Jesus teaches that we are called to serve others. He tells us in Mark 9:35 that if we wish to be first, we shall be the last of all and the servant of all. We put ourselves last and sacrifice for the good of others. To sacrifice sounds like hardship, not an activity we’d enthusiastically seek out. But, did you know that sacrifice means to make sacred, to make holy?
When we love someone, we want to serve them, we want to sacrifice for them. It’s almost that we can’t help but do for them. We give to who and what we love. We love God, and so we give to Him. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. So we give to our neighbor’s need out of love for God. Jesus tells us that whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do for Him.
We humble ourselves when we put other’s needs ahead of our own. When we share our resources of time, talent, and treasure to serve others, we sacrifice. In this, we make our giving holy and those we serve become sacred. St. Peter reminds us in his first letter, “As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct.” When our conduct includes sacrificial giving, we become more holy, we grow closer to God. That’s what’s most important. That’s what makes us truly happy. There is no happiness without holiness.
We read last week in James that faith without works is dead. Stewardship puts our faith into action. This is who we are. This is how we conduct ourselves. It is in giving to and serving the least among us that we become holy. Our works make an impact for the good of God’s kingdom. In this holy giving, we receive more than we could ever possess on our own. What can you do and give in service to others?
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