Gifts are typically categorized as time in prayer, talent in charitable works and treasure generously shared. How do we practice this in everyday life?

TIME — invest in your prayer life

• Pray to God frequently throughout the day, every day.

• Talk and listen to God. This is best done in silence.

TALENT — willingness to help others

• Participate in parish ministries and other charitable good works.

• Accept responsibility for helping others.

TREASURE — generosity with your financial gifts

• Generously return a portion of the money you have been given by God.

• Give cheerfully without expecting anything in return.

• No gift is too small or insignificant.

Stewardship isn’t an exclusive club:

• We are all stewards!

• Living a stewardship lifestyle is a series of conversions – changes that soften our hearts and make room for the Holy Spirit to enter and work through us.

• As the Body of Christ we are called to help each other strengthen our relationship with the Holy Trinity and with each other.

• The whole point of stewardship is to help each other get to heaven!

Living a stewardship lifestyle:

• Takes time — time to pray.

• Is difficult — it demands placing God first in all things and not putting other “gods” before God.

• Means taking risks — detaching ourselves from our time, comfort, possessions and money.

• Means placing our complete trust in God and being generous with all of our gifts, especially the ones that mean the most to you.

• Requires action. The action of past generations is what built the Church. It is our responsibility to develop and nurture our gifts for future generations.

• Isn’t easy, but it has tremendous rewards — love, peace and joy on earth and eternal life in heaven!

When you stand before God and He asks what you have done with the gifts He has given you, how will you respond?

David Baranowski is the director of stewardship education in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He and his wife are parishioners at Assumption in south St. Louis County.