Word to the Wise
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - St. Leo the Great - Pope and Doctor of the Church
[Wisdom 2:23 - 3:9 and Luke 17:7-10]When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'' [Luke]
The question of "recognition" arises once more in this passage from the Gospel of Luke. It appears that those who were serving as disciples "out in the field" were coming home and expecting everyone to give them special treatment for doing the very thing that faith required them (the missionaries) to do. Jesus warns against such expectations! I live in a small community that is dedicated to itinerant preaching. Although they are good about warm "send offs" and "welcome backs" they do expect me to pick up with my share of the chores when I return! I am reminded of the old joke about the Professor of Homiletics in a seminary who warns the seminarians, "When it comes to praise for your Sunday preaching, let it be like water off a duck's back! But the duck loves it!" Jesus warns disciples earlier in the Gospel of Luke not to get all worked up because "the demons are subject to you." Any disciple or preacher who expects lavish praise and thanks for ordinary Christian acts or for every homily is wrongly and unrealistically motivated. Sometimes all one gets is stony silence! When we go beyond "the call of duty," we may be recognized for it, but we should then take our regular place and keep doing what we are "obliged to do." AMEN
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