Two Stewards

 

 

The Gospels of John and Luke recall two of my favorite stories about stewards. The first is about the wine steward at the wedding held in Cana. The wine steward presents the wines and recognizes that the wine offered at the end of the wedding goes against standard procedure, where guests at the end of the celebration receive cheaper wine. The wine Jesus transformed from water is the best wine of the evening. 

 

The second is the story of the faithful steward to whom the owner can leave his precious properties. The interpretations that lend themselves to our stewardship campaign include the following. Like the wine steward we receive, we give the world the best wine. That wine is Jesus' blood, which cleanses us of our sins and allows us to join the celebration. In our case, the wedding celebration will be between Jesus and the Church.

 

In Luke's parable, we are the stewards into whose hands God entrusts what is precious to him, the earth, and its inhabitants (human and non-human). The parable ends with the oft-quoted phrase, "To whom much is given, much is required." 

 

God gives us everything created that is perceived physically, known intellectually, felt emotionally, and experienced spiritually. Having been given all of this, it makes sense that we should be required to offer health, restoration, and the welcome to return to God and God's goodness. Let's be quick to roll up our sleeves and be the stewards of wine and care.