Only 10% of My Heart?

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the Equipcast yet this week, save it and set a reminder to listen in.

My life changed when I went to the Stewardship Conference in Wichita. My ministry changed. I met Jesus fully present, fully vulnerable in Adoration in the stunning little chapel at the Wichita retreat center. It changed everything I understood about what a disciple was, what was I doing in the role of Stewardship Coordinator, and how were we going to change from a culture that “wanted something from people – to wanting Jesus for them’. It was the week that the word evangelization became integral to stewardship in my mind. I stopped worrying about how many stewardship forms we could get returned and how we can get more ‘butts in the seats at Mass’; and started talking with God (and others) about where Jesus was in my own life. I began to see that it didn’t start with someone else doing something, it started with me. We simply cannot give what we don’t have. In order to be a disciple that knows everything I have comes from a loving Father, I must first be evangelized.

I am blessed to work among a team of true disciples, that have also allowed the Lord to come into their hearts in a new way through the New Evangelization. I can honestly say that I see in each of them the desire to want to share Jesus with people, more than they want something from them. God is so good and the Holy Spirit continues to move hearts in our parish, building upon the living stones that have been set in place over time.

One place that has this has been visible and evident to me, is the importance of prayer (a living relationship with God). Unless we help people hear the voice of God and know that they can have a living relationship with a living God, the Holy Spirit isn’t able to be fully unleashed in their lives to help them respond. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot overcome the “idols” in our lives of money, status, power, achievement, and give over to God everything we have. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot be a part of God’s plan for us to share the greatest news (evangelize) and live out the Greatest Commandment – to love God and to love our neighbor (the greatest gift we can give in love to our neighbor is ourselves and Jesus).

I’ve seen that happen for myself and others in our parishes through the power of our Perpetual Adoration! I’m witnessing that now through the power of teaching people how to pray, so that they can live it, model it, and teach it to others through our Lampstand initiative. Prayer is changing lives and transforming hearts. Looking back since that week in 2014, I recognize that the most important gift of each Pastor I have served under, has been the insistence on prayer and making it a priority in our personal lives and in our ministry. One method or tool isn’t greater than the other, they build upon one another as only God can design.

We have a gift here in our grouping of parishes, one that can be multiplied ten thousand fold as we continue to ask what we can do “for” the other. How can I receive even more from Jesus, so as to let him have my whole heart and put all that I’ve received at the service of the Holy Spirit so that someone else can know their Creator and Savior.

Happy, Holy Tuesday friends. Listen on,
Sheryl Cahoy
Serving Sacred Heart Parish of Norfolk and the amazing family of parishes in Norfolk, Stanton, Madison, and Battle Creek