In Service....A Reflection on Liturgical Ministry

Every week, men and women stand before your community in the liturgy and minister to you, the people of your parish.  They serve as Eucharistic Ministers, assisting the priest in distributing the Most Precious Body and Blood of our Lord.  They stand at the ambo and proclaim the Word of God, verbalizing the words written so long ago through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  They don the alb and cincture of a servant and serve at the altar. We give thanks to them for their service to God and this parish.

I think it might be good to talk about just what “ministry” means.  There is a distinct and important difference between “minister” and “doer”, and it involves the interior disposition of the person and their understanding of their role.  A person who performs an action without that interior disposition of service and humility is simply a “functionary” – they get something done, but not for the right reason and not with the right heart.  But a person who performs a ministry does so with their heart open to Christ, and joyful in the service they can provide to Him and the Church.  This is what I call the “spirituality of ministry”.  Without a ministry based in a unique spirituality of service, we are simply functionaries and doers.  Where does that spirituality find it’s roots?  In the Gospels, of course.  Take a look at Matthew 20:20-28.  Jesus is asked by the mother of James and John to given them the seats at their right and left in heaven.  Christ, dismissing the idea of “rulers” and “lords” says to them, “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first shall be your slave.”  Perhaps even more importantly, Christ himself modeled this when he washed the feet of his disciples.  “If I, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet…no slave is greater than his master.”

The spirituality of ministry is deeply rooted in humility and desire to serve – it can never be rooted in showmanship or seeking self-glory.  A person who seeks to minister must first ask why? Do they want to serve God and the Church?  Do they want to share the gifts God has given to them in service to God?  Those are all excellent reasons.  Or, do they want to show off how great they are at dramatic reading?  Or if I join this choir I’m certain to get a solo so people can finally hear my voice?  Ministry is not and never can be an opportunity to perform.  That is why it is so dangerous when a minister, especially a priest, interjects his personality or changes things to fit his needs.  Then Mass becomes nothing but a “cult of personality” – we like Father X’s Masses because he’s funny, or we like Father Y’s Masses because he uses sock-puppets in his homily.  I hope your priest doesn't do such things, but if he does, you should respectfully approach him about it.

I encourage all of you, whether you are currently ministers in some form or not, to consider what ministry in the church God is calling you to?  Because he IS calling you.  What might you do to give back some of your time and talent to God in humble service of Him?   We are in need of Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and Altar Servers, and I ask each and every one of you to consider ministering to God, and to your brothers and sisters in Christ.