20171114
THE REWARDS OF THE JUST AND DUTIFUL SERVANT
Readings
at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: Green.
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First reading
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Wisdom 2:23-3:9 ©
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God made man imperishable,
he made him in the image of his own nature;
it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world,
as those who are his partners will discover.
But the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God,
no torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die,
their going looked like a disaster,
their leaving us, like annihilation;
but they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as men see it,
their hope was rich with immortality;
slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test
and proved them worthy to be with him;
he has tested them like gold in a furnace,
and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out;
as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples,
and the Lord will be their king for ever.
They who trust in him will understand the truth,
those who are faithful will live with him in love;
for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 33(34):2-3,16-19 ©
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I will bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
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Gospel Acclamation
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Mt4:4
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia!
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Or
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Jn14:23
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Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Luke 17:7-10 ©
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Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Which of you, with a servant
ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields,
“Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get
my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You
can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for
doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told
to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’
THE REWARDS OF THE JUST AND DUTIFUL SERVANT
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Wis 2:23 – 3:9; Ps 33:2-3,16-19; Lk 17:7-10 ]
It is natural
that we look for gratitude and rewards for what we do. Even if we do not
seek material rewards or benefits, we would expect at least that those whom we
serve are grateful for what we have done. Otherwise we will be
discouraged, because we feel that we are not appreciated. Indeed, when
appreciation is not forthcoming, many will be slighted and feel hurt.
They will stop serving or giving.
This explains
why in the first reading, we read that this is more so when a good and
just man suffers for doing what is right and good. Again, we all
expect the good to be rewarded and the just to be blessed. But when they
suffer injustices, we find it difficult to accept. As the author of
Wisdom says, “In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going
looked like a disaster; their leaving us like annihilation.” Indeed, the
suffering of good and holy people is seen as tragic.
In the
gospel, Jesus gives us His perspective of the reward of a servant. He
said, a servant’s duty is to serve the master: “Which of you, with a
servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the
fields, ‘Come and have your meal immediately?’ Would he not be more likely to
say, ‘Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and
drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards’” The truth is that the
place of a servant is to serve. Only in serving can he or she find
himself or herself. This explains why Jesus said, we should not be
looking for any reward or gratitude from those whom we serve. This is
because we are doing what we are called to do. Hence, Jesus postulated,
“Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you:
when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are merely servants:
we have done no more than our duty.’”
In other words, we
are all called to live out our vocation in life. Regardless what we
do or who we are, our calling is to be a servant of others through our
vocation. It is when we live out our identity as servants that we find
ourselves, our fulfillment and our meaning for existence. Unless we
live out our identity, we will live a conflicted life. Those who are not
faithful to their responsibilities in life are not living an integrated
life. They contradict what they are called to be and to do. Unless
we find unity of life between who we are and what we are called to do, and do
accordingly, there will be a lack of peace within our hearts. The reward of
being faithful to our servanthood, our vocation, our life is the joy of being
our true self and allowing the doing to flow from our being. There is no
other reward greater than the joy of satisfaction, fulfillment,
self-realization and a clear conscience.
This is true
for one who lives a just and good life and yet suffers injustice. As the author of
Wisdom says, their suffering and death appear to the unwise as a punishment, a
disaster, an annihilation and a tragedy. But the truth is that those who
suffer unjustly “are in peace” because they suffer for what is right and
true. Their conscience is clear and their suffering and even death is a
witness to the truth that they proudly stand for. Indeed, “the souls of
the virtuous are in the hands of God. No torment shall ever touch them.”
For the unwise, their suffering means a failure of their mission, but for the
just man, “their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction,
great will their blessings be”. Indeed what greater life can one
have than to be true to oneself, and to be ready to die for one’s
beliefs? When we fail to stand up for our beliefs and be true to
ourselves, we lose our self-dignity. It shows that we lack
courage and we are simply dancing to the tunes of the world, not what is true
but what is popular. Eventually, we lose our direction and our conscience
is not at peace because what we do is contrary to what we believe in our hearts.
Besides being
faithful to themselves when the just suffer, they take their sufferings as
moments in which they purify themselves in love and faith. “God has put them to
the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in
a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust. When the time comes for his
visitation they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will
they.” Through suffering, especially unjust and innocent suffering, we
grow in grace and in the capacity to be detached from the passing values of
life. So we should not be afraid to suffer because when we see sufferings
positively, they teach us humility, purify our motives in service, strengthen
our will, and help us to go beyond the sensual comfort to seek for inner peace
and joy.
Unjust
suffering is not only good for the ones who suffer but it is also meant for
those who look upon their sufferings. Apparently, such unjust suffering is absurd, but only
innocent and helpless suffering evokes the compassion and the sentiments of
their fellowmen. We have more sympathy for the underdogs when they are
helpless and marginalized than those who can fight back when they are
attacked. This was the case of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah when he
wrote, “As many were astonished at him – his appearance was so marred, beyond
human semblance and his form beyond that of the sons of men – so shall he
startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that
which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard
they shall understand.” (Isa 52:14f)
When Jesus died on the cross, the centurion who witnessed the whole event
praised God and exclaimed, “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Lk 23:47)
We also read, “And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they
saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. (Lk 23:48)
We are moved by innocent and unjust suffering. By our innocent suffering
and humble service, we will be a reprimand to those who are evil. “They
shall judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for
ever.”
Jesus for us
is a model of this servant that was faithful to Himself and as a result,
suffered unjustly. Jesus’ identity was that of a servant. He told the
disciples, “It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you
must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave;
even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give
his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:26-28)
The letter to the Philippians summarizes the servanthood of the Lord in these
words, “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the
form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in
human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a
cross.” (Phil 2:6-8)
We too are
called to be like Jesus, to be the Suffering Servant for God and for others. This is our calling
in life. Our identity as sons and daughters of God is to be like a
servant as God is to us. The author of Wisdom says, “God made man imperishable,
he made him in the image of his own nature; it was the devil’s envy that
brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover.”
God’s life is love, service and self-emptying. Indeed, servanthood marks
the life of every Christian. Jesus said, “If any man would come after me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever
would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will
find it.” (Mt 16:24f)
Only by
walking in the way of servanthood and, when necessary, suffering for doing what
is right and good, can we share in Christ’s exaltation. We are assured
in the first reading that “they who trust in him will understand the truth,
those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await
those he has chosen.” We will share in the resurrection of Christ because
we share in His suffering and death. (cf Rom 8:17)Indeed,
the joy of being united with the Lord and sharing in His life of grace and
peace is worth the suffering. Hence, with the psalmist, let us in good
times and in bad, say, “I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always
on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and
be glad. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is
crushed he will save.”
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of
Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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