Ourselves Less!

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Wis 2:23-3:9; Lk 17:7-10

Today’s Gospel identifies service as the heart of Christian discipleship.

How can we understand discipleship in terms of service? How can we uphold the image of a servant at a time when self-esteem is highly valued? If servanthood amounts to self-humiliation, how can anyone willingly embrace it, even though the person is a follower of Christ?

These questions appear reasonable and valid. However, Christians are expected to transcend the spirit of our times thanks to the fact that we follow a ‘Suffering Servant’ whom we accept as our Lord and Master.

Hence, following Jesus is to stand out from the rest as the world is busy seeking recognition and affirming its self-worth. In many ways, the modern obsession with a self-serving agenda runs counter to the more profound invitation of Jesus to sacrifice, love, and service.

If Jesus humbled himself to be the suffering servant of God, it was about his humility and not about humiliation. Going by the popular definition, we are to remind ourselves that humility does not mean to think less of ourselves, but to think of ourselves less. 

This is why Pope Francis reminded us, ‘Christian identity is service, not selfishness. We are called to service. Being Christian is not about appearance, or even about social conduct, it is not a little make-up for the soul, because it should be a little more beautiful. To be a Christian is to do what Jesus did: serve!’

In sum, true Christian identity lies in service. Christian discipleship is about glorifying God through service.

Let us pray that in serving, we may fulfil Christ’s own mission. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar