, "I'll be happy when I get my way." It turns out that this idea is a ticket to misery. Here are three reasons why it doesn't work: 1) Other people. 2) The universe. 3) We are reliably bad at predicting what will make us happy.

The Church has an answer to this problem, and the answer is called Stewardship. We usually associate stewardship with Time, Talent, and Treasure. We have our stewardship commitment Sunday is coming up November 6/7 and yes, the card invites you to make a pledge in each of those three areas. But stewardship is not fundamentally about those things. It is, in fact, about realizing that I am not the master. I am the steward, and the Master has blessed me with abundant gifts. He invites me to use the blessings I have received for his glory.

One blessing we have received is the gift of time. We don't often think of time as a blessing or a gift. But every day at midnight, you are given the gift of exactly 1,440 minutes to spend any way you want. The best place to start is to give 1% of "your" time back to God. I have to learn how to invest my time in the things that really matter. When I make time for God each day, I find I have more time at the end.

Bartimaeus is wrapped up in his cloak, disconnected from the community, and begging for his daily needs. The call of Jesus allows him to let go of things, follow Jesus, and re-enter the community. Let us hear Jesus call us to be Stewards of time.

(26 Oct 2021)

Going Deeper: Prayerfully consider how God might be calling you to use your time, talent, and treasure in His service. Make a pledge for next year. Here's a great way to improve your prayer time: Buy Oriens 2021 now and be ready for Advent

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