Today's Gospel may sound like fingernails on a chalkboard to our modern ears. This message is directly opposed to the culture in which we have been reared. The world tells us to seek recognition for our efforts, even if it was something we were supposed to do anyway.
Our society, with it's twisted sense of fairness, reads this Gospel passage with arrogance and places it aside. We might hear our society say, "This must have been what it was like back then, cruel, heartless, and demanding but no so in our day. This servant should have rights too. The fair thing is for the master to serve the servant after his hard day of labor in the field." And thus the message is lost.
The Lord is telling us that we must seek to serve and not count the cost or look for a reward. He is not placing an unrealistic demand upon us. He himself showed us what he meant by these words. "
...[He] rose from supper, laid aside his garments and girded himself with a towel." He took the form of a servant saying, "
I have come not to be served but to serve." If we are to be like Him, we must serve and not hunt for laurels. The Lord has done so much for us, how can we say anything but, "
We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty."
Take Two
With this in mind, I believe the 1st Reading is appropriate for today in the United States. Our country would do well to re-read this passage over and over before the next presidential election. Jesus' words, through St. Paul, give us a guide and model for the type of people we should be asking to lead us!
Beloved: You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.
Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us.
For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:1-8, 11-14) FROM THE SAINTS
"A clear sign that you are seeking holiness is what I might call "the healthy psychological prejudice" of thinking usually about others (while forgetting yourself) so as to bring them closer to God." - St. Josemaria Escriva -
The Forge #861*
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