To Be of Service

2nd Week of Lent - Wednesday (20 March 2019)

Jeremiah 18:18–20. Psalm 31. Matthew 20:17–28.

“Whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The word “humility” comes from the same root (humus) as the word for dirt. It is also the word from which we get the word “human.” This little lesson in etymology points right to the Bible story of creation. Genesis 2:7 says, “The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground.” NAB commentary says, “There is a play on words in Hebrew between adam (‘man’) and adama (‘ground’).” Therefore, to be humble simply means to be human, to be exactly what God created you to be. Jesus directed his comments in today’s gospel to “anyone who aspires to greatness.” (20:26). So, if you aspire to greatness, be great! But remember: being great is given to you so you can be “a servant to all.”

Ask ten people what it means to be a “good” Christian and we will likely get ten different answers. All of us have pet ideas of what constitutes an ideal follower of Christ. We may pride ourselves, for example, on keeping the Commandments, on our regular church attendance, prayer life, and generosity to the collection plate. We may attend Bible study classes, read good spiritual literature, and have religious articles prominently displayed in our homes. While all this is well and good, we may not be as attentive to a deeper dimension of the Christian way of life that is clear in the gospels. When Jesus invites us to follow him, he calls us not only to believe in him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, but to continue his mission. And, as we can see from the reading of Matthew, that mission is one of service.

Jesus states, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” In this gospel passage, Jesus makes known the Christian mission, and discourages ruling over people, making demands of others, or having people at our beck and call. Jesus’ life was one of service. The gospels record many of his teachings, but give equal measure to the deeds he performed on other people’s behalf. Jesus has been defined as “a man for others.” Can anything less be expected of his disciples? Our inclination in evaluating ourselves as Christian is very often to consider our personal religious virtues rather than our orientation to be of service. While it is important that we grow in piety, it is just as important that we grow in our compassionate care of others, especially those who depend on us. Our practice of the Christian way of life should be modelled on Jesus. This means that we too are called to teach, heal, console, forgive, reconcile, and pour out our love wherever it is needed. A “mission” means that we take an active role to be of service. 

Are you willing to accept Jesus’ definition of the Christian way of life, and commit yourself to being a “good” Christian in the way you serve the needs of others? Countless opportunities surround you on all sides, every day, to follow Christ in his mission. Is there someone in your family who needs your special attention, a friend who would appreciate a call? Are there people at work who could use a word of encouragement, a compliment, or some good advice? Can your parish or community use some talent or skill you have? Your power for doing good is beyond measure, and the Lord encourages you to use that power freely.