The Rewards of a Storyteller

As a minister, there are 2 sources of consolations:

1.) The People.

2.) The ministry.

When I see my journey to my apostolate as a journey of ministry, the gloom, the tiredness and resentment; they simply vanish.

In my mind, I am a minister of the Word. I have a Good News to tell the people. I have a story to tell them, the story of Jesus Christ. Once I realize my identity and function as a servant tasked to proclaim the Word, everything is centered again.

We are just servants......

The Gospel today reminds us all about positive attitude towards rewards and entitlement.

It reminds us that we are not entitled to the perks of our ministries. We are bound to our servitude to our ministries.

Jesus wants us to be servant to one another, and today he is teaching us to be humble and not be expecting rewards from our service. We are just instruments of his Word. Put on your apron! Be ready to be a mere servant devoid of status.

We are just storytellers of the greatest love-story ever told. That in itself is the reward.

Whether or not our story-telling is heeded by people or not, our reward is from God and not from people. St. Paul articulates it most beautifully when he addressed the Corinthians “I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God gave the growth. In this, neither the planter nor the waterer counts for anything, only God who gave growth” (1Cor 3:6-7).

If people give us reward, that is because we are servants. But our greatest reward is from our first reading: Those who trust in him will posses the truth. Those who are faithful, will live with him in love. His grace and mercy are for his chosen ones.

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READINGS

1st Reading – Wisdom 2:23-3:9

God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made them.

But by the envy of the Devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it.

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.

They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace.

For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality;

Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.

As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord shall be their King forever.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19

R.(2a) I will bless the Lord at all times.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.

The LORD has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry. The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.

Gospel – Luke 17:7-10

Jesus said to the Apostles: “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.'”