Service

Today’s Gospel Text: Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”  Jn. 12: 24-26

Reflection: For some people service comes very easily; whether it is a service to the poor or to the sick.

Some are proficient in delegated service or a work that is delegated to them.

There are some types who will avoid any form of service, even a service for a noble cause.

The Christian idea of service has a very broad meaning and starts with the service of the God who also serves us because of his great love for us.

Hence a good and faithful service is founded on the love of God and this love of God is made easy by the death of Jesus on the cross; a proof of the eternal and persistent love of God.

Since we have a proof of God’s love in the cross of Jesus, all that we need to do is to respond to this love initiative of God.

A love initiative that is sealed in the precious of blood of Jesus and now continues to be manifested in various ways.

On the other hand there are many who want to serve the Lord and do mighty things for him but would not want to follow him and his teachings.

Of this Jesus already warns us about them:

“Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven."  (DR: Mt. 7:21)

On the other hand Jesus assures us of the reward which every human being seeks, including a servant.

The reward will be the presence of Christ Jesus and the honor the Father will give to the one who sincerely and in a dedicated way serves Him.

Prayer:  Lord, teach us the way of service that our lives may glorify your holy name.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

 

Follow the Lord

Today’s Scripture: He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:13-17

Reflection: Some people come into our lives and leave immediately. Some we encounter for a moment, a friendship. While some come and go again and again on the other hand some are there to stay for ever.

Jesus’ teaching office was an invitation for discipleship; it was an invitation to stay in our lives for ever by inviting us to follow him. It was not a passing invitation or a shallow relationship that he intended to establish in the life of any individual but a permanent indelible signature he wanted to leave behind in all those who sought to follow him.

It would be the mark or the seal of the eternity which comes through trusting him and not ourselves or our positive abilities. They can’t hold ground if we are not followers of Christ Jesus. The tax collectors and sinners who too followed Jesus were no ordinary fools or less intellectual creatures but were intelligent men with visible and manifest defect unlike the many with hidden defects but perfect to the world and imperfect to the kingdom demands.

Prayer:  Lord, May your servants, who seek to follow you, find peace in your saving grace.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us