My Dear People,

Today the reading refers to the suffering servants. Chapter 53 of Isaiah can be understood most satisfactorily on the model of Ezekiel.  The Servant is a light. The experience of Israel is to catch the attention of the other nations, lead them to reflect on their situation, and realize that they are even more deserving of such punishment.  The purpose of the Exile was ultimately to bring about the conversion of the Gentiles.  The mission of the Servant, to which the Jews were called, was to accept unmerited suffering in patient fidelity and so to serve as an example for the other nations.

The Gentile nations did not react to the Jewish experience in the way the prophet had hoped, yet the model of the Servant has endured.  It provides a way of making positive sense of suffering, which is always a challenge to the human spirit.  It also suggests a style of evangelizing, not by conquering others but by bearing their burdens and setting an example.  For Christians, this model was intensified by the example of Jesus, whose suffering and death were also understood as a sacrifice for the sins of others.

In the Gospel the concept of suffering has a unique form. First, Jesus asks James and John if they are willing to drink of the cup he is to drink. They said, “Yes.” Of course, Jesus was referring to the cup of suffering.

In the Gospel, the main point Jesus makes is: those who wish to be first must be willing to serve the rest.  Our Lord’s word and example encourage in us a genuine spirit of Christian service. Only the Son of God who came down from heaven and freely submitted to humiliation at Bethlehem, Nazareth and Calvary and in the Sacred Host can ask a person to make himself last, if he wishes to be first.

Our attitude should be that of our Lord: we should seek to serve God and men with a truly supernatural outlook and without expecting anything in return; we should serve even those who do not appreciate the service we give them. The Christian who identifies with Christ takes “pride” precisely in serving others; by so doing he shares in Christ’s mission and thereby attains his true dignity: “this dignity is expressed in readiness to serve, in keeping with the example of Christ, who ‘came not to be served but to serve.’  If, in the light of this attitude of Christ’s, ‘being a king’ is truly possible only by ‘being a servant,’ then ‘being a servant’ also demands so much spiritual maturity that it must really be described as ‘being a king.’ To be able to serve others worthily and effectively we must be able to master ourselves, to possess the virtues that make this mastery possible.” (John Paul II Redemptor Hominis, 21). 

Service is a very important element. In our lives we can outgrow many things, however we will never outgrow the need of service. The ones who are most successful in business are the ones who understand service best. How do they do it? They make it a point to anticipate the needs of their customers and tell their employees to do the same. The ones who excel in this definitively get repeat business! Providing service is what makes some companies great. Our Diocesan priests’ convocation is held each year at the Gasparilla Inn. It has been around for over 100 years, and one thing I have noticed is how they try to be cheerful and greet everyone who comes into the hotel. Not only that, but they have someone open the front door for you.  The Catholic church has made service an important element. Many hospitals have been opened and run by Catholic organizations. There are many schools, from elementary level to the college level, that are Catholic. I saw one example when I went to India, a poor country. The sisters and the Catholic Church in the State of Kerala (the most Catholic State in India) ran schools where the students wore uniforms, and they were of all religions. There are many rest homes and rehabilitation centers that are run by Catholics, such as by the Sisters of the Poor. The sense of service is very strong within the church. May we always remember, that no matter what we do and what position we hold, we are always servants, and whenever we serve someone, we are serving Christ himself.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente