Tuesday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Merely Servants
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Paul writes to Titus that Christ has given himself for the Church. The community should bear witness to this by the kind of life people lead, each according to one’s state in life.
Gospel. The words of Jesus in today’s gospel seem directed more to the Pharisees and scribes, who claimed to be servants of God, than to the apostles. They were self-assured servants; they computed their merits for what they had done for God and asserted their right to his rewards. Perhaps the apostles too were not always too modest in their claims as companions of Jesus. All should put their trust in God and leave everything to him. It is not what we have done for God that counts, but what he does for us in his mercy. We are in his hands.
Opening Prayer
God, merciful Father,
you know what is in our hearts.
Whether our intentions are good or selfish,
we leave everything
to your compassionate judgment.
But this we ask of you:
Confirm us in the will
to serve you and our people
in loyalty and love
and for the rest, we are in your hands,
for you are our God and Father
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
First Reading
Christian Practice in the Community
As for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine.
Tell older men to be sober, profound, wise, sound in faith, love, and perseverance.
Likewise, older women should behave as fitting holy women, not given to gossip or wine-drinking, teaching what is good,
so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children,
to be judicious and pure, to take care of their households, to be kind, and to submit to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.
Encourage the young men to exercise self-control.
Set them an example through your own conduct. Let your teaching be earnest and genuine,
and your preaching beyond reproach. Then, your opponents will feel ashamed and will have nothing to criticize.
The Grace of Salvation
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,
teaching us to reject an irreligious way of life and worldly greed, and living in this life with temperance, justice, and piety in this age,
as we await the blessed hope, the manifestation of the glory of our great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
He gave himself for us to redeem us from all evil and to purify a people for himself, eager to do what is good.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 37:3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29
R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm,
and he approves his way.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
The just shall possess the land
and dwell in it forever.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Who among you would tell your servant, coming in from the fields after plowing or tending sheep, ‘Go ahead and have your dinner’?
No, you tell him, ‘Prepare my dinner. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink afterward.’
Do you thank this servant for doing what you told him to do?
I don’t think so. Therefore, when you have done all that you have been told to do, you should say, ‘We are no more than servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord, let rewards and honours come to us as surprises, rather than as something we deserve, we pray:
– Lord, for us and all who are baptised, that we may follow Christ, your perfect servant, and that with him we may serve rather than demand to be served, we pray:
– That leaders in the Church and in the world may serve the interests of their people rather than their own, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,
we have often been useless servants
who have not done what you expected of us.
And yet you invite us to your table
and serve us the best food and drink,
your Son Jesus Christ.
Make us trustworthy and loyal
like your faithful servant,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
without any merit on our part,
you have called us to be
your sons and daughters
through your loyal Son and servant Jesus Christ.
Give us the humble strength
not to consider this gift from you
as a title to privileges and awards
but a trust and a responsibility
to serve you in people
and to make your love known to all.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
We should not boast to God of what we have done for him. Everything we could do was a gift from him. So let us thank God. May he bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Happy culture of devoted dutifulness
Luke 17:7-10
Any work, puts the other ahead of ourselves, unfolds a giant of personality within us. Any work done with a selfless intent becomes God’s work.
In today’s context, a student expects the result of good marks but is reluctant to study. A youth expects a suitable job but is reluctant to persevere. Many people expect to progress in life but are reluctant to work hard.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples to work without merit. Because, we are servants of God. As servants of God, we belong to Him. Our energy, time and possessions are properties of God. We must spend these for His glory and honour. Having spent them, we are not to claim or demand any merit for them. Whatever we may do for God and His glory, God cannot become our debtor rather we are like gold tested in the furnace to show our belongingness to God.
As servants we must wait on God. Whatever duty assigned to us, we must perform all happily and make the end of one job the beginning of another. Our hard work of the day must not be cited as an excuse for our failure of devotion in the evening. Our devotion to the Lord is not a service we render God, but bring for us grace in return.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers and that is a privilege and service to the Lord.
He who is humble, easily obeys everyone, fears to offend anyone, is at peace with everyone, is kind with all, is submissive to everyone, does not offend or displease anyone, does not resent the injuries inflicted upon him, he lives happily, contented and in great peace. (St. Thomas of Killanova).
Our journey towards greatness begins when we humbly accept our weakness. Humility makes us great. And true greatness makes us humble. Our greatness lies not in having many servants, but in serving many. Let us ask the Lord to give us a deep desire for him and a greater show of love and trust in His presence.