20260928 SELF-SERVING LOVE AND SERVICE
28 September 2026, Monday, 26th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Job 1:6-22 |
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back: blessed be the name of the Lord
One day the Sons of God came to attend on the Lord, and among them was Satan. So the Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you been?’ ‘Round the earth,’ he answered ‘roaming about.’ So the Lord asked him, ‘Did you notice my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth: a sound and honest man who fears God and shuns evil.’ ‘Yes,’ Satan said ‘but Job is not God-fearing for nothing, is he? Have you not put a wall round him and his house and all his domain? You have blessed all he undertakes, and his flocks throng the countryside. But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his possessions: I warrant you, he will curse you to your face.’ ‘Very well,’ the Lord said to Satan ‘all he has is in your power. But keep your hands off his person.’ So Satan left the presence of the Lord.
On the day when Job’s sons and daughters were at their meal and drinking wine at their eldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job. ‘Your oxen’ he said ‘were at the plough, with the donkeys grazing at their side, when the Sabaeans swept down on them and carried them off. Your servants they put to the sword: I alone escaped to tell you.’ He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived. ‘The fire of God’ he said ‘has fallen from the heavens and burnt up all your sheep, and your shepherds too: I alone escaped to tell you.’ He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived. ‘The Chaldaeans,’ he said ‘three bands of them, have raided your camels and made off with them. Your servants they put to the sword: I alone escaped to tell you.’ He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived. ‘Your sons and daughters’ he said ‘were at their meal and drinking wine at their eldest brother’s house, when suddenly from the wilderness a gale sprang up, and it battered all four corners of the house which fell in on the young people. They are dead: I alone escaped to tell you.’
Job rose and tore his gown and shaved his head. Then falling to the ground he worshipped and said:
‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
naked I shall return.
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!’
In all this misfortune Job committed no sin nor offered any insult to God.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 16(17):1-3,6-7 |
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
Lord, hear a cause that is just,
pay heed to my cry.
Turn your ear to my prayer:
no deceit is on my lips.
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
From you may my judgement come forth.
Your eyes discern the truth.
You search my heart, you visit me by night.
You test me and you find in me no wrong.
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God.
Turn your ear to me; hear my words.
Display your great love, you whose right hand saves
your friends from those who rebel against them.
Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:6 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 9:46-50 |
The least among you all is the greatest
An argument started between the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what thoughts were going through their minds, and he took a little child and set him by his side and then said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.’
John spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘we saw a man casting out devils in your name, and because he is not with us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘You must not stop him: anyone who is not against you is for you.’
SELF-SERVING LOVE AND SERVICE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [JOB 1:6-22; PS 17:1-3,6-7; LUKE 9:46-50]
How much do we really love God? Is it as much as we think we do? How generous are we in serving God and His people? It is a fact that for those of us who ter
are blessed in so many ways–career, business, health, a loving spouse, a united family, wealth, and status–it is easier to love God. We can give praise and thanks to Him all the time for His goodness and mercy toward us. Indeed, with our lips, we say that God is good and great. As a result, many of us are also willing to serve God and His people because we have the time and resources to spare. We are happy to be of service to the poor or to the church; we genuinely want to serve Him and His people.
But the question posed to us is this: Is our love for God and our service to Him and His people truly genuine? Does our love and service spring from an unconditional love for God and neighbour, or from love of self? This calls for an honest examination of our motives. The first reading presents a story that challenges the purity of our love and service.
Interestingly, this story from the Book of Job speaks of Satan not so much as the devil as known in the New Testament, but as someone who leads us into evil and oppression. In Job, the Devil is called “the Adversary,” using the definite article “the.” At this point in Scripture, he is still considered an agent under God’s authority. He was not yet the tempter seen in the Book of Genesis, but rather acted like a divine prosecutor. As in the Book of Revelation, he is called the accuser: “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” (Rev 12:10). He is given the authority to expose human hypocrisy and selfishness.
Thus, Satan came to taunt the Lord when God spoke highly of His servant, Job: “Did you notice my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth: a sound and honest man who fears God and shuns evil.” But Satan doubted that Job could truly be that kind of person. Sceptical of humanity’s capacity for goodness, he replied, “Yes, but Job is not God-fearing for nothing, is he?” According to Satan’s assessment, Job was good only because he had something to gain from God. He feared God only because he was blessed with wealth, livestock, health, and family. After all, it is not difficult to love someone who loves us and provides for all our needs.
Indeed, what the Devil suggested contains much truth. Most of us serve God out of selfish needs and self-love rather than true love for God. We serve Him because He loves us–but if we feel He does not love us, we stop loving Him. For many of us, the signs of His love are judged purely by tangible actions. We feel we must experience His healing grace: when we pray for health, we expect Him to heal us; when we face financial hardship, we expect Him to send a windfall; when we need a job, we expect Him to provide one; when we face strained relationships with our spouse, children, or colleagues, we expect Him to resolve them.
Only when our family, career, and health are flourishing do we say that God is good all the time and that He loves us. Otherwise, we begin to doubt His love. This explains why those who are desperate for divine assistance–after praying for a long time–often feel abandoned when their prayers are not answered as expected. We not only give up on loving Him, but we also abandon our faith altogether, claiming that God does not exist or does not care. We stop praying, reading the Scriptures, doing good, and walking the right path. We become angry with Him and refuse to worship Him. Some even turn to false gods, willing to worship whatever gives them what they want. In truth, many so-called religious people are self-serving; it is all about themselves, their needs, and their desires.
In the Gospel, the apostles of our Lord did not serve with pure motives either. Underlying their discipleship was ambition and a desire for power. They argued among themselves over who was the greatest. Even while serving the Lord, they sought glory, recognition, and status. We must not be so naive as to think that in the religious world–even among those serving in church or among the poor–worldly motives do not creep in. Many who serve God do so, perhaps unconsciously, for recognition and praise. How else do we explain why people resign the moment their psychological or emotional needs are unmet?
Many fight for influence and prominence. Although they claim to serve God and the people, their focus often shifts to their organisation or group. They want to be the best–not in selflessly serving God, but in being superior to others and receiving praise. Instead of complementing one another, they compete against one another.
Besides honour, many also desire power in the church. Time and again, we see members fighting to hold office or to control leadership and other members. They want to be seen as the ones in charge–the power brokers with the authority to make decisions. Everything must go through them, and they thrive on that status.
This was precisely what happened with the disciples when they tried to stop other exorcists who were not part of their immediate group. But why should we stop anyone who is doing good? Anyone who does good selflessly, especially for the poor, should be praised and encouraged–even those from other faiths or no religion at all. We should rejoice that they have compassionate hearts rather than feel jealous of them. When we let jealousy take over, it reveals that our focus is on power and control, rather than helping people encounter God’s love and giving glory to Him. We end up seeking glory for ourselves.
To such insecure and power-hungry attitudes, the Lord said: “You must not stop him; anyone who is not against you is for you.” Similarly, Jesus taught them: “Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.”
If we truly love God, we will be happy to be the least. We will not demand honour for what we do, nor will we seek the limelight or take credit. We will be content simply to be His servants, using whatever gifts He has given us. We will not crave position or power; we will find that being capable of serving Him is itself the greatest reward.
The First Reading presents Job as an example of someone who truly loves God. Despite being stripped of everything–his possessions, his health, and his loved ones–he did not blaspheme or curse God. On the contrary, “falling to the ground he worshipped and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return. The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back. Blessed be the name of the Lord.'” In all this misfortune, Job committed no sin nor offered any insult to God. Such was Job’s selfless love and devotion. He proved the Devil wrong by showing that a person can serve God without selfish motives.
Job was completely detached from worldly goods and trusted entirely in God’s love and mercy. Though he may not have understood God’s ways, he trusted in them. Instead of focusing on what he had lost, he remained grateful for how he had been blessed. In adversity, he stayed faithful and accepted God’s plan.
How many of us can surrender our lives and suffering to God in this way? Many people harbour resentment toward God when loved ones are taken away by illness, old age, or accidents, blaming Him for abandoning them. Many young people stop praying because they blame God for the loss of their parents through death or divorce. They ask: How can we continue to believe in a merciful God if He does not seem to care?
Job prefigures Christ, who came specifically to serve rather than be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus came as a servant. Even at His death on the cross, He submitted humbly with prayers and tears, accepting the Father’s will and commending His spirit to God. We are called to do the same: to surrender our lives to God in good times and in bad, trusting in His divine providence. We have much to learn from Job about purifying our love for God and our service to His people, and we have much to imitate in his attitude toward God’s will.
So, like Job, let us love and serve Him simply because He is God. Regardless of the vicissitudes of life, let us remain steadfast with our eyes fixed on Him. He will rescue us, as the psalmist says: “Lord, hear a cause that is just, pay heed to my cry. Turn your ear to my prayer: no deceit is on my lips. From you may my judgement come forth. Your eyes discern the truth. You search my heart, you visit me by night. You test me and you find in me no wrong. I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my words. Display your great love, you whose right hand saves your friends from those who rebel against them.” With faith and confidence, let us entrust our lives to Him.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
