From Fr. Tom,
Two parishes ago in the year 2001, I had a parishioner, a black man, who was the chauffer for a very wealthy and prominent world-wide business owner, a white man, who lived in St. Louis. One day I asked him how he liked working for Mr.” X”. He told me he really enjoyed it and he couldn’t imagine working for anyone else. He said Mr. X paid him well, gave him nice unexpected tips and gifts, and often invited him in to the events and parties, if he wished to come. Sometimes he would go in and other times he preferred to remain outside and tend to the limo. He said Mr. X treated him like family for many years. This is a case where the servant was proud and happy to work for his boss, not being treated like a mere peon or slave, but as a worker and faithful helper. Each had their roles and understood them, and each other. As a prelude to Lent, though far off, we are reminded today of Jesus being the “suffering servant” justifying many for the forgiveness of sins. In a way, Jesus served us through His suffering and death. How can we serve Him for all the good He has done for us? We must never forget, though, who the boss is. He can reward us like no one else can.
Next Saturday is our Annual Dinner Auction, the 14th one! I pray that all who attend have a nice evening and that we show our guests the joy of Christ as we serve God’s church. Pray for a successful and enjoyable evening for all. There is an article in the St. Louis Review this week about the re-organization plan for the Archdiocese called “All Things New.” Please keep yourself informed about this so we all can be on the same page about the plan when we talk about it in the future. Thank you.
