A reflection on Serving Others.

“Rejoice in the Lord always…Let your gentleness be known to everyone.” (Philippians 4:4-5)

Are you being served? Christ said he came not to be served but serve. Francis of Assisi used the word, servant, 159 times. This indicates how important this value was to him. When we minister to others, when can they really say: I have been served! It is good to take time to reflect on our ways of serving others, using the wisdom of our contemporaries who serve the needs of others.

Joy in serving:

When we see or meet someone in need and we sense what is called for, have a good idea or the right word and it turns out just right, we experience joy not only in what we did but how we did it and that it really helped someone. In caring for another we sometimes get a glimpse of our true nature as images of God, as brother or sister to another. We come out of ourselves, just to be there with the other and say a few good words, listen, or provide for a need. We are reminded of who we really are and what we have to offer one another. All this is a source of joy in service. (Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, How Can I Help? Knopf NY, 1987, p., 7)

(Bro. Heribertus Iriyanto is giving a packet to the local leader on behalf of the people in need surrounding Don Boski Community in Semarang)

But sometimes the experience of serving is not a source of joy because we do not know exactly what to do, how to handle the situation, we do something and do not know the results, or we are exhausted and compassion fatigue has set in, or people seem ungrateful. How then can we persevere in joyful service? We have to serve in faith. God emptied himself in Christ. He became human for us and by doing this he showed us the way to joy. Joy to the world was announced when He gave up everything for us. It is only in complete self-surrender, self-forgetfulness that we can ever find the courage that is joy. God show us that joy consists of complete selflessness: this can be made real only when we are face to face with our fellow human beings. Our neighbour does not really exist for us, until we serve him or her. We experience joy in giving joy. Our lives are genuine when we give up everything in an action that serves and is not subject to the mood of the moment. Our self-surrender is visible evidence of God’s presence in the world and of his power over people’s hearts and minds. (Source: : Ladislaus Boros, Meditations, Doubleday, NY, 1972, pp. 16-17)

(Bro. Zeca is giving a packet of food and others to the people in need in Becora, Dili, Timor Leste)

Prayer:

O God, our Loving Creator, O Jesus, our Saviour and Master Teacher, O Holy Spirit of Wisdom, Of all the gifts You give us, the greatest is love. Open our eyes to see, our ears to listen, our minds to learn. Open our hearts to be accepting of others, and our hands to be more giving toward those in need: the lost, the lonely, the lowly and the least.

Each day help us to serve you prayerfully with faithfulness and lead us to a deeper awareness of your loving presence in our lives. Help us to serve with humility on this earthly journey to eternal life. Teach us to serve with compassion that we may see the face of Christ in everyone we meet. Strengthen us to serve You with justice, that we might build a world where all are treated with dignity. Help us to follow Your example, by serving one another with joy in the promise and hope of eternal life. Amen.