Kaukauna Catholic Parishes

Servanthood & Trust

God’s blessings! This weekend’sreadings challenge us to be “servants of the Lord,” and to “trust in the Lord.” In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus reflects on leadership styles, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles, lord it over them and make their authority felt.” Jesus stresses to his disciples, “But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.” He goes on, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for the many.” Jesus brought salvation to the whole world, all of human history. He invites us, counted among his missionary disciples, to follow his style of “servant leadership.”  

Our Psalm this weekend is, “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” This echoes the incredible sense of mercy we encountered on our recent pilgrimage to Poland as we prayed in the church of St. Faustina, known for receiving the message of Divine Mercy, featuring the prayer, “Jesus, I trust in you.” God’s mercy is incredible and  accessible, and “of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.” Our 2nd reading from the Letter of Hebrews  challenges us: “Let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for the timely help.” God’s mercy allows us to humble ourselves and be free to truly be his servants.

In Poland, we saw how powerful God is as the Polish people managed to continue their strong faith during and after experiencing the cruelty and hate of the Nazis and the Soviet Union for many years and regaining their freedom in 1989. They are currently a very Catholic country that is supportive of families and the gift of life. May we not take our freedom for granted. It is a gift and may we thank God for our continued opportunity to share in Eucharist as a community, and that this trust in God can inspire us to be servants of the Lord.

 -Deacon Steve