The Greatness in Service

Homily of the 29th Sunday in ordinary time
World Mission Sunday
Isaiah 53:10-11, Hebrews 4:14-16, Mark 10:35-45

World Mission Sunday is a day set aside by the Church to raise awareness and support for global missionary efforts. On this special day, we are encouraged to pray for missionaries and contribute to the Church’s mission of spreading the Gospel through acts of service, especially in communities where the faith is still developing or facing challenges.

True greatness is found in humble service, not in power or exercise of authority over others. Those who use their position as the means of lording it over others are bereft of Godly sense. Every opportunity we get to oversee others should be used as an avenue to better their lives, even if it entails insults and misunderstandings from the people we are working for.

“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus. ‘Master,’ they said to him, “we want you to do us a favour.’ He said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit, one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.”

To the above request Jesus made it clear to James and John that such position belong to those whom they have been allotted. Nevertheless, he asked if they were prepared to drink from the cup from which he must drink or baptised with the baptised with which he was to be baptised. To this important question they answered in the affirmative. And truly they lived out their profession. James was the first of the apostles to die a martyr, while John died at the ripe old having passed through all the rigours of preaching the gospel.
However, when the other disciples of Jesus began to show their dissatisfaction for James and John request, the Lord told them all, “anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In Isaiah 53:11, we read, “by his sufferings shall my servant justify many, taking their faults on himself”. In service we die to ourselves to make life better for others. If we all work to serve others, the world will be a better place, because, to others, we too are others. It is all about mutual upbuilding.

We shall measure how humane we are by our dedication to duty and service. As we work tirelessly to support the mission of Christ, may the good Lord help us to see the dignity in our service. Amen.