“[We are] servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” What do these words of St. Paul mean for us as disciples of Christ?
            We are servants of Christ. In one of his parables, Jesus warns us, his disciples, not to expect a reward for the service that we offer. Instead, this should be our attitude. “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” Every day, we should give thanks that Jesus has won for us the hope of everlasting life. If we had a thousand lifetimes, we could not merit or earn this hope. We, therefore, should be delighted to be servants of Christ and realize that our service does not earn us our salvation or put a claim on Christ. Our service should simply reflect our gratitude to Christ for the hope that he has won for us. We serve Christ when we are persons of compassion and mercy. We serve Christ when we see Christ in all persons especially those who are different from us in race or religion. We serve Christ when we are generous in our service of others. It is our privilege and our blessing to be servants of Christ.
            We are stewards of the mysteries of God. We make known to the world what God has revealed to us. We reveal to the world the way that will transform this world so that it is the paradise God first created it to be. We do this when we serve Christ through lives of compassion and mercy, lives of generous service, lives in which we recognize all persons as brothers and sisters to us. In our recognition of all persons as brothers and sisters to us, we reveal the mystery of God’s love for all persons and God’s intention that we form one family in which we are all really responsible for all. In the mercy and forgiveness that we offer, we reveal the mystery of God’s mercy that is offered to all without condition. As stewards of God’s mysteries, we reveal to the world the truth about God and about our responsibilities as sons and daughters of God.
            Let us live in faithfulness to our identity as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
 
                             Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J