First reading Wisdom 2:23-3:9
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God
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.
Responsorial Psalm 33(34):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.
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.
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.
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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We are merely servants
Many of us commonly seek appreciation and recognition for our hard work, whether it is a word of praise or an affirmation. As Christians, can we instead adopt the mindset of saying, “We are merely servants; we have done no more than our duty”? Can we view our service to God and those around us as sacred acts of love?
God desires service that comes from love. He, being love itself, fills our hearts with an unlimited desire to give what is good for the sake of others. Our true joy arises when we recognise that we have done our best for others and that we are pleasing God through our actions. Today, let us focus our hearts on God. In doing so, we can let go of the need for recognition—finding happiness in the knowledge that our sole aim is to love God by seeking the well-being of those we love.
Reflective question:
How does today’s gospel challenge me to live this day by doing small acts of love?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
