10/11/2020 Reflection 1012 (Fr. Ashil Joseph OP on Luke 17:7-10)

Like us on Facebook at   / dominicanministriesgoa   write to us: [email protected] Website: www.dominicans.in #dominicanmediamission #DOMINICANFRIARSINDIA Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus once said that he has come to serve and not to be served, and he kept those words by washing the feet of his disciples. Today in the gospel he reminds us that we are also called to be a servant. We are reminded today that the best attitude that we need to have when it comes to living our Christian life is the attitude of a servant. When the world measures greatness based on power, possession, prestige, and position, Jesus measures greatness in terms of service. Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life states a few attitudes that a servant should have to remain a servant. 1. A good servant thinks more of others than oneself. This should not be identified with thinking less of ourselves rather think of ourselves less. This is an essential requirement for any relationship. The moment one thinks only of oneself the other is already lost for him or her. If Moses thought only of himself, he would not be an instrument to save Israel, if Mary thought only of herself she would not be an instrument to be part of God's plan for saving the world. This was the case of all those who said yes to God’s will. 2. A good servant thinks like a servant and not like the maser. The moment servants think like a master he would no more remain a servant. We know what happened to the wicked servant in the gospel of Mathew. The wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and began to beat his fellow servants, ate and drank with the drunkards, the master of that servant came on a day he did not expect him and at an hour he did not know, and he punished him. When one thinks that he or she is the master, then the others are forgotten. But if he thinks as a servant then he or she is always available to serve God and others with at most faithfulness, complete dedication, total attention, and without expecting anything in return. 3. A servant’s identity is the master himself. All those who follow Christ are called Christians. The word meaning is having the manner and spiritual character proper to a follower of Christ. So it is Christ who gives identity to a Christian. A Christian should be another Christ in this world. So that when we do some good in the world we could say that we do it because we are Christians and Christ in us who is our master commands us to serve, to serve without expecting anything in return.