Sacred Scripture
Jesus said to the apostles: “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'” (Luke 17:7-10)
Reflection
Today Jesus tells us about the attitude of a servant. There is a saying that says: “your attitude is the aroma of your heart”. So, the question we must ask ourselves is, do we have the attitude of a servant, or of selfishness? God calls us all to service, not selfishness; and our attitude (or mindset) makes all the difference in this.
I think that some people today would read this passage and feel outraged, saying things like “that’s not fair!” I would ask, why isn’t it fair though? Isn’t it the place of the servant to wait on the master? Shouldn’t the servant first take care of their responsibilities before they are to pursue their own interests? I see this passage not as a master/servant power struggle; but rather a reminder of who’s will should go first … our will or God’s will?
We spend a lot of time worrying about our earthly commitments, yet if we pay attention to the words of God in scripture, we realize we truly only have one priority: to honor and glorify God. Spending time in prayer with the Lord, cultivating our faith, and tending to the needs of others are all part of the process of drawing ourselves closer to that one priority: growing in faithfulness to the Lord.
In order to exalt the Lord and serve our neighbor, we must lower ourselves to the position of humble servant. We must realize that who and what we are is not nearly as important as who we worship and love
Prayer of The Day
Let us not boast, Lord God, about our accomplishments in your service. What good we have done has been due to your help, grace, and inspiration. Let us be aware of your assistance through fidelity, honesty, courage, and faith. If we are at peace both with ourselves and with others, it is due mainly to your help in keeping us from bitterness, hate, or jealousy. Let our kindness to others reflect your kindness to us. Amen.
Daily Note
There is tremendous freedom when we expect nothing. Because we expect nothing, we do what we do for the right motive: which is simply that it is the right thing to do. And when we finish doing it, we don’t hang around like beggars waiting for the chance of a few coins. A rabbi said that the perfect kind of generosity was when the giver didn’t know who was receiving and the receiver didn’t know who was giving. Then the giver is not burdening the receiver with a debt of gratitude, and the receiver can see right through the giver (who is invisible) to God, the ultimate giver.
