Coming to serve

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today prompt the question of how do we know what is best for us in the moment and beyond?

A leadership path

In the Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes the challenge and difficulties that accompany his work among the people as he connects the grace they come to know with the overflowing of thanksgiving to God that will be prompted through that grace.

* [4:13–14] Like the Psalmist, Paul clearly proclaims his faith, affirming life within himself despite death (2 Cor 4:10–11) and the life-giving effect of his experience upon the church (2 Cor 4:12, 14–15). And place us with you in his presence: Paul imagines God presenting him and them to Jesus at the parousia and the judgment; cf. 2 Cor 11:2; Rom 14:10.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the zeal of the sons of Zebedee to be lieutenants of Jesus in His charge to lead the people as agents of the will of God is corrected to focus on the service of others in the moment.

* [20:20–28] Cf. Mk 10:35–45. The request of the sons of Zebedee, made through their mother, for the highest places of honor in the kingdom, and the indignation of the other ten disciples at this request, show that neither the two brothers nor the others have understood that what makes for greatness in the kingdom is not lordly power but humble service. Jesus gives the example, and his ministry of service will reach its highest point when he gives his life for the deliverance of the human race from sin.

Eileen Wirth shares some biographical details of Fr. John Schlegel S.J. example of leadership that addressed the needs of people in the moment while using planning talents to anticipate future opportunities to serve.

Ironically, however, you cannot achieve greatness as a servant if you seek recognition for what you’ve done. Jesus did not like status seekers as he reminded the mother of James and John.  
So here are our marching orders for today: find a way to serve with no expectation of reward or fanfare. If we also can lead others into service, let's do so. We might just stumble into greatness in the eyes of the Lord.

Don Schwager quotes John Chrysostom (344-407 AD) on the theme of not to be served but to serve.

"[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 for 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)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 20:20-28, on the Feast of St. James, applies the change of heart of James that resulted in his martyrdom to our challenge to give more of ourselves to others today.

James stands at the head of a long line of saints who gave up their lives out of devotion to God’s people. That line includes martyrs like St. Lawrence and Edith Stein, evangelists like Francis Xavier, and workers of charity like Jeanne Jugan. It also includes countless other men and women whose stories only God knows.
Jesus is asking you to join this line as well, in whatever way you can. There are people all around you who need to be cared for. So take James as your model, and try to give just a little bit more to them today.

The reflection on St James in the post by Franciscan Media is a good reminder of what holiness is all about.

The way the Gospels treat the apostles is a good reminder of what holiness is all about. There is very little about their virtues as static possessions, entitling them to heavenly reward. Rather, the great emphasis is on the Kingdom, on God’s giving them the power to proclaim the Good News. As far as their personal lives are concerned, there is much about Jesus’ purifying them of narrowness, pettiness, fickleness.

The existence of many legends about St. James led to the establishment of a pilgrimage route in the 9th century known as Camino de Santiago or “The Way of Saint James”.

Friar Jude Winkler discusses how Paul contrasts the physical costs of discipleship with the life that is offered by disciples. We need to incarnate the message of the Cross in our person. Jesus asserts that we are not like Gentile rulers. We should be servants. We share a message of service not favours from God.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, teaches as he describes the Eucharistic mime, and that is what it is—a story enacted through motions more than words—has four main aspects that we are to imitate from Jesus’ first enactment. Through our body we are led to making a choice for gratitude, abundance, and appreciation for Another, which has the power to radically de-center us. Our life and death are pure gift and must be given away in trust. Fr Richard reflects:

We should hold ourselves apart from this meal only if we are not at least willing to try to live this way. That is the only real meaning of it being a “sacrificial meal.” Jesus did it “once and for all” and we are still considering whether we want to join in. It is not moral unworthiness as much as simple unreadiness that might keep us away from the table—and probably, if I were honest, it should have kept me from eating and drinking most days of my life when I had no intention or desire to take, give thanks, break open, and eat.

The sacrificial meal of the Eucharist is participation in actions with Christ that have the power to radically decentre us.

References


(n.d.). 2 Corinthians, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/4

(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 20 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mt/20:3434

(n.d.). Creighton Online Ministries - Creighton University. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint James, Apostle (Feast) - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved July 25, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Saint James the Apostle – Franciscan Media. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-james

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/