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The Slave of All
“Whoever wishes to be first will be the slave of
all,” Mark 10:35-45.
Some years ago while I was serving in the Diocese of
Guatemala, I was given the title of Canon for the
Northeastern Region of the Diocese. My task was mainly
to develop programs that would help in church growth and
leadership training. Just before the Diocesan Convention
I decided to help the delegates by preparing them to
participate more actively at the Convention. Most of the
lay representatives (from some 23 missions) were
campesinos.
It turned out when it came time for election at the
Convention, that for the first time priests and lay
persons from the region were elected to represent the
diocese abroad. One of the priests trained locally was a
delegate at the Provincial Synod held in Colombia. This
same priest was consecrated Suffragan Bishop of
Guatemala this past July.
This passage reminds me so much of what happened then,
and the collect used for ordination which says: “Look
favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and
sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your
providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of
salvation; let the whole world see and know that things
which were cast down are being raised up and things
which had grown old are being made new….”
So many times we see this happening in the Church. We
try as much as possible to make things happen the way we
would like it to be, but so often we see just the
opposite of what we want. Then there are times when we
try to manipulate things: “Grant us to sit, one at your
right hand and one at your left, in your glory” was the
request of James and John. We want special favor because
we feel that we deserve it more than the others. But in
God’s kingdom it does not work that way.
If you feel yourself important and better than others,
then it is time you take the time out to talk seriously
with the Master. It may be that you do not understand
Jesus. In His kingdom we are His servants as well as His
friends. It is a matter of working for Him to make sure
His plan for salvation is accomplished. “I have come to
serve and not to be served.” It was not easy for Jesus
to accomplish the mission given to him, but because he
humbled himself and gave himself to die on the cross, he
was victorious.
Today we find so many who wish to do as little as
possible and want to get as much as possible. It is only
when we are filled with the desire to put into life more
than we can take out, that life for us and for others
will be happy and prosperous. The one at the top is the
one who has to work harder to make sure that the rest
under him or her will continue to have a job and the
money to pay them.
Though we are servants we are all equal in the eyes of
God. We all have the privilege and the duty to serve God
so that all may come to Him. It was an exciting moment
to see what was achieved at that Convention in
Guatemala. At the same time it is frightening to know
how one can be manipulative. Power over others is a
dangerous weapon. For this very reason I believe that
Jesus taught his disciples to be servants: “…whoever
wishes to be first will be the slave of all.”
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