Who Do You Serve?

Last Sunday's Gospel asked a simple question of each of us. Who do you serve? It is simple because there are only two answers. You can either serve God or serve something else: "No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:13). There is no middle ground. It's not about how hard you try or whether or not you did the "best that you could." It's about who you serve.

Most of us don't like that word, "to serve." It sounds beneath us, humiliating. These days we like to talk a lot about "freedom." We adore the idea of utter independence, a man who acts without regard to any restriction. We have freed ourselves from many things: from having to form relationships by using pornography; from working any harder than we have to; from procreation as a gift and an essential part of the marital act with contraceptives and abortion; from pain with alcoholism, rapidly legalizing drugs, and euthanasia; from the responsibility of raising our children by shoving an iPhone in their hands; from the Truth about masculinity, femininity, and human sexuality; from every last taboo; from decency; from common sense; and even from God Himself.

But our "freedom" is a lie! Is a man free if he is addicted to pornography or ruled by his passions? Is a child free when if they are struggling with perversity, they are told that sin is good? Something to be proud of?

The man of the twenty-first century is one emancipated from the good and enslaved to that which is evil. Everyone is the servant of someone or something, even themselves.

Why isn't it good to serve yourself? You'll be more comfortable. You'll probably be more successful. You might even think you'll be happier. The problem is that you aren't alone. God didn't put us in our own little bubbles. If He did, it might make sense to live for ourselves. But the reality is that each and everyone of us, if we're not a hermit, has people we live with, people we work with, people we pass every day on the street or in the hallway. God put those people there for a reason. They are not objects to be used, that is the evil of the sinners described in last Sunday's First Reading: "We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals" (Amos 8:6). God gives us other people so that we can love them in a reflection of His love for us.

And yet we are not just called to serve the people around us. This too can lead to error if we try only to satisfy everyone. It's impossible and may even be harmful. A child might want to eat a whole chocolate cake for breakfast, but that doesn't mean it would be good for them. Sometimes loving people can make them angry. Because of our fallen and sinful nature, we are inclined to sin. You are not loving someone if you tolerate their sin! You are only allowing them to live in slavery! Tolerance is just another word for apathy. If you truly care about your brothers and sisters, you will show them the Truth that Christ has revealed to us. And sometimes that hurts.  If sin has become a habit, it is as if we are living in a dark cave: it hurts our eyes to see the light, the light of Truth. It's like pulling off a Band-Aid: it's something we have to do, but it's certainly not pleasant. We cannot tiptoe around each other's sensitivities trying our best just not to "offend" anyone. In our service to those around us, we must take our directions from a Higher Authority.

We must serve God above all else. By serving Christ, we will most perfectly love each other and ourselves. Serving Christ is not something to be afraid of, "For my yoke is sweet and my burden light" (Matthew 11:30). In fact we read in Imitation of Christ that "Go where you may, you will find no rest except in humble obedience to the rule of authority."

What does serving God look like? For one thing, it is radically different than the ways of the world. There are two paths: one wide and well-trodden and the other narrow and thorny. Though His "yoke is sweet", following Christ is not always easy. You will be mocked, you will be persecuted, and you may even be killed, just ask the host of Martyrs. There might be times that it looks like you are totally alone on this path. You're not. Saints have walked this path ahead of you, but most importantly Christ walks with you. He took on the weakness of our flesh, He understands our temptations and struggles. As the old story goes, sometimes you will be walking besides God and sometimes He will be carrying you. No matter what, persevere until the end!

A servant of God stores up treasure in heaven. He speaks and acts with love. He suffers without complain, offering it up for his intentions and the Holy Souls of Purgatory. He goes to Mass, not out of an obligation, but because of a fervent love for Christ truly present in the Eucharist. He defends the innocent, the weak, and the downtrodden. He stands up for the Truth, even when it hurts. He conforms his will to God's in all things.

And even though he may suffer in this world, the servant of God knows that he runs after a greater prize than man can offer. His hope is in heaven and in the infinite mercy of God. Christ is reaching out His pierced hands to each and everyone of us. All we have to do is accept His mercy and become His servant.


DEUS VULT!