In the long-ago days before I became familiar with the concept of “stewardship,” my awareness of the term was largely limited to the wine steward, mentioned in the story of the wedding at Cana.
So, while in time I have learned about different approaches to stewarding resources, he still comes to mind when I think about what is required of us as stewards.
As you will recall, the miracle story involves a wedding feast where the host family runs out of wine — a serious “loss of face” in first-century Israel. Reluctantly, Jesus turns water into wine, which is then taken to the wine steward to be checked before serving.
Upon tasting it, the steward speaks to the bridegroom, saying, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
This story illustrates a few aspects of stewardship.
First, the steward is responsible for the quality of what is served. In fulfillment of this, the steward checks everything before it goes forward.
Second, the steward is expected to have some level of expertise so he or she can pass an “evidence-based” judgment on whatever they are stewarding. They need to be knowledgeable to some degree regarding the resources they are stewarding. They are to know the difference between good, better, best, and to be able to identify that which is “not so good.”
Third, they are expected to report on their findings.
Also, I think, there’s a fourth aspect — they are to advise on the use of the resource, whatever its quality or state.
The steward in Cana was able to assess the wedding wine on its merits, without reference to its source, or fancy labels or lack thereof. And he clearly knew that inferior wine was served at weddings — but later, after the guests were already drunk. So even poorer quality resources can have a positive use.
In the case of wine, if it is kept too long, it becomes vinegar. And while it’s no longer drinkable, vinegar has many important uses — it adds flavour to food, both cooked and fresh; it can be used to preserve food through pickling, thus saving food that could spoil; it can clean, disinfect and deodorize glass, spaces, clothing and bodies; it can be a healthy hair tonic; it relieves the pain of insect bites and can get rid of weeds.
That’s a lot of uses for wine that has “gone bad”!
Of course, there will be cases where a resource is no longer usable — for example, the pickles that “go off.”
But again, the person opening the jar has to assess the quality/state of the pickles (first and second responsibility of the steward), and if you were me, going down to the basement to get foods from the storage room, you had to report your findings to mom … who, in turn, would tell you how to best dispose of them despite their “worst” quality — possibly to throw them out, give them to the pigs, or put them into the compost bin (not pickles!
The acid isn’t good for the compost process), to avoid waste and to make positive use of the resources God gives us.
A long story about good wine and bad wine … but hopefully one that will remind us to look at our personal and parish resources with an open and informed mind; to use our best judgment as to use, and to keep alternative uses in mind. Also, to remember that something that might look ordinary could actually be an extraordinary part of God’s miracles in our lives.
