To be faithful

True success of disciples

Jesus says today, “The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me”(John 16,18).

We know that Jesus is talking about Judah Iscariot who betrayed and sold the Lord to the priests and the scribes.

We all have our own Judah in our life who betrayed and hurt us. They are false friends who ate together and raised their heels against us.

It reminds me of a poem called “What Is Success” written by Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

It says, “To endure the betrayal of false friends; To find the best in others; To give of one’s self…This is to have succeeded.”

In order to succeed, we must not only endure the betrayal of false friends but also find the best in others and give of one's self.

In terms of true success I would like to take you further because we are the disciples of Jesus, not of the world.

Mother Teresa was once asked by a politician. “Mother, you have done amazing works for the poorest of the poor. But there are still so much poverty, hunger, and misery in the world. Do you think that you have been successful?”

Mother Teresa answered, “I am not called to be successful; I am called to be faithful.”

We are called to be faithful instead of being successful which makes a perfect sense to say that we are slaves not the master and messengers not the sender. We have a duty to do as Jesus' disciples.

Jesus praises the one who understands this and does whatever it takes to be faithful. 

Therefore, it is our confession, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty”(Cf. Luke 17,10). 

Master, help us be faithful. Amen.