Prayer – O Lord, let me serve you faithfully with a humble heart.
Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.)
Context:
Jesus sees deeply into his disciples’ heart. He demands that they serve faithfully without
any self-righteous feelings.
Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud)
If a man has a servant who ploughs the field and feeds the cattle, will he say to him when
he comes in from the field, “Sit down immediately for your supper?” Will the owner not say,
“Prepare my supper first. Serve me, and I will eat and drink. Afterwards, you can eat and
drink.”
Does he thank the servant for doing what he is commanded? Not at all. So, when you do
all these things that are commanded, just say “We are unprofitable servants. We just do that
which has to be done.”
Thoughts: (Read all. Ponder the ones that attract you.)
1. The owner is not rich. He has just one servant who works both in the fields and in the
house.
2. This servant is totally faithful. He does all his work in both places.
3. The servant has two responsibilities. Exteriorly, he must complete all his tasks.
Interiorly, he must humble himself and think that he is “unprofitable.”
4. The servant has no faults. He must see his work as “doing what is commanded.”
5. No room for pride, even in a faithful servant.
Affections (When one touches your heart, use your own words.)
1. Help me, O Lord, to be your servant, faithful in the world and in my life of prayer.
2. Let me rejoice! To serve you is my greatest privilege.
3. When all is done, let me honestly say that my greatest efforts were very inadequate.
4. You are everything, O Jesus. You are the beginning and the end. Serving you is
more a favor than a task.
5. My work is earthly. Your reward is heavenly. My labors will end. Your favors are
forever.
Resolution (Possibly you might want to make your own.)
1. This day, I will be faithful to all of God’s interests.
2. At the end of the day, I will rightly call myself “an unprofitable servant.”
Thought for the Day (To recall your meditation)
The servant, although totally faithful, did “only what was needed to be done.”