July 2018
Gospel of Mark (Mk 10:42-45)
Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Vincentian Reflection
The seed for this reflection came via a conversation with one of my dearest friends, an ‘adopted’ Uncle to my children, a substitute brother-in-law of mi esposa. In talking, as friends do, it came up that his 14 year-old daughter Gail (not real name) had become the first in our two families to fly on a private jet (a Gulfstream G650 for those with interests to make that mean something).
As I proceeded to play 20 questions, as in “how did this happen”, “what did she think” and so on, I learned how she’d been invited by a school friend to join in on a family vacation to Mexico. Further discussion revealed that in addition to the family jet, they brought along the family “Butler”.
While Gail may have found the Gulfstream simply a different mode of transportation, that wasn’t so true for the ever-present and always helpful manservant. This she found “creepy” and didn’t care much for the accompanying “Jeeves, I’d like some more ice in my drink” quality of life.
What this little seed brought to the reflection tonight is the question of how we all appear to those we serve. Even though our assistance is customarily requested, the idea that our freely and willingly being a servant providing service can be “creepy” or otherwise disturbing to the very people we aim to assist …well, that’s unsettling.
The answer though, at least in my view, is at least conceptually quite simple. To be authentic in our spiritual life and in how we present the Love of Christ to all we meet, especially those we serve. Psychology says spiritual authenticity “Inspires and earns respect through concrete manifestations of spiritual Truth”. Yeah, let’s do that.
As Catholics, we know The Truth. If we are sincere in presenting this truth as well as ourselves as servants of the truth, then we can be confident we are serving God’s purpose with an outcome more likely to lead to salvation than to anyone being “creeped out”.
We also know that God rested and Jesus turned water into wine so the party could go on, so let’s move this meeting along and get on with the servants party.
Welcome to 10 Angels 