Reflection on Sunday Reading, 6 Oct

This little nugget is a reflection on the Sunday reading from last week, 6 Oct 2013.

The Gospel reading:

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied,
"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

"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.'"
The reflection:

The Heart Has its Reasons...“'When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do'” (Lk 17:10). Some hear these words and are a bit “put off”, maybe even feel like they've been slapped in the face. But these words were not placed on the lips of Caiaphas or Herod, but on those of Our Lord (in a parable)...and so they must be pointing to a deeper reality than mere slavish servitude. Some explain the words in terms of “serving God with humility.” No doubt this is true. But the essence of these words is perhaps at once deeper and simpler: it's about God's gratuitous, merciful, creative love. From this perspective, the passage becomes a cause of profound gratitude and joy (as well as a little lesson on the will, love, mercy, and justice of God). God did not need to create us, but He freely willed to call us into existence because He loves us. In His mercy He calls us into His service for the good of our salvation, and in His justice He endows us with what we need to serve Him according to His great designs for us. What follows is a summary of Q. 19-21 and a closing thought from St. Therese. God bless you...
 (Sister Mary Maximilian Koos)
I love this!

St. Therese on the Joy of Being “Unprofitable Servants”“We must do everything we are obliged to do: give without reckoning, practice virtue whenever opportunity offers, constantly overcome ourselves, prove our love by all the little acts of tenderness and considerations we can muster...out of love for God. But it is in truth indispensable to place our whole trust in Him who alone sanctifies our works and who can sanctify us without works... Yes, it is needful, when we have done everything we believe we have to do, to confess that we are unprofitable servants, at the same time hoping that God, out of grace, will give us everything that we need. This is the way of spiritual childhood.”