Saint Leo the Great, Pope, Doctor, Tuesday of week 32 in Ordinary Time, Gospel: Luke 17:7-10
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples to say: “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” These words reveal an essential attitude of authentic discipleship: the more deeply we recognize ourselves as servants, the more we grow as disciples of Christ. Jesus does not intend to diminish our dignity, but to free us from the desire for recognition, appreciation, and reward. Everything we have received, our faith, talents, responsibilities, and opportunities to serve, is a gift of God’s grace. Therefore, our service is not something for which God owes us a reward, but a grateful response to His generosity. True discipleship begins when we stop asking what we deserve and begin asking how faithfully we can serve. Saint Leo the Great offers us a beautiful example of this spirit. Although entrusted with the immense responsibility of guiding the Church as Pope, he understood his ministry as service to Christ and His people. His greatness came not simply from the authority he exercised, but from his fidelity to the mission entrusted to him. Likewise, our responsibilities, however important, should never make us feel superior to others. The greater our responsibility, the deeper our humility and spirit of service should become. Jesus Himself, though Lord of all, came among us as one who serves. The message of Christ reminds us that holiness is not measured by the importance of our position or the recognition we receive, but by the love and faithfulness with which we fulfil our duties. We become greater disciples not by becoming more important, but by becoming more willing to serve. Let’s reflect: As my responsibilities and opportunities increase, am I growing in humility and the joyful awareness that I am simply a servant of Christ, called to fulfil my duties faithfully without seeking recognition or reward?
Don Giorgio