Reflection on this Sunday’s Gospel [27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Luke 17:5-10] (Br Samuel Lim)

For those of us who are involved in church ministries – do we do it in the spirit of volunteerism? We commonly hear phrases like “I’m helping out in church,” and even “I do it for free, okay?” True, volunteers do things for free. When I’m a volunteer, I’m implying that I do things out of charity, out of my own effort and goodwill. Consequently, I’m also implying that it is up to me how much I want to give, so no one can dictate or impose. As a volunteer I’m also implying that the other party ‘needs’ my help, therefore I’m ‘helping out.’ Since it seems like the other party is at my mercy, whatever little I give is already a bonus and a privilege for them – therefore they have no right to demand for more. It is no wonder that there seems to be more people coming late for church meetings but most will be punctual for office meetings and job interviews. When church volunteers are being asked about their attendance or punctuality, we are not be surprised when we hear replies like, “I’m willing to come already very good, okay?”

Servanthood vs Volunteerism
In this Sunday’s Gospel [27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Luke 17:5-10], we are invited to move beyond the spirit of volunteerism, and to embrace our calling as servants, with Jesus being our Master.

God’s Will vs My Choice
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”? [Lk 17:7]
We can be quite certain that the servant mentioned by Jesus in the parable was ploughing and minding sheep in the field for his master, not for his own benefit. As a volunteer, I may choose what I want to give, how much, and to whom. As a servant, however, I serve according to the will of my Master. A servant obeys the commands of his master, and definitely does not demand things to be done his way. So the servant allows the master to be in control, whereas a volunteer seems to be saying, “I’m in control.”

God-Centered vs Self-Centered
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”? [Lk 17:8]
As servants of the Lord, we should always put the interests of our Master before our own – not because he wants to be treated like a king but because his priority is to build together the Kingdom of God on earth.

Commitment vs Convenience
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.” [17:10]
We who are called to be servants should have a strong sense of duties and responsibilities. True servanthood even acknowledges the fact that the duties tasked by the master are themselves gifts, and that the opportunity to serve is itself a privilege to be grateful for. With these attitudes and dispositions then, the servant does his work out of commitment, while the volunteer may do it out of convenience. St Joseph Calasanz reminds us: “If in serving God you seek your own convenience, you are not serving God but yourself.”

“For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve…” [Mk 10:45]
How about us?

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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Alphonsus Dominic on 2nd Oct 2010.