Living with Authenticity

An Everyday Stewardship Reflection for 20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2016

Politics and religion are supposed to be two topics you never bring up at family gatherings. These topics too often seem to drive wedges between people who love each other. It would be easier to talk about pop culture and other frivolous topics. I remember when I was a teenager my uncle became a born-again Christian. Suddenly, his siblings wanted to talk to him less. When there was the rare family gathering, great effort was put into bringing up topics of less substance so as to crowd out of the conversation of his take on faith.

But that seems pretty unfortunate. In fact, faith seems like the most important topic to bring up with those you love. Jesus knew his message would bring division and conflict to many a household. Fear of conflict was not to be a reason for not sharing one’s faith. It is through our witness and testimony that others see what a difference Jesus makes in life.

Perhaps the best way of giving witness is by how we live our lives. If we are striving to live an authentic stewardship way of life, we will be speaking volumes about faith without saying a word. We need to share with family our journey because we love them.

My uncle had found a path, but he wanted to forcibly tell everyone what he or she needed to do, rather than simply demonstrate that through his actions. Will the Good News of Jesus Christ sometimes cause a riff in the fabric of a family? Yes, because the Way of the Cross is not easy. But if at the next family gathering you take the time to give of yourself freely and completely to those around you, then those you love may take notice and may want to know the reason for your generosity and graciousness.