TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2023
TUESDAY OF THE THIRTY SECOND WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR A
Wisdom 2:23-3:9
Luke 17:7- 10
PURIFYING OUR MOTIVES FOR SERVICE OF GOD AND HUMANITY
Christianity calls us to serve God and humanity. So we engage in daily service of our neighbours, loving them, serving them, in their homes, visiting the sick, asking after the weak and feeble, taking care of the aged and the physically disabled, the prisoners and all. In the Church, we engage in all activities of service as stewards, members of the societies, parish Council, harvest committee and making donations for one thing or another as we are encouraged to make.
Our services to God and man involves not just physical presence, exerting of energy, spending of our precious time, but more importantly giving of our resources, money, houses, items and others.
The big question is who are we trying to please? Or what is the motivation behind our charity? Or why do we engage in doing this, where do we expect our rewards?
These are precisely the questions that Jesus answers for us in today’s gospel. He tells us in plain words, “when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty. ”
It portends that our acts of charity, our efforts, works of love and our striving to be charitable are firstly motivated by love of God and sense of duty as inspired by our God. It is God that assigned us these roles. He gives us this opportunity to serve. He “commands” us to act. So any role, work, charitable endeavour and assignment you are inspired to undertake for God and for humanity is only an opportunity granted by all knowing and all wise God to help him in his world. It is more a privilege that a right to demand. So, it should be a duty for us.
As a duty incumbent on us for our salvation. It is a duty God assigned us to do as his creatures. As a duty, we are obliged to carry it out, to follow suit and demand no rewards or praise from anyone.
As a duty, it is our way of fulfilling our mandate to be God’s own people, who are willing to serve, to be loyal, and who are faithful, sincere and dedicated to God. Carrying out these tasks are ways of showing our faith in God. And doing them without expecting any reward are greater ways of showing gratitude, dedication and commitment to the faith we have in God.
So we should never expect to be thanked, or appreciated, or praised or acknowledged or even rewarded for any act of charity done for one. We are not philanthropists in the nature of the world, rather we are before God faithful and sincere disciples, who follow the nature of their provident God.
In the event that our acts of love are expressly appreciated and praised, we must return that praise to God alone and try not to be flattered and overbloated by such praises. Worse still is to request or expect such praises. It is against the spirit of Christ. The best we can do is to always have the idea that our works of charity are precisely our duty and incumbent on us.
Our rewards are stored for us in heaven and our rewards will be revealed when we return to the blossom of our father after this earthly sojourn. So in all we do, let us live in hope of the coming of Christ.
Heavenly Father, grant us a generous heart and spirit as You are. You God are abundant in giving, forgiving and granting and you have shown us your generosity. Help us to imitate same without expecting the praises of men, rewards or acknowledgement. May we see our charitable acts and services as our sacred duty and as a privilege granted us to live in imitation of you. May we continue to reflect you in our world and so sustain the hope of rejoining you in eternity through Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
