When you have done all you have been commanded

8 NOVEMBER (Lk 17,7-10)
We are all called to serve the Lord our God. St. Paul, an excellent teacher in the service of Christ Jesus teaches us the rules so that our service is perfect.

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned. For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.  Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honour. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality.

Bless those who persecute (you), bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Rather, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good (Rm 12,1-21). Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1Cor 13,4-7).

All these rules must be observed, but not according to our personal interpretation, but always guided, moved and enlightened by the powerful light of truth, wisdom, love and justice that come uninterrupted from the Holy Spirit. This is our service which must be uninterrupted. Every day is as if it were the first one. Can we boast of having done this? It is only our daily duty. We cannot even boast, if we will perform it perfectly, because it can be done only with the grace of God, with his strength, his light and his powerful aid.

“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.'”

We are like an amphora. First it is clay. Then processed and converted into clay amphora. Then put into the oven to dry. Then taken and brought to the spring to be filled with water. Then taken to the house so that those who thirsts can quench his thirst. What can the amphora boast of? Has it done anything? It is useless clay. It is the Lord who transformed the clay into amphora and the Lord is the one who used it to draw water. Its usefulness comes from the Lord. It is useless in itself. Not only was it made, but it has also been used for a purpose chosen by the Lord. By the Lord it has been brought to the source and by the Lord it was brought into the house. This is its truth.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us humble servants of the Lord.