WE ARE MERE SERVANTS (cf. Luke 17:10)
⏰Wednesday of the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time 2 (05 September 2018 – Memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta)
đź“–1 Cor 3:1-9; Ps 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21 (R.v.12b); Luke 4:38-44
Who do people give praise to when you render service among them? Do you make it appear as if the strength to serve comes from you?
It would be a sign of spiritual immaturity to begin to distinguish yourself for the service you are able to render instead of giving the honour to God. St Paul called the Corinthians to order because they started to create factions over which minister to respect more, Apollos or himself (cf. 1 Cor 3:1-4).
No doubt, St Paul and his fellow ministers like Apollos did great work among the people, yet he understood that they were mere servants and the work was actually done by the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 3:5-9). Jesus himself equally passes on that same message with his constant withdrawal to a lonely place to pray after some daily tasks (cf. Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42).
We cannot be effective ministers if we do not align ourselves constantly with the God of the work (cf. John 15:5). And we will be dancing off the beat if we do not learn to say, we are mere servants (Luke 17:10).
St. Teresa of Calcutta, the popular Mother Teresa, whose memorial we celebrate today, tells us that “[when] you are humble, nothing will touch you; neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” We are pencils in the hands of God.
We must therefore be careful to make sure that in our daily efforts to work for God, we do not end up working against him by attracting praises to ourselves instead of God.
Have a happy day spent in proper discernment of the will of God and active service for his glory. Peace be with you.
