When you have done all you have been commanded, say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.” (Luke 17:10)

When you have done all you have been commanded, say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.”  (Luke 17:10)
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God is love.

He created us in His image by sharing His attributes with us.

We are like Him because of our love, which is His gift to us.

Love is always active, doing something for the person loved.

It is because of the Providence of God,

which is love in action,

that we continue to live with whatever is needed for our life.

As we have been created in the image of God,

our love too must be active like God's.

God's love in action is called 'Providence'.

Our love in action is called 'service'.

That is why we say that we have been created to love and serve God and our neighbour.

Love and service go together.

'Love God'

and

'Love your neighbours'

are two commandments of God

and as such we are duty bound to love and serve.

By the words quoted at the top,

Jesus makes it clear

that our Christian service to others,

be it in the family or in some other context,

must be primarily motivated by a certain duty of service. 

We must serve out of love.

There may be times when our service may not be acknowledged with gratitude by the persons whom we have served.

It is common experience that many children fail to be grateful to their parents in their old age.

If the parents point out to the  love and care with which they brought  them up,

the children simply answer,

"That is your duty. Even pigs take care of their piglings."

At such times parents must remember our Lord's words,

"We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.” 

and be satisfied with our 'well- done- duty'.

God will reward our service.

In fact it is for Him, for His glory that we serve others.

  Whether others   express gratitude for our work or not,

  we  should not  change our commitment to service.

We must serve and fulfill our Christian duty

simply because it is the right thing to do

and because it is what God wants of us.

But we must be grateful to God for His kind providence

and to others for the service done to us,  however small it may be.

"Jesus,

help me to serve my neighbours freely and wholeheartedly

out of love for You and others. 

Help me to offer  my service

regardless of the reaction of others

and to find satisfaction in this act of love alone. 

Jesus,

whatever I do,

I do for you alone.

Help me also to be grateful to you for your kind Providence for me

and to others for their service for me.

Amen."

Lourdu Selvam.