O Lord,
giver of life and the source of our freedom,
we are reminded by the Psalmist that
Yours is "the earth and its fullness;
The world and those who dwell in it".

We know that it is in your hand
that we have received
all we have,
and are,
and will be.

Gracious and loving God,
we understand that You call us
to be the stewards of Your abundance,
The caretakers of all You have entrusted to us.

Help us always
to use your gifts wisely and
teach us to share them generously.

May our faithful stewardship
bear witness to the love of Christ in our lives.

We pray with grateful hearts,
in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Stewardship is about using God's gifts for the benefit of others. Our time, talents and treasure are God's gifts that are given to us by him. We are stewards of these gifts during our lifetime and are accountable for how well we manage them for the community of God's people. Stewardship is not expressed in a single action, or number of actions, but in an entire way of life; it rejects the notion that we must "have it all" and instead, demonstrates the value of giving in love, in service and in justice.

Unlike an owner, a steward cares for property that belong to someone else. A steward is a trustee or a temporary custodian who has been given the responsibility for caring and managing the property and for making sure that it yields as much as possible.

Please take a moment to reflect on Stewardship in Scripture by visiting this page. A Prayer for Stewardship can be found on this page. 

Additional information on Stewardship from the International Catholic Stewardship Council is also available.