Serve God!

Luke 4:43

But He said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.”

“The sin of Service is the sin of Satan,” said G.K. Chesterton.  Taken by itself, this arresting statement sounds weird, but in context it makes sense.  Chesterton is complaining about boosters and social gospel types who put a capital “S” on Service and make it the highest good.  His complaint is well-founded when we realize this. For, of course, members of the Waffen SS had a strong devotion to Service, but it didn’t exactly make them saints.  Rather it unveiled the evil that comes of taking a secondary thing (like the Fatherland) and making it the primary thing (like God).  Lucifer did the same thing with Himself and, in the process, became Satan.  Jesus served, but He always kept His perspective. Service was for one purpose: to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

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Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.

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