Time, Talent, and Treasure Series: Part 3
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21
Once a friend told a group of us that he was facing a large bill. Someone within our present company said, “Pray to God to take care of it; He has lots of money!” Someone else added the further point, “…and some of it is in YOUR pocket.”
Stewardship is not simply about “doing more,” but about offering back to God what He has already given for the sake of His Kingdom. I’ve addressed Time – the sacred hours of life that we offer back to God. I’ve addressed Talent – the skills and aptitudes we are called to invest for the Kingdom. This article takes the topic of Treasure – our most tangible and sometimes most challenging area of stewardship.
For me, it’s easier to express need and it’s easier to give help in terms of time or of talent. If I have to postpone a task until later because I give someone an hour of my time, that doesn’t hurt. It’s also easy to give of my talents. I might as well put them to use. But…I had to work for my money! I might not be able to go on that trip or buy that 3D Printer that I’ve wanted if I give that away! The sacrifice is clearer with treasure.
However, in discussing “The Universal Destination of Goods” the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2402-2404), stresses that, “In his use of things man should regard the external goods he legitimately owns not merely as exclusive to himself, but common to others, in the sense that they can benefit others as well as himself. The ownership of any property makes its holder a steward of Providence, with the task of making it fruitful and communicating its benefits to others” (from CCC2404).
In Providence, God has given all I have: my time, my talent…and also my treasure. My ownership is a temporary situation, designed firstly to help me grow, and even be transformed, as I come to see these things for the gifts they are. Secondly, ownership is an opportunity for my own transformation, as I learn to give these gifts that I’ve received. If I am a faithful steward, my giving will not only provide for my family’s needs, but also for the needs of others.
The tradition of the First Fruits – giving to God first from the very best of our bounty – is a measurable way of living this stewardship out. In the Old Testament, First Fruits giving was the law, called a tithe, and the people gave at the rate of 10% which supported the needs of priests, as well as their families and households. Modern Catholics who still follow this practice give witness that, when we put God first by tithing, our heart is trained to the deep reality that
- God truly is the source of all we have,
- He promises to provide lovingly for us, and
- This trustworthy knowledge means we can be confident in our own generosity.
The principle of sacrificial giving isn’t about God needing our treasure. It’s about our hearts needing to be transformed. When we release our tight grip on what we think of as our own, we open our hands to receive what God knows is possible. We move from our economy of scarcity to God’s economy of superabundance (conf. Luke 6:38).
From Scarcity to Abundance
In the Gospel miracle of Feeding of the Five Thousand, the lunch-box treasure of loaves and fish that was freely given was transformed into not only enough to feed 5,000 men plus even more women and children, but there was excess left over. It must have really impacted the early Christian community as this is the only miracle, aside from the resurrection, mentioned in all four Gospels (Mtt 14:13-51, Mk 6:31-44, Lk 9:12-17 and Jn 6:1-14)!
We have seen similar things here at St. Therese. It was somewhere around 15 years ago, as our participant numbers were starting to grow, that we realized the need to increase the number of beds in the dorms. We approached the owner of Battleford Furniture, who had made a few past donations, and made our need known. He agreed to donate something like $30,000-worth of bunk beds and mattresses through his company, if I remember correctly! Shortly after his donation, the owner told us his company just made an unforecasted extra $30,000 in sales! He had blessed us with the beds and benefitted in his soul by the act of charitable giving. Then God arranged for even his costs to be recuperated. Battleford Furniture continued to bless us with product donations for years after that, too.
The owner of Battleford Furniture didn’t just give us things. He invested his heart in the mission. Perhaps he saw an promised opportunity in the famous Matthew 6:21 and realized he could place his treasure where he wanted his heart to be. Whether they realize it or not, the truth is that all of our donors are more than supporters. All donors are partners in the mission.
Partners in Mission with St. Therese Institute
Our donors – our true mission partners – make graces possible here and then get to share in the graces that they invite by their partnership. We are truly honored to work together in mission with those who diligently give from their first fruits to St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission.
Last year, we enrolled 39 residents, which meant fees could about 55% what it cost to operate the institute. The rest came from the treasuries of people like you plus revenues that the institute itself could generate. To reprise my earlier story, God has lots of money, but some of it is in your pocket.
The Montpetit family, who moved to Bruno the year the Institute opened, invest in St. Therese Institute as longtime financial supporters. Their giving comes from hearts that have seen the mission’s results personally. Three of their five children have attended STIFM. Denise Montpetit reflected how St. Therese transforms lives and is also a witness to the local community:
“From the start, and even 18 years later, we’ve been drawn to its mission – to help young adults encounter Christ deeply, grow in authentic community, and be formed for mission in the world. Through our children, we’ve witnessed the spiritual depth and growth of St. Therese’s formation.”
“The thriving community of Bruno continues to attract many young families, drawn by the life and faith that radiate from St. Therese Institute – truly the heartbeat of our community. We are especially grateful to see so many St. Therese students participating in daily Mass, assisting with parish events, and enriching our community with their youthful faith, enthusiasm, and joy.”
For the Monpetit family, financial support is doing “our part to see it continue to flourish. Supporting St. Therese…is truly an investment in the renewal of the Church”. For them, financial investment here “means helping to build a future Church that is alive, joyful, and authentically Catholic.”
Joshua Van Vliet (alumnus, class of 2014), shares his treasure with a heart of gratitude for what God did for him when he attended STIFM. “My year as a St. Therese resident was one of the most impactful years of my life. In gratitude for the formation I received and friendships I made, I’ve been a monthly donor for years so that others might be able to be blessed like I was.
“All that I have is a gift from God and I am happy to give back to Him by supporting a thoroughly Catholic apostolate like St Therese Institute.”
Josh adds a bold challenge to his fellow alumni: “I am of the bold opinion that all alumni with a job and who are grateful for their time at St. Therese should be monthly donors. It’s easy to give a little each month and it ends up making a big difference!”
Sometimes, the heart is moved in an instant. One of our Gap Year students was fundraising for her year at St. Therese. Dr. Wilbur Collins is in his 90s. He had never met her before but was struck by everything that she said. “I found the presentation very interesting and stimulating – and so I met with her after mass and agreed to provide some assistance.” After meeting the first student, Wilbur decided to continue supporting other students each year, because the experience had made such “a great impact on my life.”
“I support this Institute because I believe it has the ability to encourage young people in developing their Christian faith – which I hope will contribute to their future work, family and community. It is clearly evident that the Catholic Church and all Christianity needs all the help it can get to encourage young adults to continue and develop their faith – to attend mass, participate in religious activities, etc. It seems to me that the Institute – goes a long way in doing that AND so I want to encourage all young people in the parish to consider taking out one year or more to further solidify their faith by enrolling in programs such as that offered at ST Therese Institute.”
Wilbur pledges that he will “encourage my acquaintances to contribute to the Institute…because I want to further what you do.”
Whether you’re the person who gives a substantial one-time donation; the sweet widow who sends us a fraction of her pension every month in the mail; or anyone in between: giving generously—that is, giving until it costs us something—is an act of radical trust. It is designed to transform us. This starts when we look past our own security in order to say: “God, I believe you are the source of all my provision. I will act as a steward of your gifts, trusting that you will provide what I need.”
With that attitude, we can be the cheerful giver that God loves (conf. 2 Cor 9:7), and truly become “the Love at the heart of the Church” that the St. Therese mission statement promotes. We discover that when we place our treasure in God’s hands, our hearts find their way home.
James Riley has been on the St.Therese Institute mission staff since our first program year in AD2007. He currently serves as STIFM Deputy of Operations.