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January 30

For the Other

Ours has become such a self-preoccupied and pragmatic age that the call to serve the other sounds most strange, even alienating. Yet, it is at the heart of Christianity.

While our contemporary world still knows something of those who are lesser serving those who are more powerful, generally speaking the

language of serving others has fallen from view. We don’t serve, we just do our job and for this we are paid.

But the Christian story knows much about serving. Christ came as the Servant-King to give his life for the world. We are called into the footsteps of Christ and are called to serve others.

What is remarkable in the Christian story, however, is that the stronger serve the weaker, not the other way round. This is a call to downward mobility for the sake of blessing the other. This is following the movement of Christ so clearly expressed in the great hymn of Philippians 2.

St. Benedict in writing about the role of an Abbot in a monastic community knows about this movement. He elaborates: “Let him recognize that his goal must be profit for the monks, not preeminence for himself.”30

So often those in positions of leadership and prominence think it is all about them. But it is all about others. It is not about the pastor but the community of faith. It is not about the teacher but the students. And so it goes on. This is the Christian way.

Reflection

To be prominent and yet to serve is a great grace.