1 Samuel 4:1-11
Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25
Mark 1:40-45
Whose side is God on in a war? Neither side. God is greater than humans, so he cannot be on our side. We can be on his side, in the sense that we can do what is right. Whenever we do what is right, we are on his side. Indeed, two men on opposite sides of the battle, each one fighting for his country, trying to do what is right, could both be on God’s side. Such are the unfortunate circumstances of this fallen world.
The Israelites were losing their war with the Philistines, but then they had an idea. They thought that they could not possibly fail once they had brought the Ark of the Covenant into their camp. Then they lost the war worse than ever before. They had faith in the power of God to win the battle for them. The Philistines were frightened at the thought of fighting against the powerful God of the Israelites. So what went wrong? The Israelites forgot to account for one thing: God is not our slave who does whatever we tell him to do.
God is powerful, but his power is not at our beck and call. If God had let the Israelites win that battle, what sort of lesson would it have been for them? They would have thought of the Ark as a magical device. They would have thought of God as a power that they could control. We are constantly tempted to see God as our servant and to be upset with God when he does not do as he is told.
Either God is our servant, or he is our equal, or we are his servants. Which is the truth? The truth requires us to submit in service to God. This means that I must view my life as that of a servant. This is a completely different mindset that affects my whole life. The purpose of my life is not to seek pleasure or to amass wealth or to win the esteem of my fellow humans. The purpose of my life is to serve, and that is the purpose of your life too. It does not matter – deacon, priest, husband, wife, whatever – we are called to serve. To live as a servant is to grow up, to be an adult. This world is full of the spectacle of fully grown people wanting to be served like children. We Christians are called to put away childish things, to be grown ups, which means being servants.
Daily Homilies
Showing posts with label Service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Service. Show all posts
October 18, 2012 - Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
2 Timothy 4:10-17
Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
Luke 10:1-9
St. Luke was the companion of St. Paul and the author of one of the four Gospels and of the Acts of the Apostles. We are indebted to Luke for so much information about the early Church, but we know so little about him. We know that he was with St. Paul for much of his journeys preaching the Gospel. We know that he was a physician by practice, which comes out in the details provided when Jesus heals someone. There is an old tradition that he was one of the seventy-two described in the Gospel today, but this seems unlikely since he was not circumcised. However, he certainly did experience the apostolic lifestyle in his years with St. Paul.
Another companion St. Paul mentions is St. Mark, who also wrote a Gospel, and we know that Luke used Mark’s Gospel as a source for his own. He begins his Gospel by saying that he is aware of many attempts to write down the story of Jesus, so he has decided to put it all together in an orderly fashion. We suppose that, since he was with St. Paul, he saw some of the events that he describes in Acts firsthand.
It is from Luke that we have most of what we know about Mary. His gospel is particularly noteworthy for including so much about the early years, from the Annunciation to Mary to the Visitation of Elizabeth to the Birth in Bethlehem to the Presentation to Simeon to the Finding of Christ in the temple at age 12. In other words, the joyful mysteries of the rosary are all from Luke. The historical record also mentions a painting of Mary done by Luke. There are many copies of this painting, and no one is sure if any of them is the original.
Luke is also our only source for the story of Pentecost. Other authors mention the Holy Spirit, but only Luke tells us exactly how the Holy Spirit filled the disciples on that day, how Peter preached, and how, on that one day, 3000 people joined the Church. We are indebted to St. Luke for our understanding of the early Church. If we add to this that Luke may very well have been the secretary who wrote down some of St. Paul’s letters, much of the New Testament is given to us through his work. Praise God for St. Luke. May we, in our times, serve the Church as well has he did in his times.
Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
Luke 10:1-9
St. Luke was the companion of St. Paul and the author of one of the four Gospels and of the Acts of the Apostles. We are indebted to Luke for so much information about the early Church, but we know so little about him. We know that he was with St. Paul for much of his journeys preaching the Gospel. We know that he was a physician by practice, which comes out in the details provided when Jesus heals someone. There is an old tradition that he was one of the seventy-two described in the Gospel today, but this seems unlikely since he was not circumcised. However, he certainly did experience the apostolic lifestyle in his years with St. Paul.
Another companion St. Paul mentions is St. Mark, who also wrote a Gospel, and we know that Luke used Mark’s Gospel as a source for his own. He begins his Gospel by saying that he is aware of many attempts to write down the story of Jesus, so he has decided to put it all together in an orderly fashion. We suppose that, since he was with St. Paul, he saw some of the events that he describes in Acts firsthand.
It is from Luke that we have most of what we know about Mary. His gospel is particularly noteworthy for including so much about the early years, from the Annunciation to Mary to the Visitation of Elizabeth to the Birth in Bethlehem to the Presentation to Simeon to the Finding of Christ in the temple at age 12. In other words, the joyful mysteries of the rosary are all from Luke. The historical record also mentions a painting of Mary done by Luke. There are many copies of this painting, and no one is sure if any of them is the original.
Luke is also our only source for the story of Pentecost. Other authors mention the Holy Spirit, but only Luke tells us exactly how the Holy Spirit filled the disciples on that day, how Peter preached, and how, on that one day, 3000 people joined the Church. We are indebted to St. Luke for our understanding of the early Church. If we add to this that Luke may very well have been the secretary who wrote down some of St. Paul’s letters, much of the New Testament is given to us through his work. Praise God for St. Luke. May we, in our times, serve the Church as well has he did in his times.
August 25, 2012 - Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 43:1-7
Psalm 85:9-14
Matthew 23:1-12
Who is the servant in a family? The parents are servants. They provide everything for their children, and do everything for their children. Why? Because they can. Their children are weak and they are strong, so the stronger does the work that the weaker is in need of. Parents do this because they love their children. When you love someone, you want to do any good for them that you can.
In the rest of the world, things are different. The greater person is served by the lesser. This is because the greater person has the capacity to force the lesser to serve them, whether by actual force or by withholding money until the work is done. People do this because they do not love each other. When you do not love someone, you look at them and wonder how you can use them.
Jesus is telling us that the world should be more like a family. The greatest person is the servant in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. In return, we can do nothing for him, because he needs nothing from us. Instead, he tells us to look to the weak of this world and serve them. Find someone whom you can help, who is unable to do something for themselves, and take care of them. In other words, pay it forward. That is what Jesus means when he says, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Of course this is all just more logical. Why would the weak serve the strong? That is foolishness, but it is the way of the world. If the world is a pyramid, the strongest ought to be on the bottom holding up the weak. At the very top should be the weakest person in the whole world, the person who cannot do anything for themselves or for anyone else. The world says that we should kill that person. Jesus says that we should serve them.
This is why the angels serve us; they are stronger than us. Who is considered greater: the President of the United States or Blessed Theresa of Calcutta? We forget presidents. Who remembers Chester Arthur? We remember saints. The scribes and the Pharisees sought human approval by trying to put themselves above others, which only makes others mad and/or jealous. We have put ourselves below others, as their servants, if we really want approval.
Psalm 85:9-14
Matthew 23:1-12
Who is the servant in a family? The parents are servants. They provide everything for their children, and do everything for their children. Why? Because they can. Their children are weak and they are strong, so the stronger does the work that the weaker is in need of. Parents do this because they love their children. When you love someone, you want to do any good for them that you can.
In the rest of the world, things are different. The greater person is served by the lesser. This is because the greater person has the capacity to force the lesser to serve them, whether by actual force or by withholding money until the work is done. People do this because they do not love each other. When you do not love someone, you look at them and wonder how you can use them.
Jesus is telling us that the world should be more like a family. The greatest person is the servant in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. In return, we can do nothing for him, because he needs nothing from us. Instead, he tells us to look to the weak of this world and serve them. Find someone whom you can help, who is unable to do something for themselves, and take care of them. In other words, pay it forward. That is what Jesus means when he says, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
Of course this is all just more logical. Why would the weak serve the strong? That is foolishness, but it is the way of the world. If the world is a pyramid, the strongest ought to be on the bottom holding up the weak. At the very top should be the weakest person in the whole world, the person who cannot do anything for themselves or for anyone else. The world says that we should kill that person. Jesus says that we should serve them.
This is why the angels serve us; they are stronger than us. Who is considered greater: the President of the United States or Blessed Theresa of Calcutta? We forget presidents. Who remembers Chester Arthur? We remember saints. The scribes and the Pharisees sought human approval by trying to put themselves above others, which only makes others mad and/or jealous. We have put ourselves below others, as their servants, if we really want approval.
May 25, 2012 - Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Acts 25:13-21
Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20
John 21:15-19
Today Jesus tells Peter that he must give up his life. He must first give up his life in service to the flock of Jesus over which he has been appointed as shepherd. He must give up his life by never again serving himself. This is a kind of death. It is a very hard calling for us selfish human beings. Second, Peter must give up his life in martyrdom. After spending his whole life not on himself but caring for the Church, he will have to suffer and die for the faith.
What a hard teaching Jesus has for Peter today! And yet, how gently and lovingly does he teach it. “Do you love me more than these?” “Do you love me?” “Do you love me?” These words, in the mouth of any other would sound very needy. Any other person would only ask these questions because they wanted affirmation, but this is not any other person; this is Jesus Christ. He is not asking because he needs the love of Peter or anyone else. He is helping Peter to know his love more.
Loving God is the point. We were made to love God. Love is the purpose of our lives; it is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Jesus asks Peter “Do you love me?” in order to draw out his love. We know that Peter is right when he says to Jesus, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus does know, but Peter does not know how much he is going to have to love Jesus. He wants Peter to know about the love that is within him.
When we say, “yes, I do love you”, we commit our soul anew to love. It is not enough that love would be just silently presumed, it should be spoken aloud. This is an essential truth in marriage, and how much more do we need to tell God, who we cannot see, about our love for him!
Our love cannot merely be words; it must also be actions. If we love God we will feed his lambs and tend his sheep. If we love God, we will go where we do not want to go and do what we do not want to do, all for love. Words alone are not enough, but they are a very good beginning.
Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20
John 21:15-19
Today Jesus tells Peter that he must give up his life. He must first give up his life in service to the flock of Jesus over which he has been appointed as shepherd. He must give up his life by never again serving himself. This is a kind of death. It is a very hard calling for us selfish human beings. Second, Peter must give up his life in martyrdom. After spending his whole life not on himself but caring for the Church, he will have to suffer and die for the faith.
What a hard teaching Jesus has for Peter today! And yet, how gently and lovingly does he teach it. “Do you love me more than these?” “Do you love me?” “Do you love me?” These words, in the mouth of any other would sound very needy. Any other person would only ask these questions because they wanted affirmation, but this is not any other person; this is Jesus Christ. He is not asking because he needs the love of Peter or anyone else. He is helping Peter to know his love more.
Loving God is the point. We were made to love God. Love is the purpose of our lives; it is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Jesus asks Peter “Do you love me?” in order to draw out his love. We know that Peter is right when he says to Jesus, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus does know, but Peter does not know how much he is going to have to love Jesus. He wants Peter to know about the love that is within him.
When we say, “yes, I do love you”, we commit our soul anew to love. It is not enough that love would be just silently presumed, it should be spoken aloud. This is an essential truth in marriage, and how much more do we need to tell God, who we cannot see, about our love for him!
Our love cannot merely be words; it must also be actions. If we love God we will feed his lambs and tend his sheep. If we love God, we will go where we do not want to go and do what we do not want to do, all for love. Words alone are not enough, but they are a very good beginning.
May 22, 2012 - Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Today's Readings
Being a Midwesterner through and through, I always look for the best deal on a menu. Even if I am not paying for dinner, I want to find a deal. Of course I could just order the first thing I see, and it will probably be fine, but what if I missed something better?
Being a Midwesterner through and through, I always look for the best deal on a menu. Even if I am not paying for dinner, I want to find a deal. Of course I could just order the first thing I see, and it will probably be fine, but what if I missed something better?
Each of us has been given one life to live: perhaps you are young and just looking over the menu, getting ready to order, or perhaps you are halfway through your chicken dinner and wondering whether you should have gotten a hamburger, or perhaps you are just deciding on dessert at the end of a full meal. Regardless, we all live with existential fear: am I getting the best deal? Am I missing out on something? Who am I? Who should I be?
Then St. Paul comes along and says something absolutely bonkers: “I consider life of no importance to me.” He does not merely mean that he is ready to die. He is speaking of “imprisonment and hardships” ahead. Something we can forget is that St. Paul did not know that he was St. Paul. He did not know that 2000 years later people in Rochester, Minnesota would be discussing this speech. More importantly, he did not care. Paul did not preach the Gospel for money or fame. He preached because the Lord Jesus told him to.
Life, as the world sees it, exists in the past and the future. What have I done? What will I do? This is where all the fear comes from. Have I done enough? Can I still do something great? Living in the present means waking up in the morning, looking around, and living as a person in our situation should. It means giving up ideas of what we ought to have, and also forgetting our failures except inasmuch as the consequences are part of our situation. There is nothing unfair, because there is nothing fair. There is just whatever is.
Imagine if you woke up each morning in a completely different life. One morning you are a rock star; the next morning you are a stay-at-home parent with 12 children. A Saint could live that way, just doing whatever is right in each situation. We kind of do live that way. Each morning we wake up, and our life is what it is. What our life is does not matter, so long as we follow Jesus Christ.
February 5, 2012 - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today's Readings
Slavery is horrible. It is difficult to imagine how horrible it really is from the perspective of the freedom that we enjoy as modern Americans. There is still slavery in the world: women enslaved as prostitutes, children enslaved as soldiers. There are also millions of workers whose conditions are such that their lives are no different than slaves, even if they are not called that. The economic system and globalization rely on such virtual slaves. The only way to ensure a constant supply of cheap clothing and electronics to American stores are these sorts of slaves.
Clearly we are not in a position to better their working conditions. We only buy what is for sale; we do not decide how it is made. But we also do not care how it is made. Oh I know that if someone said this shirt was made by people who are abused and forced to work and given very little in return, not nearly enough to survive, we would not buy it, but there is no one to say that. If we really cared we would insist on knowing, but it is easier to forget. The average family has its own struggles and must prioritize. If the shirt can be found for a few dollars less then that helps the budget.
The current system removes us from the guilt; it removes everyone from the guilt. The managers of factories say that the corporate executives have set the production goals. The corporate executives say that consumers demand a certain product at a certain price. Consumers say that they never asked for anyone to the enslaved. Nevertheless, there are slaves. If we owned slaves directly, we would have to look at them and realize that they are human just like us, we would be forced to sympathize and imagine what it would be like to be a slave. Since no one is in charge, no one has to carry that guilt.
What is the solution? Clearly there is a problem. The solution is twofold: support those who are working to end slavery and stop supporting those systems that promote it. As it says in our first reading today, “a slave longs for the shade, a hireling waits for their wages.” On the one hand, through charity we can give some relief to those sort of suffering. On the other hand, through justice we can pay what we owe to those who work for us.
Each year on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, we take up a collection for Catholic Relief Services. This collection does much of the most important work in the world. No one cares for the poor as much as the Catholic Church does. No one cares for the poor as efficiently. No one cares for the poor in more parts of the world. I am mentioning this now, almost two months before the collection is taken up , because our annual giving to this collection should not just be our spare change. If we could meet the people who need our help, if we were the people who need help, how much would be enough?
It is by means of Catholic Relief Services and similar organizations that the Body of Christ is united in charity. It is not possible for every one of us to go serve in Africa and Asia, so some members of the Church go serve there , and we support them. It is in this way that we give shade to those who are suffering.
Then we must oppose all systems that support slavery. What systems promote slavery? First of all pornography and prostitution. We must be opposed to such things because they serve no good end, but we also must oppose them because of how they are supported by slavery. We must also begin to care where things come from. We do not need, necessarily, to “buy American”, but we do need to insist that, wherever a product is made, it is made ethically, with respect for the human soul that labored to create it.
This means, above all, voting with our wallets. If we have to spend a few extra dollars on clothing that is not stained with the sin of slavery, even if that means that we cannot afford to buy as many shirts in a year, even if that means that we cannot be as fashionable as we want. Corporations always give us exactly what we want if we are willing to pay for it. If we demand that people be treated with respect, and we are willing to pay for that respect, they will get it. In this way the hirelings will receive their wages.
Slavery is horrible, but it is the image which St. Paul uses today for the life that he lives. He says that he has made himself a slave to all. What does this mean? Paul was free to do anything he wanted. He was a citizen of the Roman Empire. He was not a slave to anyone. He could have spent his life making money or on any of the pursuits that humans like to pursue. Instead, he dedicated his life to telling people about Jesus Christ.
He traveled long distances to deliver a message, though no one paid him to be messenger. He taught a wisdom greater than any philosopher, though no one paid him to be a teacher. He healed the sick and raised people from the dead, though no one paid him to be a doctor. He exercised concern for all those suffering, the poor and the rich, though no one paid him to be a social worker. He settled disputes that arose in the Christian community, though no one paid him to be a judge. He took up a collection for the poor in the Holy Land, though no one paid him to be a fundraiser. He gave his whole life, and asked nothing in return, because he considered himself a slave.
In this sense we are all slaves. As Bob Dylan said, “it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody.” We will spend our lives to some purpose. If it is a selfish purpose, we will be slaves to our addictions. If it is a generous purpose, we will be slaves to those we serve. Are any of you called to be slaves of the poor? Are any of you called to spend your life in order to relieve the suffering of another human being? It is a noble calling to be a slave of the slaves.
Slavery is horrible. It is difficult to imagine how horrible it really is from the perspective of the freedom that we enjoy as modern Americans. There is still slavery in the world: women enslaved as prostitutes, children enslaved as soldiers. There are also millions of workers whose conditions are such that their lives are no different than slaves, even if they are not called that. The economic system and globalization rely on such virtual slaves. The only way to ensure a constant supply of cheap clothing and electronics to American stores are these sorts of slaves.
Clearly we are not in a position to better their working conditions. We only buy what is for sale; we do not decide how it is made. But we also do not care how it is made. Oh I know that if someone said this shirt was made by people who are abused and forced to work and given very little in return, not nearly enough to survive, we would not buy it, but there is no one to say that. If we really cared we would insist on knowing, but it is easier to forget. The average family has its own struggles and must prioritize. If the shirt can be found for a few dollars less then that helps the budget.
The current system removes us from the guilt; it removes everyone from the guilt. The managers of factories say that the corporate executives have set the production goals. The corporate executives say that consumers demand a certain product at a certain price. Consumers say that they never asked for anyone to the enslaved. Nevertheless, there are slaves. If we owned slaves directly, we would have to look at them and realize that they are human just like us, we would be forced to sympathize and imagine what it would be like to be a slave. Since no one is in charge, no one has to carry that guilt.
What is the solution? Clearly there is a problem. The solution is twofold: support those who are working to end slavery and stop supporting those systems that promote it. As it says in our first reading today, “a slave longs for the shade, a hireling waits for their wages.” On the one hand, through charity we can give some relief to those sort of suffering. On the other hand, through justice we can pay what we owe to those who work for us.
Each year on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, we take up a collection for Catholic Relief Services. This collection does much of the most important work in the world. No one cares for the poor as much as the Catholic Church does. No one cares for the poor as efficiently. No one cares for the poor in more parts of the world. I am mentioning this now, almost two months before the collection is taken up , because our annual giving to this collection should not just be our spare change. If we could meet the people who need our help, if we were the people who need help, how much would be enough?
It is by means of Catholic Relief Services and similar organizations that the Body of Christ is united in charity. It is not possible for every one of us to go serve in Africa and Asia, so some members of the Church go serve there , and we support them. It is in this way that we give shade to those who are suffering.
Then we must oppose all systems that support slavery. What systems promote slavery? First of all pornography and prostitution. We must be opposed to such things because they serve no good end, but we also must oppose them because of how they are supported by slavery. We must also begin to care where things come from. We do not need, necessarily, to “buy American”, but we do need to insist that, wherever a product is made, it is made ethically, with respect for the human soul that labored to create it.
This means, above all, voting with our wallets. If we have to spend a few extra dollars on clothing that is not stained with the sin of slavery, even if that means that we cannot afford to buy as many shirts in a year, even if that means that we cannot be as fashionable as we want. Corporations always give us exactly what we want if we are willing to pay for it. If we demand that people be treated with respect, and we are willing to pay for that respect, they will get it. In this way the hirelings will receive their wages.
Slavery is horrible, but it is the image which St. Paul uses today for the life that he lives. He says that he has made himself a slave to all. What does this mean? Paul was free to do anything he wanted. He was a citizen of the Roman Empire. He was not a slave to anyone. He could have spent his life making money or on any of the pursuits that humans like to pursue. Instead, he dedicated his life to telling people about Jesus Christ.
He traveled long distances to deliver a message, though no one paid him to be messenger. He taught a wisdom greater than any philosopher, though no one paid him to be a teacher. He healed the sick and raised people from the dead, though no one paid him to be a doctor. He exercised concern for all those suffering, the poor and the rich, though no one paid him to be a social worker. He settled disputes that arose in the Christian community, though no one paid him to be a judge. He took up a collection for the poor in the Holy Land, though no one paid him to be a fundraiser. He gave his whole life, and asked nothing in return, because he considered himself a slave.
In this sense we are all slaves. As Bob Dylan said, “it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody.” We will spend our lives to some purpose. If it is a selfish purpose, we will be slaves to our addictions. If it is a generous purpose, we will be slaves to those we serve. Are any of you called to be slaves of the poor? Are any of you called to spend your life in order to relieve the suffering of another human being? It is a noble calling to be a slave of the slaves.
January 12, 2012 - Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Readings
Whose side is God on in a war? Neither side. God is greater than humans, so he cannot be on our side. We can be on his side, in the sense that we can do what is right. Whenever we do what is right, we are on his side. Indeed, two men on opposite sides of the battle, each one fighting for his country, trying to do what is right, could both be on God’s side. Such are the unfortunate circumstances of this fallen world.
The Israelites were losing their war with the Philistines, but then they had an idea. They thought that they could not possibly fail once they had brought the Ark of the Covenant into their camp. Then they lost the war worse than ever before. They had faith in the power of God to win the battle for them. The Philistines were frightened at the thought of fighting against the powerful God of the Israelites. So what went wrong? The Israelites forgot to account for one thing: God is not our slave who does whatever we tell him to do.
God is powerful, but his power is not at our beck and call. If God had let the Israelites win that battle, what sort of lesson would it have been for them? They would have thought of the Ark as a magical device. They would have thought of God as a power that they could control. We are constantly tempted to see God as our servant and to be upset with God when he does not do as he is told.
We cannot be entirely independent of God, so we must either see ourselves as his servants or see him as ours. The only solution is to submit in service to God. I must view my life as that of a servant. This is a completely different mindset that affects my whole life. The purpose of my life is not to seek pleasure or to amass wealth or to win the esteem of my fellow humans. The purpose of my life is to serve, and that is the purpose of your life too. It does not matter – deacon, priest, husband, wife, whatever – we are called to serve. To live as a servant is to grow up, to be an adult. This world is full of the spectacle of fully grown people wanting to be served like children. We Christians are called to put away childish things.
Whose side is God on in a war? Neither side. God is greater than humans, so he cannot be on our side. We can be on his side, in the sense that we can do what is right. Whenever we do what is right, we are on his side. Indeed, two men on opposite sides of the battle, each one fighting for his country, trying to do what is right, could both be on God’s side. Such are the unfortunate circumstances of this fallen world.
The Israelites were losing their war with the Philistines, but then they had an idea. They thought that they could not possibly fail once they had brought the Ark of the Covenant into their camp. Then they lost the war worse than ever before. They had faith in the power of God to win the battle for them. The Philistines were frightened at the thought of fighting against the powerful God of the Israelites. So what went wrong? The Israelites forgot to account for one thing: God is not our slave who does whatever we tell him to do.
God is powerful, but his power is not at our beck and call. If God had let the Israelites win that battle, what sort of lesson would it have been for them? They would have thought of the Ark as a magical device. They would have thought of God as a power that they could control. We are constantly tempted to see God as our servant and to be upset with God when he does not do as he is told.
We cannot be entirely independent of God, so we must either see ourselves as his servants or see him as ours. The only solution is to submit in service to God. I must view my life as that of a servant. This is a completely different mindset that affects my whole life. The purpose of my life is not to seek pleasure or to amass wealth or to win the esteem of my fellow humans. The purpose of my life is to serve, and that is the purpose of your life too. It does not matter – deacon, priest, husband, wife, whatever – we are called to serve. To live as a servant is to grow up, to be an adult. This world is full of the spectacle of fully grown people wanting to be served like children. We Christians are called to put away childish things.
November 21, 2011 - Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today's Readings
One common theme in both our readings today is faithfulness. Daniel decided to be faithful. He was an exile, a child in a foreign land. Now the king, the very king who invaded his land and brought him to Babylon as a prisoner, wants him to study to be an advisor to the government. I could imagine him being too afraid. I could imagine him being too proud, thinking that he will never serve his enemy. Instead he is faithful. God told the Israelites to build up lives for themselves in exile, so Daniel puts aside his fear, his pride, his anger, and every other impediment and accepts the position.
Then within his decision, he is faithful. He shows two kinds of faithfulness: faithfulness to God and faithfulness to his work. He is faithful to God by refusing to eat the food, the meat and wine, which was sacrificed to idols. He is faithful to his work by studying hard. Indeed, he and his companions from Israel are judged to be superior to he other students. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Faithfulness to our work means putting in our best effort out of respect for ourselves.
The widow in the Gospel also shows faithfulness. Although it is not clear in this translation, she is not merely poor; she is a beggar. She has spent the whole day begging and has gotten, let us say, twenty cents. She then goes to the temple and puts two of the cents, ten percent, in the collection. She is being faithful to the tithe. If she asked me, I would have told her that she should hold on to every cent she can, that she cannot afford to be tithing, yet she does tithe. She is faithful.
Our readings do not make light of the struggles: Daniel is still an exile, soon to be thrown in the lion’s den, and the woman is still a beggar, but in their faithfulness they have a certain integrity and self-respect which many well-off people lack. Do not underestimate the value of knowing that you have done your best work and have been faithful to the commands of God. Success as the world sees it, measured in money or influence or fame, is of little value compared to hearing someday, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
One common theme in both our readings today is faithfulness. Daniel decided to be faithful. He was an exile, a child in a foreign land. Now the king, the very king who invaded his land and brought him to Babylon as a prisoner, wants him to study to be an advisor to the government. I could imagine him being too afraid. I could imagine him being too proud, thinking that he will never serve his enemy. Instead he is faithful. God told the Israelites to build up lives for themselves in exile, so Daniel puts aside his fear, his pride, his anger, and every other impediment and accepts the position.
Then within his decision, he is faithful. He shows two kinds of faithfulness: faithfulness to God and faithfulness to his work. He is faithful to God by refusing to eat the food, the meat and wine, which was sacrificed to idols. He is faithful to his work by studying hard. Indeed, he and his companions from Israel are judged to be superior to he other students. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Faithfulness to our work means putting in our best effort out of respect for ourselves.
The widow in the Gospel also shows faithfulness. Although it is not clear in this translation, she is not merely poor; she is a beggar. She has spent the whole day begging and has gotten, let us say, twenty cents. She then goes to the temple and puts two of the cents, ten percent, in the collection. She is being faithful to the tithe. If she asked me, I would have told her that she should hold on to every cent she can, that she cannot afford to be tithing, yet she does tithe. She is faithful.
Our readings do not make light of the struggles: Daniel is still an exile, soon to be thrown in the lion’s den, and the woman is still a beggar, but in their faithfulness they have a certain integrity and self-respect which many well-off people lack. Do not underestimate the value of knowing that you have done your best work and have been faithful to the commands of God. Success as the world sees it, measured in money or influence or fame, is of little value compared to hearing someday, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
October 18, 2011 - Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
2 Timothy 4:10-17
Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
Luke 10:1-9
St. Luke was the companion of St. Paul and the author of one of the four Gospels and of the Acts of the Apostles. We are indebted to Luke for so much information about the early Church, but we know so little about him. We know that he was with St. Paul for much of his journeys preaching the Gospel. We know that he was a physician by practice, which comes out in the details provided when Jesus heals someone. There is an old tradition that he was one of the seventy-two described in the Gospel today, but this seems unlikely since he was not circumcised. However, he certainly did experience the apostolic lifestyle in his years with St. Paul.
Another companion of St. Paul was St. Mark, who also wrote a Gospel, and we know that St. Luke used St. Mark’s Gospel as a source for his own. He begins his Gospel by saying that he is aware of many attempts to write down the story of Jesus, so he has decided to put it all together in an orderly fashion. We suppose that, since he was with St. Paul, he saw some of the events that he describes in Acts firsthand.
It is from Luke that we have most of what we know about Mary. His gospel is particularly noteworthy for including so much about the early years, from the Annunciation to Mary to the Visitation of Elizabeth to the Birth in Bethlehem to the Presentation to Simeon to the Finding of Christ in the temple at age 12. In other words, the joyful mysteries of the rosary are all from Luke. The historical record also mentions a painting of Mary done by Luke. There are many copies of this painting, and no one is sure if any of them is the original.
Luke is also our only source for the story of Pentecost. Other authors mention the Holy Spirit, but only Luke tells us exactly how the Holy Spirit filled the disciples on that day, how Peter preached, and how, on that one day, 3000 people joined the Church. We are indebted to St. Luke for our understanding of the early Church. If we add to this that Luke may very well have been the secretary who wrote down some of St. Paul’s letters, much of the New Testament is given to us through his work. Praise God for St. Luke. May we, in our times, serve the Church as well has he did in his times.
Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
Luke 10:1-9
St. Luke was the companion of St. Paul and the author of one of the four Gospels and of the Acts of the Apostles. We are indebted to Luke for so much information about the early Church, but we know so little about him. We know that he was with St. Paul for much of his journeys preaching the Gospel. We know that he was a physician by practice, which comes out in the details provided when Jesus heals someone. There is an old tradition that he was one of the seventy-two described in the Gospel today, but this seems unlikely since he was not circumcised. However, he certainly did experience the apostolic lifestyle in his years with St. Paul.
Another companion of St. Paul was St. Mark, who also wrote a Gospel, and we know that St. Luke used St. Mark’s Gospel as a source for his own. He begins his Gospel by saying that he is aware of many attempts to write down the story of Jesus, so he has decided to put it all together in an orderly fashion. We suppose that, since he was with St. Paul, he saw some of the events that he describes in Acts firsthand.
It is from Luke that we have most of what we know about Mary. His gospel is particularly noteworthy for including so much about the early years, from the Annunciation to Mary to the Visitation of Elizabeth to the Birth in Bethlehem to the Presentation to Simeon to the Finding of Christ in the temple at age 12. In other words, the joyful mysteries of the rosary are all from Luke. The historical record also mentions a painting of Mary done by Luke. There are many copies of this painting, and no one is sure if any of them is the original.
Luke is also our only source for the story of Pentecost. Other authors mention the Holy Spirit, but only Luke tells us exactly how the Holy Spirit filled the disciples on that day, how Peter preached, and how, on that one day, 3000 people joined the Church. We are indebted to St. Luke for our understanding of the early Church. If we add to this that Luke may very well have been the secretary who wrote down some of St. Paul’s letters, much of the New Testament is given to us through his work. Praise God for St. Luke. May we, in our times, serve the Church as well has he did in his times.
October 17, 2011 - Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
Today's Readings
For most people, the main work of life is providing for themselves and their families. What happens when a person no longer needs a paycheck? Some people are born that way with a rich inheritance, and some people reach that point early in life because of the lottery or skills as a musicians or actor or in sports. Some people never reach that point, but we Americans expect to someday get there between social security and retirement accounts, so it is a question that most people in this country at least have to face at some point. What should a person do once they no longer need to earn a paycheck?
This is the question of the Gospel today. The man is called a rich man, and his harvest one year is finally enough to retire on, so he decides to “rest, eat, drink: be merry.” He decides to enjoy himself. This seems reasonable to us. Of course he would do this. We say, “Congratulations on your retirement. I hope you do enjoy yourself. Have fun.” God says, “You fool.”
The mistake that the man makes, and that we are susceptible to making in our culture, is believing that we have ever earned the right to “rest” in this world. Our rest comes in the next world. Without question, a person reaches a point where they cannot put in the same hours that they would have put in 20 years ago; they should rest if they need to, but no one can ever say to the world, “I have put in my hours, now it is my time to rest, eat, drink, and be merry.”
It is a splendid thing if someone no longer has to work at a job they never liked much anyway, that they no longer have to wake up at 5 in the morning and commute for an hour a day, and I am glad for those whose early success means that they are provided for in this life. These are good things. The question is, what does a person do with this newfound freedom? It might be 80 years, it might be 40, it might be 20; it might be 4 hours, like the man in the gospel today. The point is that we are never off the hook. If we are free of serving this world, that ought to make us free for serving God and our neighbors, not free for serving ourselves.
For most people, the main work of life is providing for themselves and their families. What happens when a person no longer needs a paycheck? Some people are born that way with a rich inheritance, and some people reach that point early in life because of the lottery or skills as a musicians or actor or in sports. Some people never reach that point, but we Americans expect to someday get there between social security and retirement accounts, so it is a question that most people in this country at least have to face at some point. What should a person do once they no longer need to earn a paycheck?
This is the question of the Gospel today. The man is called a rich man, and his harvest one year is finally enough to retire on, so he decides to “rest, eat, drink: be merry.” He decides to enjoy himself. This seems reasonable to us. Of course he would do this. We say, “Congratulations on your retirement. I hope you do enjoy yourself. Have fun.” God says, “You fool.”
The mistake that the man makes, and that we are susceptible to making in our culture, is believing that we have ever earned the right to “rest” in this world. Our rest comes in the next world. Without question, a person reaches a point where they cannot put in the same hours that they would have put in 20 years ago; they should rest if they need to, but no one can ever say to the world, “I have put in my hours, now it is my time to rest, eat, drink, and be merry.”
It is a splendid thing if someone no longer has to work at a job they never liked much anyway, that they no longer have to wake up at 5 in the morning and commute for an hour a day, and I am glad for those whose early success means that they are provided for in this life. These are good things. The question is, what does a person do with this newfound freedom? It might be 80 years, it might be 40, it might be 20; it might be 4 hours, like the man in the gospel today. The point is that we are never off the hook. If we are free of serving this world, that ought to make us free for serving God and our neighbors, not free for serving ourselves.
September 13, 2011 - Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church
Today's Readings
The office of bishop, as is clear from our first reading, requires a great deal of a man. He needs not only to be a good and holy man but also competent in many areas: in speaking and economics and management. Not every Saint would have made a good bishop. Indeed, although St. Paul requires that the bishop be a good man, he more strongly emphasizes the necessary competence.
Keeping all this in mind, we ought to pray for our bishops rather than complain about them. Of course, there is a need for accountability and some bishops have fallen very far short of the ideal, but this does not justify our being critics of bishops, considering them like a wine critic considers fine vintages, putting them under our judgment. We begin by understanding that no one can live up to the requirements of this office. If some extraordinary men come close, they are a wonderful gift to the Church, but if we see our bishops fail, we should, above all else, pray for them to do better.
It is to the bishops that the Apostles entrusted the Church, entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus. Yes, it is tragic that mere humans have the care of this precious Church, but that is what Jesus decided, and who are we to question his wisdom? Jesus left the Church after his Resurrection, trusting a small group of men, one of whom had denied him, most of whom had abandoned him, with his beloved bride, the Church.
He left the Church when he ascended into heaven, but he did not leave her alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of all believers. It was the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Apostles that caused the first converts to join the Church. Above all, our prayer for our bishops should be that the Holy Spirit will come into their hearts and allow them to preach the faith in a convincing way, to heal the sick, raise the dead, provide for the poor, and be managers of the Church entrusted to them. We wish this for all people, but particularly our bishops. They are very busy, much burdened with the weight that has been put on their shoulders. No bishop has the time to pray as much as they need to, so it is very important that we pray for them.
The office of bishop, as is clear from our first reading, requires a great deal of a man. He needs not only to be a good and holy man but also competent in many areas: in speaking and economics and management. Not every Saint would have made a good bishop. Indeed, although St. Paul requires that the bishop be a good man, he more strongly emphasizes the necessary competence.
Keeping all this in mind, we ought to pray for our bishops rather than complain about them. Of course, there is a need for accountability and some bishops have fallen very far short of the ideal, but this does not justify our being critics of bishops, considering them like a wine critic considers fine vintages, putting them under our judgment. We begin by understanding that no one can live up to the requirements of this office. If some extraordinary men come close, they are a wonderful gift to the Church, but if we see our bishops fail, we should, above all else, pray for them to do better.
It is to the bishops that the Apostles entrusted the Church, entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus. Yes, it is tragic that mere humans have the care of this precious Church, but that is what Jesus decided, and who are we to question his wisdom? Jesus left the Church after his Resurrection, trusting a small group of men, one of whom had denied him, most of whom had abandoned him, with his beloved bride, the Church.
He left the Church when he ascended into heaven, but he did not leave her alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of all believers. It was the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Apostles that caused the first converts to join the Church. Above all, our prayer for our bishops should be that the Holy Spirit will come into their hearts and allow them to preach the faith in a convincing way, to heal the sick, raise the dead, provide for the poor, and be managers of the Church entrusted to them. We wish this for all people, but particularly our bishops. They are very busy, much burdened with the weight that has been put on their shoulders. No bishop has the time to pray as much as they need to, so it is very important that we pray for them.
July 25, 2011 - Feast of Saint James, apostle
Today's Readings
James and John, with the help of their mother, ask Jesus to be put in the highest place. The thing about the highest place is that everyone else is in a lower place. The other ten Apostles stand around holding their breath. Perhaps they missed their chance? What if he says yes? When Jesus denies the request, they are relieved and suddenly indignant that anyone would even ask such a thing.
So Jesus teaches James and John, and all the Apostles, about the true nature of leadership in the Kingdom of Heaven. Leadership is defined by service. Here on Earth, the leaders are served by those under them. In the Kingdom, the leaders are the servants of those they lead. Here on Earth, the weak serve the strong because the strong can force the weak to be their servants. In the Kingdom, the strong serve the weak because the weak need to be served. Consider how much more sensible the arrangement of Kingdom is.
God wants to do great things for the world, but he is prevented by our sins. Everything that we can do well is a temptation to pride. Everything that other people can do well is a temptation to envy. Do you see what God is dealing with? If he gives anyone a special ability which could help the world, it is a danger to them and a danger to others.
Instead of our normal way of acting, out of envy and pride, Jesus calls us to act in a more sensible manner. If we can do something well, we ought to put that ability at the service of others. Every talent that God has given us is given for the sake of others. This word “for” is foundational to the life and work of Jesus Christ. Everything he ever did was “for” others.
If we are acting for others, there is no reason for pride or envy. We are all one team. Just like any member of a team, we can be glad to see the good abilities in our teammates or we can be envious of the stars. It depends on whether we want to win games or impress people. It is a bad player who only wants to win the game if they can make the winning shot themself. The good player is glad to see that someone has made the winning shot.
James and John, with the help of their mother, ask Jesus to be put in the highest place. The thing about the highest place is that everyone else is in a lower place. The other ten Apostles stand around holding their breath. Perhaps they missed their chance? What if he says yes? When Jesus denies the request, they are relieved and suddenly indignant that anyone would even ask such a thing.
So Jesus teaches James and John, and all the Apostles, about the true nature of leadership in the Kingdom of Heaven. Leadership is defined by service. Here on Earth, the leaders are served by those under them. In the Kingdom, the leaders are the servants of those they lead. Here on Earth, the weak serve the strong because the strong can force the weak to be their servants. In the Kingdom, the strong serve the weak because the weak need to be served. Consider how much more sensible the arrangement of Kingdom is.
God wants to do great things for the world, but he is prevented by our sins. Everything that we can do well is a temptation to pride. Everything that other people can do well is a temptation to envy. Do you see what God is dealing with? If he gives anyone a special ability which could help the world, it is a danger to them and a danger to others.
Instead of our normal way of acting, out of envy and pride, Jesus calls us to act in a more sensible manner. If we can do something well, we ought to put that ability at the service of others. Every talent that God has given us is given for the sake of others. This word “for” is foundational to the life and work of Jesus Christ. Everything he ever did was “for” others.
If we are acting for others, there is no reason for pride or envy. We are all one team. Just like any member of a team, we can be glad to see the good abilities in our teammates or we can be envious of the stars. It depends on whether we want to win games or impress people. It is a bad player who only wants to win the game if they can make the winning shot themself. The good player is glad to see that someone has made the winning shot.
May 22, 2011 - Fifth Sunday of Easter
The first reading is particularly meaningful to us deacons because it relates to the foundation of our ministry. The apostles realize that they need assistants, servants, to help them with the enormous task in front of them. When Jesus walked on earth, he had the twelve apostles to assist him, so now when the apostles are in charge, they need servants too. So they choose seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and Wisdom. These men were called servants, which in the Greek language is “Diaconos.”
These deacons were not ordinary servants, as is clear from the reading. The Apostles prayed and laid hand on them. This is a sign of handing over some of the power and authority that they received from Jesus. So it is now today that we repeat this same process. Our bishop is a successor of the Apostles, but he cannot serve our entire diocese alone, so, like the apostles, he has laid hands on certain men who have been chosen, sharing the power and authority that he received when he became a bishop. So it was four years ago that the bishop laid his hands on my head, and I became a deacon, a servant.
A deacon serves the people of God in many ways. We can look back to the Acts of the Apostles to see how a deacon should serve. First of all, he should be a reputable man. If a deacon sins, it is his own sin, but it reflects badly on the Church. A deacon then must avoid sin on account of his own reputation and on account of the Church’s reputation. More than merely avoiding scandal, a deacon should represent the Church he serves well. He must be filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. He must be an example to the whole community of what each member of the community should be.
This is a high calling, and surely many deacons have fallen short. We look to some of the great deacons in the history of the Church for an example of how a sinful man can fulfill this high calling. First of all, we consider Stephen, the first deacon named of these first seven deacons. We see how he was unafraid to preach the Gospel, even when it meant that his death. He was the first martyr. As he was being killed, he forgave those who were throwing stones at him. We see the second deacon named here, Philip, who was a great preacher. He is seen throughout the Acts of the Apostles, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There are other deacons who have done remarkable things, like Ephrem and Lawrence and Francis.
The continuing importance of deacons in our present day is clear. We have only to consider the problem that occasioned the original foundation. There was a charity program in the early Christian community, where widows were provided food each day. Some of the Christians were natives of Jerusalem and spoke Aramaic. Other Christians were immigrants and spoke Greek. The immigrants were complaining that their widows were not receiving the food that they should have gotten. The job of the deacons was to make sure that justice was being done.
Today, in our own churches in America, we experience the same problem as the early Christians did. Even though we are all Christians, we are still divided between those who are immigrants and those who are natives, we are still divided above all because of language. The solution of the early Christians can still be a solution today. If we look at the names of the first seven deacons, we see that they were probably chosen from the immigrants who were complaining about injustice.
We need more deacons today, both Deacons, in terms of the ministry, and servants in general. If you see injustice in the Church, the first question must be, “What am I doing to correct it myself?” If some Christians are not being served as they should be, have you considered becoming their servant? It is easy to complain that other people are not doing something correctly, but who will listen if you are not doing anything at all? The best way each of us can reform the Church is to be reformed ourselves, by the Holy Spirit, and then be part of the Church.
When St. Francis wanted to reform the Church, he did not go to conferences or protest in the streets. He became a deacon and began serving the poor in the way that he knew they should be served. This kind of work is not as satisfying in the short term. It might be more fun to march in the streets, but it is more practical if you yourself become the change you want to see in the world. When the poor or immigrants are ignored by the government, take care of them. Sometimes we need to march in the street, sometimes there is an unjust law that has got to be changed, but we should not be fooled into believing that the best work is done by changing the government.
What we need to learn to do is waste our lives serving others. You and I have been given a certain number of years on this earth. We do not know how many we have left, but we know that it will probably not be as many as we expect. We stand, holding our lives in our own hands, each year like a coin. What will we spend these coins on? How will we spend our lives? We can hold onto them so tightly; we can spend our lives trying to be as happy as possible with the things of this world, or we can spend our lives serving others; we can waste our lives serving others. If this earth were our entire life, it would be foolish to waste it, but if heaven exists, if we have riches of infinite years ahead of us, we can afford to waste these hundred or so years.
Earth is earth and not heaven. It cannot satisfy our desires. Our desire for happiness is so strong, because our happiness someday will be equal to our desire. It is possible to be happy here on earth, so long as our lives are oriented completely toward heaven. Every one of us is a rich person. Each of us has a treasure in heaven that makes whatever we hold onto here on earth seem like Monopoly money. If we remember this, we will not be afraid to spend these coins, to spend our lives, doing nothing more than serving others.
May 19, 2011 - Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Today's Readings
Much of the Gospel according to John contains long speeches by Jesus full of sayings that are difficult to understand. It is very possible to read a section of the Gospel like the one we have today and just hear it as a jumble of words. We have to stop and consider what each word means, what each sentence means. There is practical wisdom here; we should not pass it by.
Much of the Gospel according to John contains long speeches by Jesus full of sayings that are difficult to understand. It is very possible to read a section of the Gospel like the one we have today and just hear it as a jumble of words. We have to stop and consider what each word means, what each sentence means. There is practical wisdom here; we should not pass it by.
Consider only one sentence from the reading today: “If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.” Part of the problem is the translation. The literal translation of Jesus’ words as John wrote them down is: “If you know this, you would be happy if you do it.”
What is “this” that we might know? Does “it” and “this” refer to the same antecedent? The original grammar of the sentence implies that it does, but the context does not. Jesus has just told the disciples that no slave is greater than their master. Then he says, “If you know this, you would be happy if you do it.” Our inclination is to believe that “this” is the preceding idea, but that is an analysis of a situation, not an action, not something we can do.
The antecedent of “it” must be the washing of feet. If we fill in the antecedents then we get: “If you know that no slave is greater than their master, you would be happy if you wash one another’s feet.” If we take foot washing to be an analogy for all service, and we consider that we are the slave and Jesus is the master, we can further interpret the sentence as: “If I know that I am not greater than Jesus, I will be happy if I serve others”, which logically leads to the contrapositive, “If I am not happy when I serve others, I do not know that I am not greater than Jesus.”
This all sounds complex, but who said that understanding the Word of God must be easy? I show the complexity because I do not want anyone to think that I am just making things up when I say that Jesus is giving us some incredibly practical advice today, specifically, if serving others does not always make you happy, then consider this: do you know that you are not greater than Jesus? Do not just say, “Of course I know that.” Consider it. Do you know, with every fiber of your being, that you are not more important than God? When you know this, you will be happy to serve others.
March 2, 2011 - Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
The apostles are making some progress. They still have a distance to go, as is clear from what follows, but it is impressive that, when Jesus told them that he was going to Jerusalem to be mocked, to be spit upon, to be scourged, and put to death, James and John ask to be given positions of prominence in his kingdom. It is not clear that they understood totally what it would mean to drink the chalice that Jesus would drink and be baptized with his baptism, but they were eager to bet everything they had on Jesus, no matter what. Some of the crowd following Jesus to Jerusalem, a motley group of the poor and lower-class with a few wealthy women mixed in, without weapons, might have been doubting the whole enterprise; James and John see the same group, with Jesus at the head, and just want to make sure that they have a good position locked up in the kingdom that would inevitably result.
They displayed great faith, but something was still missing, and their question becomes an opportunity for us all to learn something about what it means to be great. James and John were not unwilling to do the hard work: they were following Jesus, even to be spit upon and scourged. They merely wanted to be sure of the reward at the end. They wanted to be something great, and, thinking with minds of this world, they asked for a position of greatness. Jesus told them, and us, that the positions of greatness in the Kingdom of God are not merely handed out as rewards.
Jesus is telling us that, in the world, the weaker serve the stronger, because the stronger are able to force the weaker to do so, but in the Kingdom of God, the stronger serve the weaker, because they are the ones able to serve. This is simply one way that our world has gotten things completely backward. The strong man should carry the weak man, but we expect the weak to carry the strong. In the Kingdom, we serve our brothers and sisters who are in need; the angels, who are stronger and smarter than us, serve us; and God, who is infinitely strong, serves all of us. If we want to be great, we need to do great things: we should find someone who needs our help, and then help them.
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