During the American Revolution, a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers who were busy pulling out a horse carriage stuck in deep mud. Their officer was shouting instructions to them while making no attempt to help. The stranger who witnessed the scene asked the officer why he wasn’t helping. With great anger and dignity, the officer replied, “Sir, I am a Corporal!” The stranger dismounted from his horse and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers himself. When the job was completed, he turned to the corporal and said, “Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and don’t have enough men to do it, inform your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again.” Too late, the proud Corporal recognized General Washington.

This is just one example of one great leader who led by example. George Washington was not simply a commander-in-chief who gave out commands. He helped those under his authority to carry out those commands.

Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, also led by example. At the Last Supper, when He instituted the priesthood and the Eucharist, Jesus undertook the service normally performed by slaves and servants. He washed the feet of His Apostles. Afterwards He said: “You call me Teacher and Lord – and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done” (Jn 13:13-15).

In today’s Gospel Jesus sets Himself up once again as an example: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve”. And then He adds that this service will culminate in His giving His life as a ransom for many.

James and John aspired to glory and the highest place in heaven: “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory” (Mk 10: 37). The other Apostles became angry with them. Jesus seized this opportunity to teach them what true greatness in God’s sight consists of. “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all” (Mk 10:43-44).

We are all accustomed to various forms of service. Service is such an integral part of human life, especially in family life. Spouses serve each other. Parents serve the needs of their children. Later on, children serve their parents in old age. Service is an integral part of professional life. In hospitals, doctors and nurses serve their patients. In schools, teachers serve their students. In every store, in every shop, in every restaurant, in every business some kind of service is rendered.

But there is something unique about the service we are called to as followers of Jesus. We are called to do it with the mind, heart and intention of Jesus Himself. The Son of God’s service stemmed from His infinite love for us. He saw us in dire need of redemption. He saw us burdened by sin and guilt. So what did He do? St Paul puts it this way: He emptied Himself and took the form of a slave, becoming one of us, while remaining who He was from all eternity – the beloved Son of the Father. He took our sins, our guilt, our wounds upon Himself to heal us, to forgive us, to save us. He became a suffering servant, crucified on a cross as an offering for sin. He was a compassionate servant who, as we heard in the second reading, could sympathize with us in our weakness. This compassionate, understanding dimension of Jesus’ service is very uplifting and encouraging. Jesus not only took our sin and guilt upon Himself. He even took upon Himself our experience of temptation. Though Jesus never sinned and never gave into any temptation, He fully understands in His humanity how difficult it can be for us to overcome temptation. Jesus’ love and compassion for us is similar to a very loving person who generously and faithfully assists a very handicapped person. Jesus never blames us for our fragility. On the contrary, He helps us in our fragility.

Jesus wants us to learn from Him. He wants us to imitate His service and the intention that moved Him to serve with such love and selflessness. Today would be a good day to look at the various forms of service we already render to others. How can we make that service more Christlike? Spouses can turn to Jesus and learn from Him how to serve each other with greater joy, love and fidelity. Parents can turn to Jesus and learn how to be more generous and compassionate with their children. Even in our workplaces we can all turn to Jesus and learn how to treat others as we would treat Jesus Himself.

This kind of service leads to greater joy in married life, family life and professional life. Here is an inspiring poem written by Rabindranath Tagore, Asia’s first Nobel Prize winner in literature(1913):

I slept and dreamt that life was Joy;
Then I awoke and realized
that life was Service.
And then I went to work – and, lo
and behold, I discovered that
Service is Joy.

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Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 599-609: Christ’s redemptive death in the plan of salvation
CCC 520: Christ’s self-emptying as an example for us to imitate
CCC 467, 540, 1137: Christ the High Priest

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The collect for the twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time is a simple prayer, but as so often, simple words express the deepest truths of our faith.

We begin with an invocation: Almighty ever-living God ,seeking the right dispositions of heart for worship, and, indeed, for living our whole life in his presence.

The first word of our petition which follows is Grant. By this we confess that all comes from God, including the very act of worship we offer him. God acts in us, and yet even the prayer he creates in us is not his work alone. Creation is not compulsion where the free will is concerned. The free act is created, but created free.

We continue that we may always conform our will to yours because we have our own part to play. We are responsible agents before God. We seek union with God, to be one spirit with him, but not passive puppets; being made in the image of God means we share in his creativity.

And we add and serve your majesty because all is offered as a gift to him who is beyond all measure in greatness. And this not simply in size or power, but in goodness and beauty and wisdom. All that is most esteemed is found in him.

The collect ends in sincerity of heart because it expresses our deepest desire. In worshipping God we are never simply going through the motions, but neither just giving expression to an earnest but subjective whim. Christian sincerity is willed conformity to an objective moral order which is through our Lord Jesus Christ....in the unity of the Holy Spirit...for ever and ever. Amen.

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BIDDING PRAYERS

Let us pray for all who confess Christ, that we may prove faithful to his call, attentive to his word, obedient to his will.

Let us pray for all in positions of authority, that they may be mindful of the majesty of him who rules over all.

Let us pray for the faithful departed that they may rejoice in the vision of God who is greater than all that can be described or imagined or conceived.

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Note: These hymns have been chosen from different sources.

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Brother, sister, let me serve you (L924, LHON186)

From heaven you came (The Servant King) (CFE187, L749, LHON267)

Praise to the holiest in the height (CFE606, L788, LHON582, TCH260)

Unless a grain of wheat (CFE754, L748, LHON697)

When I survey the wondrous cross (CFE801, L756, LHON731, TCH72)

Will you let me be your servant (The Servant Song) (CFE813)

Key

CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone

L – Laudate

LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)

TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)