Small Beginnings (07/28/2025)

Today’s gospel from Matthew 13 recalls Jesus’ preaching the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. Both signify the huge impact from small beginnings in our world, and they paint for us the picture of what is possible if we give back that which was given to us freely by our LORD. And it reminds me of a time in my own life where this played out in real time with real people and made such a difference.

It was in the late 90’s. I was the DRE at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Sun Prairie. And I wanted to teach the young people from kindergarten to 12^th grade about stewardship – sharing our time, our talent, our treasure for love of and glory of the LORD and in love for one another. I was able to get youth envelopes approved. I had them printed and then distributed them to the youth. I explained stewardship and told them what we do matters. I asked them to record on their envelopes weekly those for whom they prayed and hours of service to others. And if they had some personal “treasure” they could share, to include it in the envelope as well.

Weekly, those envelopes were brought to me. That was one of the conditions of the approval, that I deal with envelopes that usually contained coins rather than bills or were without coins but documented prayers and service. I recorded the list of prayers offered and the hours of service rendered as well as the “treasure” shared.

At the end of the year, I was astounded by the prayers offered up, by the hours of service offered by the youth, and by the dollar amount. I went to the office manager with the dollar amount and asked if he could think of anything that was close to that amount that the parish purchased. He told me that just that day, as he was breaking down expenses for the year, there was one within a couple of dollars of that figure – the payment for the hosts for a year.

The next Sunday, I got approval from the pastor to address the faithful after communion at all the masses. I told everyone of our stewardship efforts for the youth. I shared that there was real skepticism about what good could come of it. I reminded them of what Jesus was able to do with five loaves and two fish, how He fed 5000 families with 12 baskets of leftovers. Then I shared with those present how the youth had offered prayers for thousands of others, how they had performed thousands of hours of service. I ended by telling everyone that while the treasure shared came in coins rather than bills, the small offerings added up. In the end, the stewardship of the youth provided the Eucharistic bread for every mass, for every sick call for a whole year.

The youth understood the lesson. They realized that their fear that their offering wouldn’t matter was unwarranted. What they did mattered greatly.

I think of this experience often when I encounter another who feels as if he or she isn’t enough, as if what he or she has to offer is so insignificant that it wouldn’t matter. It is a reminder to me as I go forward every day that it all matters, no matter how small. We are called to share what we’ve been given – our time, our talents, and our treasure. If we all did that daily, imagine what we could do for love of and glory of our LORD and love of one another.

Let us commit to seizing every opportunity availed to us to share that which we’ve been given by our loving LORD. Let us have faith that it matters because we hope in a LORD who has a way of making a little go a long way. May we do it with joy and love.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.