In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples: “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” I think what Jesus is drawing us to see is the humility we need as his disciples. It’s easy to get puffed up, thinking, “Well, I’ve done this” or “I’ve done that” in service of God. We can even start to feel that God owes us. But we are called to love God for God’s own sake, not for the accolades or even the reward that comes from faithfully serving him. St Ignatius of Loyola penned a beautiful prayer called the Prayer for Generosity that expresses the sentiment that I feel is at the heart of our Scriptures today: “Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God, teach me true generosity. Teach me to serve you as you deserve. To give without counting the cost . . . to sacrifice myself without thought of any reward save the knowledge that I have done your will.” Let’s ask God to help us to serve him with generous hearts.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul calls us to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.” Serving the Lord requires that we rely on the gift of the Spirit within us who empowers us to serve courageously and generously. The good news, Paul tells us, is that “God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control”. In our efforts to serve God and to share our faith with others, let us remember that it is God’s grace that is at work within us, equipping us and strengthening us. Let us remember Jesus’ promise that even if we only have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed, we can still do great things for God. Indeed, through the gift of faith and the gift of his Holy Spirit, God has truly given us immense spiritual power.
Take a moment to examine your own heart. Is your discipleship fuelled more by a hope of reward (heaven), or, by pure love of God? Take some time to pray with St Ignatius of Loyola’s Prayer for Generosity below, asking the Lord to increase your generosity in serving him.
Lord, teach me to be generous,
to serve you as you deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to look for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your holy will.
