Acts 13:13-25 / John
13:16-20
Jesus teaches about
service: “No slave is greater than his
master”
Eastern
Mennonite College ran an unusual ad in Campus Life magazine. After
describing how everyone today is striving to be “on top,” the ad noted that it
wasn’t much different in Jesus’ day. Even Jesus’ closest disciples wanted to be
“on top.” Jesus made a dramatic statement about this attitude. He simply tied a
towel around his waist and washed their feet. In other words, he dramatized in
action what he had taught in words:
The one who
wishes to be “on top” must serve. The ad concluded, “And so if you want to be
the greatest, come and learn with us.” Jesus would have liked that ad.
****
What kind
of sense of service do we have? “We will crawl under your car oftener and get
ourselves dirtier than any of our competitors.” Service station sign
****
One of the potholes and pitfalls in human relationships is
the disagreement in opinions that often lead to quarrels and even fights. This
often happens between superior and subordinates, between manager and worker,
between parent and children, and the list goes on and on. And because of this
disagreement, there is so much unhappiness and that can make life quite
miserable.
In the gospel, Jesus gave us a direction for happiness in life. He said this: I tell you solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him. Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. "Happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly". So, what is meant by behaving accordingly? In the simplest of terms, it means to be obedient.
In the gospel, Jesus gave us a direction for happiness in life. He said this: I tell you solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him. Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. "Happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly". So, what is meant by behaving accordingly? In the simplest of terms, it means to be obedient.
Just as a servant is obedient to his master, and not to think that he is better or smarter than his master. It is this kind of simple obedience that will bring about happiness in our lives because we know where we stand in life and we know that we must respect our elders and superiors. It is also this kind of simple obedience that is required when it comes to our relationship with God. It is in obeying God and doing His will that we will attain happiness in life.
God's will for us is as plain and as simple as this - to follow His Son Jesus, who emptied Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. So, when we empty ourselves of our pride and humbly obey our elders and superiors, we will indeed be happy in life.
****
Easter-Thursday-4th week - Liturgy
Introduction
In his preaching Paul presents Christ as the one to whose coming the
whole Old Testament was leading, and John the Baptist as the immediate
announcer of Jesus' appearance of that fulfillment.
Jesus had told his disciples quite insistently and emphatically that
neither power nor rank was to be the mark of the disciple but service: serving
love. Now at the Last Supper he showed this by his own example when he, the
Lord and Master washed the feet of his apostles. They, the servants, are no
greater than their master, and his messengers are no greater than Jesus who
sends them.
-You washed the feet the disciples
to reveal to them the master who came to serve, LHM
-You call us to service in our
families and communities as a sign of our Christian love and fidelity, CHM
-You call us away from the
pressure of worldly accomplishments, LHM
Opening Prayer
All-powerful God, your Son Jesus reminds us today that we are no
greater than your and our servant, Jesus, our Lord and master. Give us the love
and endurance to serve you and people without waiting for awards or gratitude
and to accept the difficulties and contradictions which are part of the
Christian life and which are normal for followers of him who bore the cross for
us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Commentary
Just as Jesus is sent by the Father to accomplish the mission of
salvation, so too does the Lord send each of us to accomplish a mission in
life. Each of us has something to do in this life that no one else on earth can
do. Each of us is called to build up the kingdom of God
We pray that we will have the wisdom to know the Lord's will, and
the courage to put His will into practice. The Lord builds up the Kingdom, but
He chooses to do so through you and me.
General Intercessions
- For the leaders and ministers in the Church, that they may not
seek honor and power but in all simplicity serve their brothers and sisters, we
pray:
- For all those in public office, that they may not just seek power
and private gain but give the best of themselves to work for the interests of
people and country, we pray:
- For doctors and nurses, that they may serve the sick with great
love and dedication, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God, as your Son Jesus himself serves us in the signs of
bread and wine, he asks us to drink with him the cup of self-sacrificing
service. Let your Son fill us with that love which alone can understand that to
be great is to serve others and to use up our lives to give them a chance to
live. May we seek no other reward than to share the destiny of Jesus, our Lord
and Savior for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Loving Father, in this Eucharistic celebration your Son Jesus has
been with us as the servant of us all. Let him dispose our hearts and give us
his sensitive courage to understand and accept others, to accompany them on the
road of life, to suffer their pains, to rejoice with their joys and to carry
each other's burdens, that he may be with us now and for ever.
