Daily Bread - Day 67

There was a rich man, that had a steward, and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. The parable, of which these words are a part, may remind us that every human being is a steward: from the Queen down to the lowest person this is true. If we lose sight of this fact we waste goods that are not our own, but our Heavenly Master's. Some waste property, some abilities, some health, all which, property, abilities, health, are given to us, to use, as stewards, for one end, God's glory. How many waste time, which should be made the most of, hour by hour, as men sip strong liquors, drop by drop; as the waste of time goes on on earth, it is made a matter of accusation before the Lord of Life, in the courts of Heaven. Oh, let us remember this! Very great is the waste of grace. It is worse than the waste of money, or abilities, or health. For it costs more, and it can do more. It was earned for us by Christ's blood. How sad is the waste of opportunities of prayer! of instruction in God's word! of Sacraments! Every opportunity of these is a property of which we are stewards, and how solemn a thing that is, we shall only know when we die and go before God, to give account of our stewardship.

- text taken from Daily Bread - Bring a Few Morning Meditations for the Use of Catholic Christians by Father Richard Waldo Sibthorp