GIVE THE LORD YOUR BEST
In today's Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ concludes His
instruction on discipleship with an example of being at home. He points out
that nothing is particularly heroic about going the hard way with Him. Jesus
tells the disciples, "When you have done all you have been commanded"
- relativizing family relationships, renouncing all possessions, avoiding
scandal, and forgiving whenever asked (Cf Lk 17:2 - 4) - "say, 'We are
unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do'" (Lk 17:10).
We are called to give the Lord our best regardless of what it
might cost. But we need to be honest. Don't we love to assert our rights?
"I will give only what is required of me and no more!" But who can
satisfy the claims of love? Jesus used this parable of the dutiful servant to
explain that we can never say that our heavenly Father is indebted to us or
make the claim that He owes us something for what we have done. What is most
important here is that we regard ourselves as God's servants, just as Jesus
came "not to be served, but to serve." Service of God and of others
is both a voluntary or free act and a sacred duty.
In the Responsorial Psalm we acclaim, "The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord" (Ps 37:39a). We are to trust and delight in His
goodness. God expects us to give Him the worship and praise that are due to
Him. He gladly accepts the free-will offering of our lives, which brings Him
great joy. What makes this offering pleasing to Him is the love that you and I
express in the gift of our self-giving. We can do this because we trust and
delight in the Lord, Who watches over our lives.
So let us give the Lord our best!