Daily Reflections - October 24,2012

WHO IS THE FAITHFUL AND PRUDENT STEWARD?

 

Mang Jess did not need to work anymore. He was a retired public school teacher, a man of simple tastes and modest dreams, with all his adult children by then well placed each in their respective pursuits. But one day, 15 years ago, he approached me when I was rector of the college seminary, asking if he could do volunteer work. A teacher by profession but a farmer by avocation and lifelong passion, he wanted to help the seminary make the farm productive.

I did not have a moment’s hesitation. I immediately accepted him. Truth to tell, at that time, he reminded me of my father, who was himself a government employee (accountant) by profession, but also a farmer before anything else. Soon, the campus was abloom not only with vegetables, but with all sorts of trees. He was over 70 years old then, but he went on planting trees even if he knew he would never get to taste their fruits anymore.

Responsible people care even for things that are not their own, and even for stuff they would no longer benefit from. Responsible stewards go beyond what is expected of them and dedicate themselves to pursuits that would redound to the future generations. Reprehensible, instead, are those who worry about nothing else but amassing wealth for themselves.

Today’s liturgy would have us think beyond responsibility as far as stewardship is concerned. The Lord expects more. He wants us, His stewards, to be faithful and prudent, in addition to being responsible. Fidelity  and prudence in stewardship have to do with watchfulness and dedication to duty, even when no one is looking. It has to do with being about our business, even when there is no deadline to meet. And it means applying oneself to duty in view of the future, even if the future is uncertain  Mang Jess, my own father, and everyone like them, were, on that score, faithful and prudent stewards. They worked not for themselves but for the present and future generations. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What seeds are you planting today that will benefit not your own but the future generations?

 

Father, You showed us and taught us what real stewardship means. May we learn from Your example.