In today’s Gospel, we hear of the ten men afflicted with leprosy, and the one who glorifies God for being healed. It is a dramatic scene of gratitude. But in order for the miracle to happen in the first place, these men had to start walking in faith before their diseased conditions could change one tiny bit. Good stewards of their faith realize that they cannot wait until their problems are over to start walking in faith. They praise God even in the darkest of nights, and in the worst of circumstances. Do we walk in faith, offering the Lord our gratitude even when we are in difficult circumstances?

Scientists say that most of us will never experience the full wonder of the star-filled nighttime sky because of the “light pollution” which keeps our modern world too bright to see true night. No doubt, this would have saddened St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast we celebrate October 4.

The saint who embraced the glory of creation, Francis is the patron saint of ecology and a model steward for our present age. Always one of our most popular saints, you need only visit a garden shop to find that, even in the midst of secular commerce, you can find a lawn statue of the 12th century native of an Umbrian hill town. Yet like many famous folk, Francis has become somewhat stereotyped, those statues always adorned sweetly with little birds. In reality, Francis was a bold and inspired man, a good steward of creation, who embraced it as bountifully good, emphasizing the original outpouring of God’s love into the world (at a time when the emphasis was often placed heavily on the stain of original sin.) Francis was a good steward of his neighbor. He famously embraced a leper he met on the roadway, even though he deeply feared the disease. When the man appeared to vanish, Francis felt he had encountered Christ himself which strengthened his belief that God is found in all of creation.

Francis heard the words “Rebuild my church” while visiting the worndown chapel at San Damiano. Only later did he and others regard those words as a challenge not to repair a structure but to reinvigorate Christian spirituality. Today, in a time of environmental crisis, Pope Francis is the first pontiff to take the saint of Assisi’s name as his own. The Holy Father’s encyclical, Laudato Sí, On Care for Our Common Home, speaks to the need to be good stewards of creation, to protect and cherish God’s great gift. St. Francis left us, along with a deep love for creation, with a spirituality that embraces simplicity and love for the poor.

October offers Christian stewards an opportunity to pray outdoors in the beauty of autumn, the changing leaves, the early dusk. Be a good steward of your prayer life: Take a prayer walk, as St. Francis would. Ask the saint to help you recommit to a simpler lifestyle, recycling, reusing, honoring resources, to seeing the earth and its poor as holy. Perhaps we might even venture out to the garden late at night, to see as many stars as we can.

1. Try to be early for Mass always. A few minutes spent in before Mass can open your soul to wonderful Graces.
2. When you enter or leave the Church take the Holy Water and sign yourself with the Sign of the Cross.
3. Always genuflect when you enter or leave your seat. This is an Act of Adoration to Almighty God, present in the Tabernacle. So, take time to genuflect reverently, facing the altar and saying “My Lord and my God” as your right knee touches the floor.
4. Don’t talk in the Church unless Absolutely Necessary. Talk only to Jesus- it is Him you have come to visit. Don’t talk as you leave either. Some people may still be praying.
5. Listen to the Sermon. It is a message from God which could bear Fruit for you.
6. Don’t start to leave the Church until the priest has returned to the Sacristy. Stay to thank God for the Graces you received from Him in the Mass.
Finally, St. John Bosco reminded us that every day we take a step closer to Heaven, that every day act should be for the greater glory of God and that every morning we should renew our resolve to work the Salvation of souls.

From today’s second reading, we are made to realize, like Timothy, that Christ’s call to follow him is meant for us all. Good stewards realize they have everything necessary to live for Christ. “Stir up the fire that is already burning inside you.” Another way to express this thought in the vocabulary of stewardship is: “Use your gifts now! Serve the Lord now! Get involved now! God put the fire inside you but you have to stir up the flame! Let it burn!” Everyone can give witness to Christ’s presence in the world, and most of us can do more than one thing for the Lord. How exactly do you “stir into flame” God’s unique gifts you hold within you?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenged the social structure of the Pharisees and teaches his hosts and their guests some profound lessons in humility. Pharisees maintained deep social divisions between who they considered “holy” and “unholy,” rich and poor, honored and despised. They didn’t invite someone to a banquet or dinner who couldn’t reciprocate. And the lowly, the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind had no capacity to reciprocate. Good stewards realize that if they embrace a humility that allows them to be generous to those who cannot repay them, they give evidence of having the kind of heart that will enjoy the Lord’s intimate friendship. This week let’s reflect on our attitude towards those who cannot repay our generosity. What is the extent of our hospitality toward others? Are we generous with those who cannot repay us?

The Gospel reading today starts with a question: “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus offers only a simple reply: Strive to enter through the narrow gate. Many will try to enter and will not be able. Good stewards know there is only one, narrow gate. Not everything will fit. This narrow gate has no room for our accomplishments. No room for our money. No room for our possessions. No room for anything else but those who’ve been good stewards of the Gospel. We can’t custom build our own gates either. There is only one, narrow gate that happens to be open for a time, but for how long? What is our plan of action to get through that gate?