Today’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus came “to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (see Mark 10:45). As faithful followers of Jesus, we are therefore called to take upon ourselves the identities and attitudes of “servants.” The Gospel clearly tells us that if we want to be “great” then we must place our lives in the service of others.
As we contemplate this, it may be helpful to think about the sacrifices and contributions to our society that “modern-day servants” make for all of us. Although an actual list of the jobs done by such people is probably nearly endless, I believe there are many types of work that can be regarded as contemporary examples of this, and I think those who very responsibly take on these jobs clearly exemplify lives of service. Let’s consider the great, and often thankless duties of nurses and hospital orderlies, maintenance personnel, housemaids, cooks, teachers and child care providers, parking attendants, commercial drivers, construction workers, sales associates and cashiers, secretaries, security guards and even firefighters and police officers (just to name a few). We might also ponder the way such people, especially those who remain forever dedicated and dutiful, are often denied the proper respect and admiration they ought to be rightly given!
As I thought about this, a good friend who works for the New York City Department of Sanitation came to mind. When I was a youth, if I had aspired to be a “trash man” I might have been ridiculed by my family and friends; they might have told me that such work was undignified, or that it was only for those incapable of doing anything else. Certainly, the value of such work and service to society would have been negated by those who might have encouraged me to aspire to something “greater.” Now that I have a perspective on the dedicated life of public service done by my friend the sanitation worker, I know for sure that the possible advice my friends and family might have given would have been completely misdirected. Such work in service to others is in fact very dignified, not for the fainthearted, and certainly worthy of great respect and admiration. I now have no doubt that sanitation workers, and so many other types of “modern-day servants,” form a most critical and very necessary layer of the system we call “human society.” What they do is truly “great!” And where would we all be without them? Because of the work my friend the sanitation worker tirelessly does for others, I believe he is truly a hero in our society, and this can also be said about so many others who are our “modern-day servants!”
Not all of us may have the privilege of holding such service related jobs, but Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that our attitudes must be one with theirs. He says: “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant . . .whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all . . . for the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (see Mark 10:43-45).
As Christians, may we always be grateful to those faithful “modern-day servants” who so clearly demonstrate the very mind and disposition of Jesus! May we follow the example of their humble attitudes, especially in the manner in which we share their desire to give complete and loving service toward others. Let us encourage each other with this goal, and may we always desire to serve rather than to be served. May Jesus, the perfect servant, continue to inspire and nourish all of us in our lives of faith.
Praise God! Friar Timothy
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