Service

Jesus said, “Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat and he will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37).

            Some time ago, I was having lunch at a local Restaurant. The place was crowded and the waitress told me several staff members had called in sick. I could tell she was tired and needed a break. Yet, despite all the challenges she faced she put them aside and focused all her energy on serving her customers. She was a true example of what service means.

            In this passage from Luke, Jesus reveals how service must be a fundamental quality in all his Disciples. By doing so, he indicates its challenges and rewards.

            During Christ’s lifetime, slavery was an accepted system within Israel. Most slaves were: captives of war; the poor who had acquired debt; or the children of those already enslaved. Since small or Tenant Farmers were responsible for most agricultural production, slaves were primarily Domestic Servants who made life easy for the wealthy. When born into a master’s family, slaves were usually treated as family members and entrusted with important tasks. Loyal service often resulted in better treatment and sometimes freedom. In his Teachings, Jesus equated Discipleship with the kind of service associated with slaves. When he washed his Disciples’ feet, something not required of Jewish slaves, Christ provided an example of the humility which service implied. This was a challenge in a Society which valued Social standing. As this story from Luke showed, the service provided by Disciples focused on the demands of their master (God) and took a long term view of events. This became a hardship when delays in God’s return for the Final Judgment caused attitudes of indifference and laziness among Disciples. For those entrusted with authority, service meant care for their subordinates. This was a challenge in a Culture where power brought respect. Yet, the reward which came from humble service was the recognition of one’s sacrifice. Those who provided constant service never feared God’s Judgment at the end of time. Disciples who saw their authority as a service to others received greater responsibility and avoided severe punishment. Clearly, service was a challenge but it also had its rewards.

            Within our Modern Society service no longer seems to be a high priority. Although many Businesses talk about the importance of Customer Service this often means fewer employees to assist people to find items and more Self-Check-Out Registers where they pay for them. Political leaders will talk about their commitment to Public Service but become Corporate Lobbyists with high salaries after leaving Office. Social Media portrays itself as serving the public by promoting communication between individuals but then sells the data they gather about users to advertisers. The ideal of humble, consistent and responsible service seems to be a thing of the past. For many Catholics and other people of Faith this change poses a challenge. Not only must they distinguish between true service and its Modern substitute in their daily lives but their actions are frequently questioned for alternative motives. Since everyone else sees service as a way to get some earthly reward, the same must be true for them. Yet for Catholics, service is something they are called to perform because they are Christ’s disciples. His reward for serving Humanity led to his rejection by those in power and Death on the Cross. Their reward for service leads to disdain and sacrifice. Yet, their perspective goes beyond this present life. Their reward comes from knowing they have met the standard set by Jesus and will be honored by God. They will be welcomed and respected by the God who knows what they experienced and will respond appropriately. Worry about what others think or when they will be rewarded are mere distractions in this present life. During the present time, they focus only on providing the best service possible.

            Service may be something which is not appreciated as much today as it was a generation ago. Yet, it is still a statement about the kind of Disciple a Catholic seeks to be. The rewards for being a good one may not come in this life; but it will come in the next.

August 7, 2022