Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

Jesus reminds us that just because we know, love, and serve God and His children we should not expect to be given honors and compensation. We are merely doing what we should be doing as disciples of Christ. We also should remember that all of our good works have their source in God. We are merely His instruments and unprofitable servants. This can be hard for some people to accept, but just because we are good doesn’t mean we deserve anything from God. Instead, we should focus on serving Him as well as we can and do everything He asks us to do.

Do we recognize that all our good thoughts, words, and works have their source and inspiration in God? Are we willing to be unprofitable servants and serve Him always and in every way no matter the cost? Are we listening to God’s Will and doing as He commands us?

O Lord, you are the source of all good. Inspire us to be good and faithful servants.

Amen.