[stephenkhoo]

SERVANTHOOD AS THE IMAGE OF GOD AND OUR IDENTITY

SCRIPTURE READINGS: WIS 2:23-3:9; LK 17:7-10
http://www.universalis.com/20131112/mass.htm

The gospel reading presents an image of God as a taskmaster who seems to have no consideration for his servants. He is heartless, demanding, insensitive and unfeeling to the needs of his servant. Such an image of God is surely not what Jesus intended to portray. Nay, the focus of the parable is not so much on the exacting authority of God but the attitude of the servant before the Almighty God.

In order that we interpret the parable in perspective, we must situate it in the context of the Kingdom of God. In the situation of the life of Jesus, this parable was taught by Him in order to help His disciples to be totally dedicated to the service of the Kingdom. The servants of the Kingdom must work diligently and selflessly for the establishment of the kingdom of God. Like Jesus, we must be singular minded and be totally committed to the building of God’s kingdom. Indeed, the whole life of Jesus was at the service of extending the reign of God, His love and His mercy. However, in the situation of the life of the evangelist and the early Christian community, this parable was addressed to the Christians who had slackened in their Christian life and commitment to the proclamation of the gospel. Most likely, there were some Christians who were not living up to their dignity and responsibilities as Disciples of Christ. Instead of serving the Lord, they were self-serving, demanding or simply lazy, lackluster, apathetic and irresponsible towards the mission of Christ.

In a more pertinent manner, this parable was addressed to the Church leaders as well and all those who represent God the Father in their homes and offices or in society. All leaders are basically servants. Parents are servants of their children. Priests are servants of the People of God, with the Holy Father calling himself the servant of servants. Government leaders and civil leaders are called Civil Servants because they exercise leadership for the good of the community. So being leaders is always a call to Servant Leadership. Authority is never given to us to abuse our power and control peoples’ lives for our own interests and benefit. The leader must decrease so that his people will increase. The leader must share the least privileges and rewards. Instead, his concern should be that those under him will have more than what he has. His joy is to see that others are happy and well looked after before his own needs.

Hence, this parable is addressed to the lazy servants. So, this parable is still relevant for us all. Priests, seminarians and laypeople are all guilty of lacking generosity in our commitment to Christ and His mission, or in our service to the People of God. In the process, we have become calculative in our service to the Church and in the proclamation of the gospel. Initially, when we were given responsibility, we all expressed our desire to serve the Church or the organization selflessly, completely and without reservation. Many Church members take their commitments before the community when they join a particular Church organization. But how many remain true to that commitment? Just because this is voluntary work, they think that responsibility, commitment and excellence are not required of them. We fail to realize that we are not servants of a particular organization but servants of Christ. How can we then give slipshod service to the work of the kingdom and act irresponsibly, like a lazy servant?

Rather, we should adopt the attitude of the servant portrayed in the gospel. Instead of being calculative and offering poor service to the Lord, we should be grateful that we are counted worthy to serve the Lord. Indeed, whether we have been chosen for the Ordained Ministry or religious life, or as leaders or even as member in a Church organization or charitable movement, we should count ourselves privileged, because none of us is worthy to be His servant and messenger of the gospel.

Yet it is such a tragedy that many of us take our calling for granted. After some years serving the Lord, we become jaded and complacent. Routine sets in and we begin to think that we are somebody in the Church, especially if we have been given some office and authority. We act as if we are emperors, commanding and ordering people around, scolding and reprimanding them, and expecting to be served and acknowledged and demanding our rights, etc. Instead of thinking how best we could contribute more and serve with humility and selflessness, it becomes a question of “me” and my rights. Indeed, many of us begin happily offering voluntary service to the Lord, but over time we become preoccupied with our special rights, honour and even material and financial privileges.

Such a situation develops because we have forgotten our calling and identity. In the first reading, we are reminded that we have been created in God’s image. “God made man imperishable; he made him in the image of his own nature.” But it was “the devil’s envy that brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover.” Instead of being inspired by the Servant-hood of Christ, our leader and master, we fall into the sin of pride and greed of the devil; always wanting to have more and always thinking about ourselves, our needs and our status.

For this reason, we must recover consciousness of our real identity, which is the image of God. We are called to share in the image and likeness of God. This is the identity of sonship and daughtership. But what is this image if not that of a servant? This is what the liturgy wants to teach us today. The image of God is that of servant-hood. Jesus is the exemplar of servant-hood. Jesus is the servant of God, or rather, the slave of God who emptied Himself to become man and a slave even unto death. The only desire of Jesus as the Son of the Father was to do His Father’s will and serve Him alone. Jesus had no other ambition or wish than to be about in His Father’s business. As He said, in John’s gospel, “Just as the Father is always working, so am I.” The perfect prophetic demonstration of His consciousness as the servant of the Father and us all is the washing of the feet of His disciples. (cf Jn 13)

In this parable therefore, Jesus is asking us to imitate Him by reminding us that the true son and daughter of God is a true servant who would empty his or her life for the service of the Father. Service marks the life and identity of sonship and daughtership. As servants, we are called to give ourselves totally to the work of God. By emptying ourselves and being docile to His will, we become like God because we share in His life. So, by being servant, we become who we really are, the child of God. This servant-hood is not slavish, but one that is freely and happily given as well. The joy of service in humility and love is what marks us as true servants of God.

For this reason, Jesus asked, “must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told?” Of course not! This is because by being servant, the servant finds himself. Service is the reason for his existence. In fact, if he had no opportunity to serve, he would not be himself. It would be a denial of his calling and identity. Thus instead of the master being grateful to the servant, it is the latter who should be grateful to the former because on account of him, he could serve. So too, we must be thankful to God that He counts us “worthy to stand before Him and serve Him” as the Second Eucharistic prayer has it.

If the Ordained Minister is a servant of the People of God, so too are all baptized Christians sharing in the prophetic, kingly and priestly office of Christ called to be servants. We are the priests of God, not to be served but to serve. If we are called to serve, it should be an honour, rather than a duty. Hence, Jesus said, “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.”

Thus, it is not enough to be good servants, simply carrying out the commands of the master. We are called to go the extra mile. Only when we see ourselves as servants of the Father, which is our true identity, can we do everything on account of love and not out of obligation. Hence, we will do much more than what we are required to do. We would want to give ourselves completely like Jesus, even unto death on the cross. We want to share in His Kenosis of servant leadership.

If we have not arrived at this total surrender of ourselves for the service of God and man, then the reading from the Book of Wisdom calls us to perfect ourselves like the “souls of the virtuous”. Like them, we need to continue to be tested through trials, purified by the fire of love and given up as holocausts. Service, especially humble and selfless service is not easy. We can give once or twice, but to give always until it hurts, is not easy. So we are being put to the test. “God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust.” Only then can we be worthy to be truly servants of God. Indeed, as the author tells us, “they who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.” Understanding servant-hood as our calling, we can appreciate why saints are addressed as the servants of God, for they have been faithful to God in serving Him and their fellowmen.