In the busy-ness of life, it is important to reflect on the ministry of service. Administrative tasks and service-oriented duties are seen as a complement to (rather than an opposition to) the work of proclaiming the Word. Those who are invited to serve should be “deeply spiritual and prudent” as the Acts of the Apostles notes. Indeed, those are precisely the people one wants when choosing those who will be servants to the Church community.
It has been my privilege to work with many women and men who serve the community “behind-the-scenes.” Their tasks are often mundane and repetitious. When they do something well no one notices; but if there is one small mistake, it seems that the whole world points it out. Yet they continue to soldier on. Through their work, we have the opportunity to worship in a beautiful space. Because of their attention to detail, mistakes are avoided or corrected quickly. In their concern for the well-being of others, the needs of the sick and suffering are brought to our attention so that they may receive assistance in a ministerial way. In short, because of the work of those dedicated individuals, the Gospel message is proclaimed both in word and in action.
St. Peter reminds us that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people he claims for his own to proclaim the glorious works….” Each one of us is invited to lead people to Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. All of us, regardless of our status in the Church community, should be spiritual and prudent people. The way to do this is to practice being spiritual and prudent. We should place our trust in the Lord. We should take time to pray. We should place a guard over our lips lest we speak words that may hurt or insult others. In other words, becoming a child of God is a life-long endeavor.
