My Servant

Greetings on this the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14; Lk 17:5-10
Notes: Through out this past week we have gone deeply into the human crisis of understanding the world around us, in particular Evil/evil. In our first reading today, we again receive reassurance as to the Divine Will.

Look below: the Lord will not disappoint, the Lord will not be late. Part of our faith journey is reconciling this truth with the effects, sights and sounds of Evil/evil in the world.

We spent a week on this and some progress should have been made. We are intelligent beings and we can take on information, insights and new methods of measurement.

Today we remind ourselves of Job. The only one to be called “My Servant” by the Lord in defense of all humanity in response to the Great Accuser.

The LORD said to the satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.” (Jb 1:8).

Our responsorial psalm (which is Psalm 95 said daily in the Church) reminds us:

If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts. Why delibrately be deaf to the voice of God out of … what? Disappointment, disillusionment, fear, or maybe, guilt?

Meribah and Massah

Meribah, place of contention, and Massah, place of trial. A place we don’t belong and need to keep moving farther.

First reading
Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.

Responsorial Psalm
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”

Second reading
I remind you, to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.

Alleluia Verse
The word of the Lord remains forever. This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

Gospel Portion
Jesus brings us the ultimate understanding, the ultimate flipping of the question.

Previously this week I reassured you that assessing everything through the lens of POWER is inferior to the way Jesus tells us to think, through the HEART.

Today Jesus says something even more important and bringing us back to the book of Job. Do you serve the God of Love or Yourself Alone?

The LORD said to the satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.”

When called the life of service, do or don’t do.

So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’

By the way, Jesus did in fact do what he is not obliged to do.

he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feetd and dry them with the towel around his waist. So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him (Jn 13:4-5, 12-16).

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry