SEEK

The revised pastoral plan therefore asks us to move beyond, “How am I spending my time?” to a deeper question: “Do I receive my life as a gift entrusted to me for holiness and service?”

REFLECT

This changes the way we understand stewardship. Stewardship is not primarily about squeezing another parish activity into an already crowded calendar. It begins with gratitude. I did not give myself life. I did not create the people I love, the abilities I possess, or the world in which I live. All of these have been entrusted to me.

And because they come from God, they have a purpose.

The Second Vatican Council teaches that every Christian, regardless of state or circumstance, is called “to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” Holiness, then, is not something reserved for a few extraordinary people. It is ordinarily worked out in the hours God has actually given us: prayer before the day begins, patience with a spouse or child, honest work, care for an aging parent, attention to someone who is lonely, rest when rest is needed, and responsible care for God’s creation.

Pope Francis makes the same connection when he speaks of vocation in its broadest sense as God’s call to life, friendship with Him, holiness, and ultimately service. Our lives are not accidental; they can become our response to the Lord who calls us.

So September is not simply about finding more time for God. It is about recognizing that all our time already belongs to Him.

SERVE

Begin each morning this month with a simple Morning Offering. Before checking the phone, opening email, or entering the rush of the day, consciously give the day back to the One who gave it to you.

Then choose one concrete act each week that cares for either creation or another person: conserve something you would normally waste, spend time with someone who needs your presence, perform an unnoticed act of service, or give an hour that you might otherwise have kept for yourself. This is the parish-wide practice called for in the revised September plan.

The ancient autumn Ember Days later this month give us another opportunity to practice this disposition through thanksgiving, penance, and prayer for vocations. They remind us that receiving God’s gifts gratefully naturally leads to offering something back.

For reflection: - What part of my life have I been treating primarily as my possession rather than as God’s gift? How might I offer it back to Him this month?

• Attend Holy Hour & Evening Prayer on Sept. 3 and offer that hour for greater wisdom in how you use your time.
• Observe the autumn Ember Days on Sept. 16, 18, and 19 with prayer, thanksgiving, or a small act of fasting.
• Join or support the CFM Kick-Off on Sept. 20 as a way of giving family time to Christ.
• Volunteer at the Senior Luncheon on Sept. 23.
• Before bed, ask: “Did I give God the first and best of today—or only what was left over?”

Each year on September 15, the Church honors Mary under the title Our Lady of Sorrows. For some Catholics, that title may sound unfamiliar or even a little severe. Why would we focus on Mary’s sorrow?

Because sorrow was part of her faithful love.

From the beginning, Mary’s vocation required trust. At the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Simeon told her that a sword would pierce her own soul. Later, she would know the fear of fleeing with the Child Jesus into Egypt, the anxiety of losing Him in Jerusalem, and finally the anguish of standing beneath the Cross as her Son suffered and died.

The Church traditionally reflects on the seven sorrows of Mary, but the point is not to dwell morbidly on suffering. Rather, Mary shows us how to remain faithful when love becomes costly.

At Calvary, Mary could not take away Jesus’ suffering. She could only remain near Him. And she did.

There is something deeply important in that for us. We often want to fix the suffering of those we love. Sometimes we can. Sometimes we cannot. A spouse becomes ill. A child struggles. A friend grieves. An aging parent declines. In such moments, one of the greatest gifts we can offer is simply our presence.

This fits beautifully with our September reflection on the stewardship of time. Time spent with someone who is suffering is never wasted. It can become an act of mercy, a work of love, and a path to holiness.

The Second Vatican Council reminds us that holiness is lived within the real circumstances of our lives, not outside them. Mary is one of the clearest examples. Her “yes” to God was not spoken only at the Annunciation. She continued saying yes through joy, uncertainty, sorrow, and the Cross.

Our Lady of Sorrows therefore teaches us that holiness does not always mean doing something extraordinary. Sometimes holiness means staying. Listening. Praying. Weeping with someone. Remaining faithful when we would rather walk away.

This September, perhaps we might ask ourselves: Who needs the gift of my presence right now?

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us, that we may remain close to Christ and close to all who suffer.