READING 1: Daniel 7:13-14 READING 2: Revelations 1:5-8 GOSPEL: John 18:33b-37
Supposedly, the Cardinal Archbishop of a northern city was paged by the new receptionist. She said, “Your Eminence, there’s a filthy, disheveled, disoriented man in the lobby who claims to be Jesus Christ, what should I do?” The Cardinal thought a moment and said, “Look busy!” When the King comes, will he find us busy serving God’s people? That homeless, schizophrenic young man is Jesus, our brother. Although the best way to serve him was to get him to a shelter and try to get him back on his medicine Jesus beckons all of us with the call to serve. In the recent movie, Queen, which is about the British royal family during the time of Princess Diana’s death, the family is on vacation in their 40,000 acre estate at Balmoral. Initially, the Queen expects the country to allow the family to stay in the country and virtually ignore everyone. Since Diana and Prince Charles were divorced she wants as little to do with this funeral as possible. She told Prime Minister Tony Blair this “quiet dignity” is what “ her people” would expect. Eventually, she learns that the people have different expectations and she puts duty ahead of preference and service ahead of arrogance. She brings the entire family back to London for the big State funeral the people of England and the world wanted. We are not Kings or Queens but God’s cure for the common life includes a strong dose of servanthood for all of us. We don’t want to focus so much on what we like to do that we neglect what needs to be done. A 3:00AM diaper change is not fun for most people. Few people look forward to cleaning the garage. Visiting your grandmother in the nursing home might not be your idea of the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Still, the sick need visiting, the garage needs cleaning and the diapers need to be changed. Today we celebrate the ultimate servant. The King who let the Samaritan woman interrupt his rest, the woman caught in adultery to interrupt his sermon, the blind man to interrupt his journey. When the apostles feared the storm, he calmed it. When they had no wine for the wedding or food for the crowds he made both. And while none of the Apostles washed his feet; he washed theirs. Let’s follow his example. Jesus entered the world to serve. We can enter our classrooms, our jobs, our homes, our churches and serve as well. Servanthood requires no unique talent, skill or degree. Jesus sits in your classroom, wearing the outdated clothing and a sad face. You’ve seen him. Jesus works in your office. Unmarried but pregnant again, she shows up late and already tired. She’s the talk of the water cooler gatherers. You’ve seen her. She’s Jesus. When you talk to the lonely student or the weary mom, you love Jesus. “Whenever you this to one of the least of my children, you did it for me.” Oh yes, the King comes to serve, when we serve one another, in our homes, in our classrooms, in our jobs, in our church, he is most alive for us, we are closest to him, we move beyond the common into the royal when we are busy with the good news of Jesus Christ! Fr. Jeff McGowan |
