Unprofitable Servant

(Reflection on Lk 17:7-10)

“We as Christians are called to serve and not to be served.”

In today’s sharing I would like to highlight the central message of Christ about being an
unprofitable servant. Jesus suggests that each of us imitate the attitude of a servant. That as
Christ’s follower we share unconditional service or to say we give high regard to others above all
else. That means when we offer service we should think of ourselves less and think of others
more. By that, we become selfless and generous to offer our time and effort.
This master-servant relationship is commonly used by Jesus in his parables. This time he
targeted the normal expectation of a master to be served at the table. Here we can see that Christ
made a somewhat selfless picture of a master willing to serve his servants and not the other way
around. We knew that the usual thing to do is for a servant to serve his masters, that after he got
home from work, he needs to serve the master, and not that he is being welcomed and
accommodated by the master at the table to eat and afterwards asked to rest. Indeed, it is a
peculiar image of a master to be the one who serves.
I recall, Pope Francis in one of his homilies, he overturned the values of worldliness. That
instead for a leader to be served, a leader should be the one who serves (well this is the closest
picture that I can think of that can be connected to our gospel for today). The Roman Pontiff
stressed that leaders should act like servants, and not just mere spectators and observes of their
members. That is why in the Philippine Church last 2018, we celebrated the year of Clergy and
Consecrated Persons and the theme of that year-long celebration was ‘Renewed servant leaders
for the New Evangelization’. It was a very timely message for the Church and for us seminarians
who are in formation, that we aim towards the integral renewal of the values, mind-sets, behavior
and lifestyles as church men. That as part of the Church we are invited to care most especially
for the least, the lost and the last of our society.
WHY did I tell this to you??? It is a reminder for us, especially for being an aspiring priest, that
we give high regard for service, and that we think of service not as a work where we can benefit
or guarantee our reward. Here we are called to align our hearts in the call for service itself. BY
THEN, we can distinguish priesthood as something that is ministerial in nature and not as a mere
job where one could get paid and become rich.
Brothers, if we think that this priestly life is easy, then we are wrong. According to Bishop
Bacani in one of our classes in Ecclesiology, “the life of a priest is not limited on the confines
and comforts of their parishes. The real life of a priest is out there in the fields, immersing with
other people, conversing and living with them.” Ang kinabuhi daw sa pari dili sa pag pahayahay
diha sulod sa parokya kun dili didto, ang magpuyo uban sa mga tawo. That is why in our
seminary formation we are being engaged through these things. That is the essence of our
apostolates. We are sent to different sites or communities, in order for us to experience the life
out there. How joyous or difficult it may be, as long as we are able to offer ourselves entirely to
the people. As Bishop Bacani added, “Our being an armchair theologians or armchair
philosophers would not help or make an effect in the society.” He said that we need to be with
the people. We need to be of service for them.
In the gospel I learned the value of being a servant leader. In response, I should be filled with
overflowing gratitude to such a gracious God – an overflow that must express itself in my own
giving back to God through sharing of my time, my talents and my treasure as a seminarian.
Maong ayaw mo kaulaw og dool sa akoa kun magpatabang mo because one way of showing this
service is through helping you my brothers, kun aduna lang og kun maka mao lang, kutob lang sa
akoang makaya. Through this, when I allow the words and actions of Jesus in the Gospel to enter
deeply into my mind and heart, I will be compelled to give myself to Him and to others out of
love for Him.
In addition to this, Jesus’ parable of unprofitable servant should inspire us more. He displays
time and again throughout His public ministry his selfless giving to others. We see in our Lord a
style of leadership characterized by humility and leading by example.

As seminarians, we also see that Jesus leads by example. He doesn’t just tell the people this
story. He shows them how and does it Himself to teach them. To lead like Jesus, we, too, must
“walk the talk” and not just “talk the talk.” If we want those we lead at home, in the communities
where we will be assigned in the future, in our own parishes or even at the seminary to be
generous and hard-working, then we must show them how to do this by demonstrating
generosity and by being selfless to others.

Heavenly father, we are grateful for all the favors you have given us. May you guide us and
protect us in everyday of our lives, especially when called to service. Let us share selflessly all
our talents and abilities for the Church and for others. May this offering become fruitful in
glorification of your name. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen.