We all have different roles or rather we wear different hats as we go about each day. Yet in each of them we must clothe ourselves in Christ. For each and everyone of us have a higher calling to live Holy lives as children of God our Heavenly Father. We therefore embrace first the Holy will of God for us. We do so by carrying our cross and following after our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
How are we obedient to the will of God for us if we refuse to be in humble service to our brethren? We hide behind terms like equal rights, human dignity and so on when it is simply our empty pride that prevents us from getting our hands and feet dirty to wash, clean, feed and serve the least of our brethren. We even fail to see the that the ‘least of our brethren’ can be our very own spouse, child or aged parent. Let us open our minds hearts to learn how to love as Jesus did….
For He laid down His life for us not that we took it from Him. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. But emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant. At supper one evening He took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He then said to His disciples, “Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
Grant me a servant’s heart Lord that I may serve You and my brethren faithfully. Amen
First reading
Titus 2:1-8,11-14 ·
You must preach the behaviour which goes with healthy doctrine
It is for you to preach the behaviour which goes with healthy doctrine. The older men should be reserved, dignified, moderate, sound in faith and love and constancy. Similarly, the older women should behave as though they were religious, with no scandal-mongering and no habitual wine-drinking – they are to be the teachers of the right behaviour and show the younger women how they should love their husbands and love their children, how they are to be sensible and chaste, and how to work in their homes, and be gentle, and do as their husbands tell them, so that the message of God is never disgraced. In the same way, you have got to persuade the younger men to be moderate and in everything you do make yourself an example to them of working for good: when you are teaching, be an example to them in your sincerity and earnestness and in keeping all that you say so wholesome that nobody can make objections to it; and then any opponent will be at a loss, with no accusation to make against us. You see, God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.
Gospel
Luke 17:7-10
You are merely servants
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’
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