The one who sent me
Jesus’ comments connecting his merciful actions to his relationship with the Father are relevant for we who serve in the Church and charitable ministries as part of a larger network, such as Catholic Charities, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, our parish, our diocese, or our religious orders.
While Jesus’s adversaries attempted to trip him up under the guise of his supposedly equating himself with God the Father, Jesus reminds his listeners and us: “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgement is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”
We are blessed to serve in the context of a larger network of Christians. Our service is not about us, but about following our baptismal call to further human dignity. The passage reminds me of a few encounters I had when I was fortunate to minister with Catholic Charities USA. I remember meeting someone in an airport who thanked me because their adoption was processed through one of our agencies. I was happy to reply that I was simply one of many allowed to support the mission of our network and the many good works performed on the ground by our human service providers who assist people every day in meeting their housing, nutrition, educational, and social needs.
May God continue to bless us as we serve with like-minded people driven to acts of charity and mercy.
Steve Herro is a Norbertine brother from De Pere, Wisconsin. He serves his Abbey and diocese as a trained spiritual director, archivist, and shrine director and enjoys gardening, freelance writing, and volunteering in the Green Bay community.