Stewardship Prayers
Archbishop Carlson’s 2012 Stewardship Goal
Let us focus on generosity, or returning God’s gifts with increase,
through the generous sharing of our time, talent and treasure.”
Archbishop Robert Carlson has recommended that every week in every parish
a stewardship intention should be included in the “Prayers of the Faithful.”
To have the Prayers of the Faithful emailed to you before each quarter, email Dave Baranowski.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
April 2012 thru June 2012
March 18, 2012
That we may show our gratitude for Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice by generously making sacrifices in our own lives.
March 25, 2012
That, as God’s chosen people, we may accept and follow God’s plan for us to generously share our time, talent and treasure with others.
April 1, 2012
That we may gratefully offer back to Our Lord the time, talent and treasure He has given to us so that we may help complete His work here on earth.
April 8, 2012
That our celebration of Easter may help us to grow more grateful for the sacrifice Christ made for us and more willing to make our own sacrifices to continue His work.
April 15, 2012
That we may learn to see all of our blessings as abundant gifts from God, placed in our hands so that we may use them for the benefit of all God’s people.
April 22, 2012
That we may have the courage to do the work that God has sent us to do, knowing that only in this way will we find true peace and joy.
April 29, 2012
That we may learn to trust more in God’s goodness rather than in the allure of power, money or possessions.
May 6, 2012
That we may show our love for God by the way we use our time, talent and treasure.
May 13, 2012
That we may open our hands to Jesus, offering Him all that we have, out of love and gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice Our Lord made for us.
May 20, 2012
That while we wait for Jesus to return, we may dedicate our time, talents and treasure to caring for those in need and promoting the teachings of the Gospel.
May 27, 2012
For all those who generously share their unique gifts so that together, as a parish community, we can carry on the work of Jesus Christ.
June 3, 2012
That our summer schedule may include more time to spend with Our God.
June 10, 2012
That, through the Eucharist, we may find the nourishment and strength to live as good Christian stewards.
June 17, 2012
That tough economic times may remind us to put our faith in Jesus and re-evaluate our priorities according to the teachings of the Gospel - not the advertisings in the media.
June 24, 2012
That we may recognize God’s abundant blessings to us and understand that we are blessed so that we can share.
These prayers can be used for parish meetings or other occasions when a prayer is needed.
Archbishop Robert J. Carlson's Daily Stewardship Reflections
Lord, what do You want me to do with all the gifts you have given me – including my time, my talents and my material things?
Lord, how would You like me to become more fully involved in the life of Your Church?
Lord, how would you like me to payback all the gifts You have given me?
Lord, what do You want me to do with all the gifts You have given me?
LIVE IN MY LIFE
Lord,
I invite you to live in my life today.
Here is my face – Smile through it.
Here is my mouth – Speak to someone with it.
Here are my ears – Listen to someone with them.
Here is my heart – Love someone with it.
Here are my hands – Touch someone with them.
Here are my arms – Hug someone with them.
Here are my feet – Walk with them this day.
Amen
STEWARDSHIP PRAYER
Loving God, I
come to you in thanksgiving, knowing that all I am and all that I have is gift
from you. In faith and love, help me to do your will.
I am listening, Lord God. Speak your words into the depth of my soul, that I
may hear you clearly.
I offer to you this day all the facets of my life, whether it be at home, at
work, or at school – to be patient, to be merciful, to be generous, to be holy.
Give me the wisdom and insight to understand your will for me and the fervor to
carry out my good intentions.
I offer my gifts of time, talent and possessions to you as a true act of faith,
to reflect my love for you and my neighbor.
Help me to reach out to others as you my God have reached out to me.
A STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it.” - Genesis 2:15
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.
“For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them…” - Romans 12:4-6
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.
“This is what the Lord then said to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites to take up a collection for me. From every man you shall accept the contribution that his heart prompts him to give to me.’” - Exodus 25:1-2
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.
“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” - Luke 12:48
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.
“Give and gifts will be given to you: a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” - Luke 6:38
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.
STEWARDSHIP PRAYER
O Lord, giver of life and source of freedom, I know that all I have received is from your hand.
Gracious and Loving Father, You call us to be stewards of Your abundance, the caretakers of all
You have entrusted to us. Help us to always use Your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously.
Send the Holy Spirit to work through us, bringing Your message to those we serve.
May our faithful stewardship bear witness to the love of Jesus Christ in our lives. We pray with grateful hearts, in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Dear Lord, We come before you today to ask you to help us be more generous.
We pray:
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may fully appreciate all your many gifts to us.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may give without counting the cost.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may share without expecting something in return.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may know the joy that comes from helping others.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may share all that you have given us.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may hold all our treasures in an open hand.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may recognize the many blessings in each new day.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may learn the difference between what we need and what we want.
ALL: Gracious God, give us generous hearts…
Leader: ...so we may ever thank you and serve you.
Leader: Lord, we ask all of this, knowing that you will always give us all that we need. Please bless the work we do for you today and always.
ALL: Amen
A STEWARDSHIP OPENING PRAYER
By: Rev. Msgr. Ted L. Wojcicki, Vicar of Pastoral Planning
Originally written for the 1999 St. Louis Archdiocese Stewardship Evening
Lord, God,
You are the source of all creation.
You are the source of all goodness.
You are the source of love.
You are the source of all good gifts.
You are the source of the gift of life itself.
Lord of Life,
We thank you for the gift of life.
We thank you for all our blessings and talents.
We thank you for all good gifts.
Lord, God, we thank you for the abundance of time, talent, and treasure you have bestowed on the people of God of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
We ask you to help us "Be Responsible Stewards of Your Gifts to Us."
We ask you to bless us with the courage, generosity, and selflessness to help us multiply these gifts among us for the glory of your name.
Let us be not afraid, let us not bury our gifts.
Let us recognize and name these gifts in ourselves and in one another.
Lord Jesus, you have challenged us with your holy words in Sacred Scripture:
- That the one who "seeks to save his life will lose it;"
- That the one who "loses his life for your sake will save it for all eternity;"
- That the "greatest among us is the one who serves the rest;"
- That it is "harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle;"
- That our "true treasure is in heaven."
Lord, give us the strength and the faith to respond to your challenging words.
Lord, you have given us also generous promises:
- That you treasure greatly the sacrificial spirit of the widow’s mite;
- That you will reward with hundredfold harvest those who sow in the rich soil of faith;
- That you will not be outdone in generosity;
- That you will not give us burdens that we cannot bear.
We thank you, above all, for the joy-filled gift of faith and the inspirational witness of generous saints of ages past.
We ask Lord for your blessing upon our Holy Father, Archbishop Rigali, his auxiliary bishops, all diocesan leaders, pastors, parish priests and parish leaders.
Bless our time together this evening.
This we pray through Christ, our Lord. Amen