Not to Be Served but to Serve
Introduction: May
you continue to imitate our Master-Teacher Who came to serve rather than be
served.
It is impressive to have a “boss” who is willing to get down and
work with the people who are under him/her. Like pastors who enjoyed helping
with the cleaning and maintenance of the parish facility. Also, to recall
leaders who would set up chairs for meetings and do whatever else was
necessary, even cleaning the bathrooms if that was necessary. On the other
hand, we also recall other “leaders” who would not lift a finger to help anyone
and expected everyone else to wait on them.
Obviously, the best example of a Servant-Leader is Jesus. Even
though He is the Son of GOD, part of the Blessed Trinity, nothing is beneath
Him. He has come to truly serve rather than be served. He should be our model
for leadership.
Three
key concepts are presented for our thoughts today: servanthood, suffering, and
redemption. They are integrally linked not only in the life of Jesus but also
in our lives. Today’s First Reading is part of one of the Suffering Servant
Songs in Isaiah. It speaks of how the sufferings of the Servant of GOD lead to
justification for the multitude and ultimate glory for the Servant. The psalm
is a reminder that the LORD delivers us from death. In the reading from the
Letter to the Hebrews, Jesus is presented as the great High Priest, Who, human
like us, has entered into the presence of GOD to dispense graces to us. The
Gospel is the account of James and John asking Jesus for places of honor in His
reign. Jesus responds to them, showing they are asking the wrong question.
Honor and glory come from suffering and being a servant, not from sitting at a
special place and being served.
First Reading; Isaiah 53:10-11: If
he offers his life in atonement, what the Lord wishes will be done
Commentary: The whole of the Fourth Song of the
Suffering Servant is read at the liturgy of Good Friday. Today we have only a
part, but enough to show that the Servant’s suffering somehow fulfils God’s
purposes, brings glory to the Servant, and salvation to others. We do not know
who the servant originally envisaged by the author was, perhaps the prophet
himself, perhaps the people of Israel, suffering in exile in Babylon. But the
Word of God also has a fuller meaning. We know from Jesus’ own sayings that he
saw himself as the complete fulfilment of these poems: ‘the Son of man came not
to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many’. He saw his
life as one of service and of perfect obedience to the Lord, his Father. He saw
his task to be the establishment of the Kingship of God on earth, which would
bring salvation to all, and that the opposition to this Kingship would bring
him suffering and eventually death. This selfless obedience of Jesus would undo
the stubborn disobedience of all humanity, featured in the sin of Adam. It
would bring to completion the Lord’s designs for the world and for all
creation.
Responsorial Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22: May
your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
The
Responsorial Psalm is filled with expectation. GOD will bring about deliverance
from death and suffering. GOD has promised it and GOD is faithful to the
promise. This prayer could have been prayed not only by members of the chosen
people as they looked forward to the Messiah, but at the many times in their
individual lives and their history when they were oppressed. It is meant to
give hope and encouragement to the people and to inspire them to be faithful,
for GOD is faithful and GOD will preserve those who are faithful.
Second Reading; Hebrews 4:14-16: Our
high priest is one who has been tempted in every way that we are
Commentary: The Letter to the Hebrews contrasts
the supreme High Priest with the transient high priests of Judaism. To bring
humanity to perfection Jesus had to share completely in our humanity. He was
‘tempted in every way that we are’, sexual temptations, temptations to anger, intolerance,
to cut people down to size. He was ‘capable of feeling our weaknesses’, fear,
frustration, laziness, and boredom. In the gospels few of these are
mentioned: his exhaustion at the well in Samaria, his grief at the death of his
friend Lazarus. But, as he had a very human personality, he must have suffered
the fears and incomprehension of childhood, the frustrations of adolescence, as
well as the more complex troubles and sorrows of adulthood, not to mention the
unremitting opposition of those who rejected him – all under the
overarching passion for his Father and his Kingship. All this would have
enriched his personality still further until he offered the whole of his
humanity in obedience to his Father’s designs. Just as martyrdom is the crown
of a life of Christian fidelity, so Jesus’ final sacrifice was the crown of a
life of love, obedience, and generosity.
Gospel Mark 10:35-45: The Son of Man
came to give his life as a ransom for many
Commentary: Three times in Mark’s gospel does
Jesus formally tell his disciples about his coming Passion and each time they
seem entirely deaf to it. So each time Jesus counters their misunderstanding by
repeating the need of a disciple to follow him in suffering. Today’s reading
begins just after the third prophecy, and – true to form – the sons
of Zebedee reply with a request for the best seats at the banquet of the
Kingdom! Matthew spares the two disciples by putting the request in their poor
mother’s mouth. Only in a second exchange with Jesus do they woodenly accept to
share Jesus’ ‘cup’ and ‘baptism’. Do they really know what they are accepting,
or do they just blithely agree? The indignation of the other disciples prompts
Jesus to his clearest statement in words that authority in the Church is a
service. His clearest statement in action is the smelly business of washing
their travel-gnarled feet at his last meal with them. The lesson is difficult
to assimilate, for authority corrupts even at this level. At the ordination of
a priest the Church still speaks of ‘the dignity of the priesthood’ rather than
‘the service of the priesthood’.
Reflection: Who doesn't want to be first, and to
be esteemed and honored by others? We seem to have an unquenchable thirst for
recognition and fame, power and authority to rule our own lives as we please as
well as the lives of others. Should we be surprised to see the disciples of
Jesus thirsting for power, position, and authority? James and John, the sons of
Zebedee, urged their mother to strike a deal with Jesus, their Master and
Messiah. They wanted the distinction of being first and most important in
position, next to Jesus, of course!
Jesus turns authority and power upside down: When
Jesus called the twelve apostles to be his inner circle of disciples who would
teach and exercise spiritual authority on his behalf, he did the unthinkable!
Jesus taught contrary to the world's understanding of power, authority, and
position, by reversing the order of master and servant, lord and subject, first
and last! Jesus wedded authority with love, position with sacrifice, and
service with humility. Authority without love is over-bearing and slavish.
Position without respect and concern for the subordinate is demeaning and rude.
And service without generosity and sacrifice is cheap and unkind.
Those
who wish to serve with the Lord Jesus and to exercise authority in God's
kingdom must be prepared to sacrifice - not just some of their time, money, and
resources - but their whole lives and all that they possess! Jesus used stark
language to explain what kind of sacrifice he had in mind. His disciples must
drink his cup if they expect to reign with him in his kingdom. The cup he had
in mind was a bitter one involving crucifixion. What kind of cup does the Lord
have in mind for us? For some disciples such a cup entails physical suffering
and the painful struggle of martyrdom. But for many, it entails the long
routine of the Christian life, with all its daily sacrifices, disappointments,
set-backs, struggles, and temptations.
Christ's way of love and service: A disciple
of Jesus must be ready to lay down his or her life - each and every day in the
little and big sacrifices required - and even to the point of shedding one's
blood if necessary for the sake of Christ and his Gospel. What makes such
sacrifice a joy rather than a burden? It is love - the kind of "love which
God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to
us" (Romans 5:5). An early church father summed up Jesus' teaching with
the expression: "to serve is to reign with Christ." We share in God's
reign by laying down our lives in humble service and love for one another, just
as Jesus did for our sake. Are you ready to lay down your life and serve others
as Jesus has taught and modeled for us?
Lord
Jesus, make me a servant of love for your kingdom, that I may seek to serve
rather than be served. Inflame my heart with love that I may give generously
and serve joyfully for your sake.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Not to be served but to
serve, by John Chrysostom (344-407 AD): "[Jesus]
says, 'The Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life
as a ransom for many.' It is as if he were saying, 'I willed not even to stop
at death but even in death gave my life as a ransom. For whom? For enemies. For
you. If you are abused, my life is given to you. It is for you. Me for you.' So
you need not be too picky if you suffer the loss of your honor. No matter how
much it is lowered, you will not be descending as far as your Lord descended.
And yet the deep descent of one has become the ascent of all. His glory shines
forth from these very depths. For before he was made man, he was known among
the angels only. But after he was made man and was crucified, so far from
lessening that glory, he acquired further glory besides, even that from his
personal knowledge of the world."
"So
fear not then, as though your honor were put down. Rather, be ready to abase
yourself. For in this way your glory is exalted even more, and in this way, it
becomes greater. This is the door of the kingdom. Let us not then go the
opposite way. Let us not war against ourselves. For if we desire to appear
great, we shall not be great but even the most dishonored of all. Do you see
how everywhere Jesus encourages them by turning things upside down? He gives
them what they desire but in ways they did not expect. (excerpt from THE GOSPEL
OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 65.4.25)
Taking it personally
“The
Lord was pleased to crush Him in infirmity.” —Isaiah 53:10
Isaiah
prophesied that Jesus would be “pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins”
(Is 53:5). Jesus was crushed because “the Lord laid upon Him the guilt of us
all” (Is 53:6). One person’s guilt can cause him or her to collapse (see Hos
14:2) or even be crushed. Imagine (if you can) all the weight of all the guilt
of all sins of every person who has lived or will ever live. Imagine this
weight pressing upon one person at a time. Then you can understand why “so
marred was [Jesus’] look beyond that of man, and His appearance beyond that of
mortals” (Is 52:14). Jesus suffered on the cross more than can ever be
imagined.
Jesus
died because of our sins. Consequently, each of us is partly responsible for
Jesus’ brutal death (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 598). Nevertheless,
Jesus suffered dreadfully and died for each of us personally. Therefore, the least
we can do is to: live lives of thanksgiving to our crucified Savior, and love
Him “with all [our] heart, with all [our] soul, with all [our] strength, and
with all [our] mind” (Lk 10:27), tell as many people as possible about the One
Who has loved us even to death on the cross (see Phil 2:8), and be willing to
die a martyr’s death in imitation of Jesus.
When
a person comes to the realization that he or she partly caused Jesus’ death and
was perfectly loved by Jesus in His death, that person lives no longer for
himself, “but for Him Who for their sakes died and was raised up” (2 Cor 5:15).
Enter the new life of the crucified Jesus (Gal 2:19).
Prayer: Father, send the
Holy Spirit so that I will take Jesus’ crucifixion and death personally. “The
Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve — to give His life in ransom
for the many.” —Mk 10:45. “Give to the Lord, you families of nations, give to
the Lord glory and praise; give to the Lord the glory due His name!” (Ps
96:7-8)
The personal action for today:
What does it mean to me to be part of the Reign of GOD and share
in the fullness of Jesus’ reign as the Suffering Servant-King? Do I seek to be
served more than I seek to serve? When I have experienced suffering, have I
been able to sense how much Jesus was willing to suffer for me? How can I be
more of a servant-leader to those whom I encounter – in my home, my work, and the
wider community?
Saint Paul of the Cross: Born
in northern Italy in 1694, Paul Daneo lived at a time when many regarded Jesus
as a great moral teacher but no more. After a brief time as a soldier, he
turned to solitary prayer, developing a devotion to Christ’s passion. Paul saw
in the Lord’s passion a demonstration of God’s love for all people. In turn
that devotion nurtured his compassion and supported a preaching ministry that
touched the hearts of many listeners. He was known as one of the most popular
preachers of his day, both for his words and for his generous acts of mercy.
In
1720, Paul founded the Congregation of the Passion, whose members combined
devotion to Christ’s passion with preaching to the poor, and rigorous penances.
Known as the Passionists, they add a fourth vow to the traditional three of
poverty, chastity, and obedience, to spread the memory of Christ’s passion
among the faithful. Paul was elected superior general of the Congregation in
1747, spending the remainder of his life in Rome. Paul of the Cross died in 1775,
and was canonized in 1867. Over 2,000 of his letters and several of his short
writings have survived.
Paul’s
devotion to Christ’s passion must have seemed eccentric if not bizarre to many
people. Yet it was that devotion that nurtured Paul’s compassion and supported
a preaching ministry that touched the hearts of many listeners. He was one of
the most popular preachers of his day, known for both his words and his
generous acts of mercy.
Make Me a Servant: