I’d like to begin by praising God for the 356 people who participated in our 40 Days for Life campaign and thank all of you who gave of yourselves!  As I said a month ago, that was our opportunity to serve and get nothing in return!  Perhaps we did receive something but that wasn’t the point.

Today, let’s continue with the theme of getting nothing in return, because Jesus says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).  These words are about the perfection of love.  Love is perfect when it gives and expects nothing in return.  This is why we admire people who give their lives totally for the good of others; this is why we like contributing, to see others happy.  However, sometimes things hold us back: maybe we’re tired, suffering a bit from laziness, sometimes we’re in a rut.

The First Reading is about Moses’ call to bring his people to God.  At this point in his life, he’s a shepherd, presumably life is dull, and when he comes to Mount Horeb, the text says, “There the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush… and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed” (Ex 3:1-2).  This is Moses’ first supernatural encounter with God, and notice that God expresses concern for His people: “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt…  Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them…  So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people… out of Egypt” (3:7-8,10).

When we encounter Jesus, He sends us to help other people the way He helps us.  Jesus wants us to share His concern for others!  When we make Jesus the center of our lives, eventually, His mission becomes rooted at the center of our identity.

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’” (3:11).  Moses doubts himself; elsewhere he mentions that he’s a poor speaker.  We, too, might doubt our abilities, lack self-confidence, or be a bit lazy.  I’ve mentioned before the term ‘consumer’ with regard to faith.  One of my friends, an Evangelical pastor, said, ‘Ah, you know Protestants, they’re all consumers.’  This can apply to us and often happens in our churches: We can come to Mass, receive spiritually, but not get involved with other people or help them.

Years ago, I told you a story about St. Francis de Sales.  There was a nun who was apparently very holy and had mystical visions, so St. Francis was sent to investigate.  He goes to her convent when it’s rainy, and, when he enters, he sits down and asks the nun, ‘Sister, would you be able to help me with my [muddy] boots, please?’  She declines.  So he throws up his hands, says, ‘She’s a fake!’ and walks out.  I’ve always found this story motivating, because I don’t want my faith to be fake.  True faith involves service.

To his credit, Moses is aware of his resistance and asks for help: “‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’  God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM…  I AM has sent me to you’ … God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors… has sent me to you’: This is my name forever’” (3:13-15).  God’s name signifies intimacy.  Consider that our friends who don’t believe in God don’t know His name; they can’t call Him by name when they need Him.  And, in the ancient world, there were many gods with different names.  So here, the one true God reveals that He has two names!  First, ‘I AM WHO I AM’—theologians realize that this means God is existence and being itself.  The phrase ‘I AM has sent me to you’ could be changed to ‘Existence itself has sent me to you.’  Second, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors… has sent me to you: This is my name forever’—this is a relational name.  God is the God of His people.

All of us, we might say, also have two names.  ‘Justin’ is my baptismal name, but ‘Father’ means I lay down my life for others.  If anyone calls you ‘Mom’ or ‘Dad,’ that’s your relational name: You give life and are sent to your children.  If we are ‘brother’ or ‘sister,’ then we serve our brothers and sisters.

We’re in our series on the Five Systems of a church and today considering Ministry/Service.  Our first service should be to our family—God has put them into our lives and we’re there to love them; this is almost always a hidden service, but let’s praise God that we’re doing it or trying to do it better!

Next, we should consider our parish family and beyond.  Let’s highlight service that is often in the background.  Today, we see many serve us for Name Tag Sunday; the Hospitality Team does an amazing job every week; many people cook food for different ministries; a number of people take care of the grounds and buildings; and the CWL serves us monthly in their café.  These services require them to come early and do many weeks in a row, so let’s praise God for them!  As for corporal works of mercy, we celebrate our visits to the sick and our service at The Door is Open.  If Jesus is calling you to serve in any of these ministries, please just let someone at Hospitality know and they’ll help.  Thank you!

On January 5, 2025 we showed this image and asked: Is Jesus’ mission outside of our life, a part of it, or at the center?  

The graphic is of Divine Mercy, referring Jesus’ mission of giving mercy and life to the world.  Service is related to mercy because our service gives Jesus’ mercy to anyone who needs it.

On June 8, 2025 Pentecost Sunday, I’m going to ask everyone this question to see what our baseline is, so please think about what you might answer.  The question is: What decision have we made?  When Jesus’ mission is at the center of our life, it doesn’t mean we serve 24 hours a day, but that our heart is always looking to bring Him to others.  We rest and nourish ourselves, but we’re always hungry to help others, and imitating Jesus in His mission is at the core of our identity.

We all love to see others happy, to give them life.  The point is not to get anything in return, but to love as Jesus loves, to be concerned about others the way He is.