From: Luke 17:7-10
Humble Service
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [7] “Will any of you, who has a servant ploughing
or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once
and sit down at table’? [8] Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me,
and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat
and drink’? [9] Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?
[10] So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are
unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
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Commentary:
7-10. Jesus is not approving this master’s abusive and arbitrary behavior: He is
using an example very familiar to His audience to show the attitude a person
should have towards his Creator: everything, from our very existence to the eter-
nal happiness promised us, is one huge gift from God. Man is always in debt to
God; no matter what service he renders Him he can never adequately repay the
gifts God has given him. There is no sense in a creature adopting a proud atti-
tude towards God. What Jesus teaches us here we see being put into practice
by our Lady, who replied to God’s messenger (the Archangel Gabriel), “Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord” (Luke 1:38).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd
Readings at Mass
| First reading |
Wisdom 2:23-3:9 © |
God made man imperishable,
he made him in the image of his own nature;
it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world,
as those who are his partners will discover.
But the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God,
no torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die,
their going looked like a disaster,
their leaving us, like annihilation;
but they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as men see it,
their hope was rich with immortality;
slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
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.
When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out;
as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples,
and the Lord will be their king for ever.
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.
| Psalm |
| Psalm 33:2-3,16-19 © |
I will bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
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.”’