The servant and the little boy in our readings today are excellent examples for us as Christian stewards. The servant gave the very best of what he had, and the boy gave all that he had, then God did the rest. 
 
A key component of living as a good steward is constantly evaluating our lives, particularly our relationship with God to ensure we are not just scraping by but rather giving God our entire lives. 
 
We should ask ourselves — "how am I giving God my time, using my talents, and sharing my treasures?"
 
We are called to give God adequate time each day. If we don’t plan for this time, likely, He won’t get any. We need to find what works best for us so that God can become a more significant part of our daily lives. We are also called to put our gifts and talents to good use too. The servant and the boy teach us that it is not up to us to decide how our gifts will affect others. God will do that. All we need to do is to give it well. 
 
Lastly, the servant reminds us that we are called to give the first fruits of our treasures. It is easy to give something; it is difficult to give the finest gift. Giving our best requires us to reevaluate our priorities in life. 
 
When we strive to live out our call as Christian stewards by entrusting all that we have been given to the One who graciously gave us these gifts, we will be blessed beyond measure. As we begin a new week, let us spend some time evaluating our relationship with God by asking, ‘what is my very best, and am I giving it to God?’
 
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Today’s readings remind us of how our God is compassionate and passionately loves us. 
 
“Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord.” Our First Reading from the prophet Jeremiah addresses false prophets who had misled God’s people away from the Lord. The Lord declares that He will restore His people by bringing back those who have gone astray and providing for them new shepherds so that they will “no longer fear and tremble.”
 
This reading portrays God’s infinite care and concern for our lives. We can see that God is the one who loved us first. Oftentimes, we are like the people who are blind to His goodness and enticed by sin — something we think will make us happy but does not. God is the one who constantly pursues us and gives us opportunities to say "yes" to Him. He wants to win us back, and ultimately, He will make us happy. 
 
So, we must ask ourselves, who or what is blinding us or leading us away from our ultimate happiness? Stop for a moment and name that thing — money, status, a person, career, laziness, addiction, self-image, health, etc. — that could be leading you away from a full and happy relationship with God.
 
As Christian disciples, deep down we really know that our true happiness is God. So, what are we waiting for? Take the leap of faith and allow yourself to radically love God in return. 
 
As we begin this new week, let us name the things in our lives that are robbing us of our ultimate happiness, work to let go of them and let us strive to make Jesus our true shepherd by seeking Him in our daily lives. 
 
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Our readings today remind us to live our lives in total surrender to God’s care. 
 
The Gospel recounts when Jesus instructs His twelve apostles to begin their missionary work two by two. He encouraged them to take very little — a walking stick and sandals. 
 
If you can recall a time you packed for a trip or even left the house for a day’s travel, you might remember making a list or packing days in advance. We tend to pack so we know we will be comfortable. 
 
If we extend this concept of "comfort" into other areas of our lives, we will most likely find a few instances where we ensure life is comfortable. It could be buying extra food at the grocery store, making sure we have the most updated technology, or even feeling safe in our bank accounts. 
 
It is not bad to have extra food in the pantry or a new phone. And it isn’t bad to save money. These things can be good when used properly. 
 
But what if we are looking to these things for comfort, security, or even happiness?
 
Imagine if Jesus approached you and said, “Go out and do my work, but you can only bring a walking stick and shoes.” Would you be willing to surrender all the rest? 
 
A key component of living out our call as Christian stewards is total surrender. It is trusting in God during our best moments and our hardest. It is looking to Him for security, comfort, and happiness. 
 
Reflect on the ways you might be looking for comfort in the things of this world. Tangibly find a way to become independent from that "thing" so that you can become more dependent on God.
 
— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Consultants