Acts 13:13-25,Psalm 89:2-3.21 -22.25.27,
John 13: 16-20 Full Readings
Saint Catherine of Siena
Servant of Christ.
Brethren today's Gospel presents to us the last supper discourse. After he had washed the feet of his disciple, he gave his teachings on servantiship, and the benefits of receiving those he has sent in his name. Let us reflect on the three aspects from his teachings in today’s gospel.
Firstly, No servant/slave is greater than his master. The term slave/servant has a negative connotation because many people, through history, have faced the negative effects of slavery; it is not a good thing to remember. This can raise some sort of questions about which kind of a slave or servant Jesus was talking about.
In the popular sense slaves are taken as nothing, but being a slave/servant of God is the best thing we can ever imagine in our life. This is because the relationship between God and his servants is that of a loving relationship where God wants us to realise our potentials, to reach our destiny which is to be with Him eternally.
We should always long for God to be our Master even more than being masters to ourselves because God takes care of us, accepts us even more than we accept and love to ourselves. This serves therefore as an invitation to try always to be servants of God. This is done through following whatever he commands and allowing his will to be done in the whole of our life.
In being servants of God, we have to be aware we are servants not to equate ourselves with God. Today there are many people trying to equate themselves as God since they think they can do anything they want to even to the extent of creating a person, killing the other as if they are makers of life, blaspheming in talking and doing and many other things. As Christians, let us be aware of these acts not to equate ourselves with God; we are ordinary creatures. The more we recognize that we are creatures and respect our limits, the more we are blessed but the vice versa happens to us when we try to make ourselves gods. Who knows if the problems we are facing now are as the result of this!
The second aspect is that no messenger is greater than the one who sent him. Being servants of God makes us His messengers but when we are sent, we have to be aware that the one who sent us is greater than us, and so, in that whatever we are doing, we should do it in His name not in our name. It is not our mission but His, it's not us who called ourselves but Him and so we have to humble ourselves before him. He gave us and if we don't humble ourselves, he will take away what he gave us.
Humility is one of the powerful virtues and tools in the work of evangelisation. Today you find people boasting of the miracles they can perform; sometimes we even label them that, the other priest, pastor or person is very powerful forgetting that it is God working through him or her. Nobody should boast of such powers if they are from God and if they are not from God, they will automatically not last.
The third aspect is about the benefits to those who welcome the ones God sends. Beloved, there are many blessings in welcoming God's messengers. Jesus promises us that whenever we welcome his messengers we have welcomed him and when we welcome Him we have welcomed one who sent Him. Brethren do we welcome our priests, religious, catechists, lay leaders and everyone bearing the word of God. When we welcome them, we welcome blessings of Christ and when we chase them away, we bring curses to ourselves (Mt 10:14). We have to try to look at Christ in a messenger not judging the person based on his status, sins and other limitations. When we judge them, we are judging Christ who sent them. Instead of judging them, pray for them that their human limitations should not overtake the Christ in them. Therefore let us love them, welcome them, and treat them as God's chosen ones so that we may have ourselves blessing from God.
Reflect today on your need to be a slave of God, a servant of God, who carries out His duties ? Have you ever, in your life, tried to equate yourself to God? How have you been a good messenger of God? Is humility your virtue as a messenger of God? Spend some time in silence and ponder on these aspects and pray for the Graces you need to be a good servant and a messenger of God.
Let us pray.
Lord may I always desire to be your servant and messenger because I know with you, I am always at peace. May you help me recognize my limits as a creature so that all Glory will be to you and to you alone. Amen
Be blessed and happy Easter season
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