Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Diving in to our Vision – Ministry: It’s Not About You
Scripture: IS 53:10-11 HEB 4:14-16 MK 10:35-45

An Unfortunate Typo

• Three years ago, at the Cathedral in Saint Louis, twenty-five new deacons ordained to the permanent deaconate-A really big deal!
• A telling photo of Archbishop Canton laying hands on one of the men
• Caption read, “NOT TO SERVE BUT TO BE SERVED” OOPS!

As We Continue in to our Homily Series – Diving in to Our Vision

• Jesus reminds us that whoever wants to be first must be first a slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served. But to serve and to give his life for the ransom of many.
• Sadly, James and John – Sons of Thunder – Want Jesus to “Do for them”
• Want acknowledgement that they are better – sit at Jesus’ right and left hand
• Twisted everything – made being Jesus’ disciples about themselves

Greatness

• Not about “doing for us” but “doing for others”
• Greatness or authority is about service
• Ministry in the Church is about serving others
• You and I are men women and children for others

Through the Waters of Baptism

• We were conformed to Jesus – we put on Jesus – consider our white garment

Remember Jesus?

• On the night of the Last Supper – Jesus kneeling before disciples washing their feet
• Drying them with a towel around his waist
• Jesus the Suffering Servant reminded them As I have washed your feet, so you must wash the feet of your sisters and brothers.

You and Me

• If we want to be like Jesus and live like Jesus – we are called to be servants
• When you hear the word ministry do you think of bishops, priests, deacons, religious men and women – this is wrong
• YOU are a minister of the Lord Jesus
• Do you see and hear like Jesus?
• Do you step outside of yourself- moving your feet and reaching your hands out to others

Inside Our Church – Pastoral Letter

• It’s not enough to come to Mass on the weekend and not to minister to your parish family during the week
• In paragraph 28 of the Pastoral Response to our Synod I list twelve areas of ministry to consider
• Jesus shaped you in a unique and unrepeatable way for ministry

Remember

• All you do in your everyday life is a ministry.
• How does praying about your role as a parent, child, sibling, friend, co-worker and neighbor, in the bright light of that role in ministry in the name of Jesus, lead to change your heart?
• Sometimes we want to say, “Who? Me?

Pastor Rick Warren puts it this way: If you are not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using? Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. God used each of them and God can use you.

POPE FRANCIS SAYS THIS: WHERE HEAVEN IS CONCERNED, WHAT MATTERS IS NOT WHAT WE HAVE, BUT WHAT WE GIVE AWAY.

Questions for Reflection

• What impacted you from the readings/homily?
• How do you understand Jesus as servant? How do you see yourself as servant?
• How does praying about your role as a parent, child, sibling, friend, co-worker and neighbor, in the bright light of that role in ministry in the name of Jesus, lead to change your heart?
• Have you ever had a “Who? Me? Episode with God? How did you respond?
• How is everyone’s ministry in Church impactful?

Live Connected

Consider a joyful way that you might want to serve your parish family.