Reflection: Luke 17:5-10

The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Luke 17:5-10

In the Gospel for this 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus tells his disciples: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, “Be uprooted and transplanted into the sea” and it would obey you.  If one of you had a servant plowing or herding sheep and he came in from the field, would you say to him, ‘Come and sit down at table’?  Would you not rather say to the servant:  “Prepare my supper and then wait on me while I eat and drink; then after I have finished, you can sit down to eat and drink”?  

Jesus looks directly at His disciples and says: “Would you be grateful to the servant who simply was doing his duty?  It is the same with you who hear me.  When you have done all you have been commanded to do, say: ‘We are useless servants.  We have done no more than our duty.’”  The Master is not demeaning the servant; rather he simply is expecting him to do the job he was hired to do.  

We are Jesus’ servants in today’s world.  If you are reading this commentary, I assume you consider yourself a servant and disciple of Jesus.  Ask yourself: What do you expect from Jesus?  Do you expect praise or a reward for doing what you have been called to do?  

If we believe that we are disciples of Jesus in today’s world, how are spreading the message of Jesus?  What a blessing it is to be a servant of Jesus!  Every time we serve others we also are blessed.  Today be mindful of serving others.  It likely will be in the seeming small and insignificant actions.  Yet, if we “serve” in a spirit of love, they will be blessed and so will we!