As Expected

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/100216.cfm0 reminds me that I should not have a sense of entitlement as I do God's commands. 

They say that younger people nowadays have a deep sense of entitlement. I have friends who complain about the attitudes of fresh graduates. They do not want to work for things, and they feel that they deserve good things. They feel they need to be rewarded for what they do. This is true actually for a lot of people, especially with our faith. When we pray, when we do good, when we live right, we sometimes feel that God should reward us, that we deserve good things in life, that God should give us our desires. This is something we need to take out.

We should not feel entitled to God’s blessings just because we do his work.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds us that servants should not expect thanks or acknowledgement from their masters for doing their work. They don’t get rewarded for doing their work. They work because they are supposed to work. This is how we should live our faith. When we do good, when we follow God’s commandments, when we do what he wants us to do, when we treat others right, we should not expect greater blessings. When we do God’s work, we should not compare ourselves with evil men and think that just as they get good things in life, much more should we get them as we do God’s work. 

We should do good simply because that's how we should live. 

God’s ways are different from the world. The devil, the ruler of the world, rewards his followers – the evil people in this world, with things of this world. money, fame, power. but all these are good only for this world. God is different. He rewards his faithful servants with greater things – things not of this world. He will reward us not with temporary, material things, but with eternal heavenly things.

We owe everything to God. He gave us all that we have. We cannot claim that we worked hard for what we have. We may have worked hard, we may have did our part, but it was God’s goodness and greatness that helped us get through. And when we give of ourselves to others, when we do good, when we live right, it should be our way of thanking God for everything. We should not feel entitled to certain things just because of these things. 

God is God, and we are his creations. The second reading says that we should bear our share of hardships as His children, but he gives us strength to do so. He may not be a demanding God, but he deserves every good we can give him through others. He may be a generous God, giving us more than we deserve, and blessing us even if we do not ask for it, but we should not let these things get in our head and forget who we are and who he is.

May we always remember who God is, and be moved to serve him through others as our way of thanking and loving him – without expecting anything in return.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. thank you for another chance to love and serve you. thank you for all the blessings. Lord, I thank you for your goodness – that you continue to bless me even without me asking. Thank you for not waiting on me to pray for help, for blessings, and for protection. I am sorry for not being aware of your goodness and presence in my life. Sorry for taking your blessings for granted. Sorry for the times I feel entitled to blessings that I want, just because I am doing your work and being good to others. Help me rid myself of these thoughts and attitude. Help me focus on you. help me be aware of your presence, of your blessings, of your love in my life. And may this lead me to love and serve you through others, without expecting anything in return. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/11/sense-of-entitlement.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/11/servant-of-god.html

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October 2, 2016
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 141

Reading 1 Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4

How long, O LORD? I cry for help
but you do not listen!
I cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not intervene.
Why do you let me see ruin;
why must I look at misery?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and clamorous discord.
Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
if it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash one has no integrity;
but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14

Beloved:
I remind you, to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me,
in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit
that dwells within us.

Alleluia 1 Pt 1:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of the Lord remains forever.
This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 17:5-10

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.’”