That’s an aphorism from the movie, The Spiderman, which serves as a moral axiom. It highlights the need to use whatever power or capability one has, for a greater good, and not as a means of entitlement.
To be sure, that axiom must have been inspired by what Christ told his apostles. “You know that they who seem to rule over the Gentiles, lord it over them, and their princes have power over them. But it is not so among you. Whosoever will be greater, shall be your minister. And whosoever will be first among you, shall be the servant of all. For the Son of Man also is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister…” (Mk 10,42-45)
These words came as a clarification when two of the apostles asked for the privilege to have special places in heaven. The request was quite impertinent as it was made immediately after Christ foretold his forthcoming passion, death and resurrection. These two apostles must have been more focused on the future resurrection of Christ than on his passion and death.
These words of Christ are a good warning for us, since we cannot deny that we have the tendency to feel entitled the more honors, power and privileges we enjoy in life. We should do our best to be most guarded against this danger and do everything to develop a keen sense of humility and gratitude for all these blessings. More than that, we should realize more sharply that these blessings are meant for us to work harder and serve others more and better.
Let’s remember that to serve is the language and the action of love. It authenticates any affirmation of love that we make, converting it from intention to tangible reality.
This is the attitude meant for us, with God himself as the exemplar. Imagine, Christ served us by dying on the cross. Before that, he shocked his apostles when he insisted that he be allowed to wash their feet. That was to give example to them, and us, so that what he did we would also do.
The angels too, superior to us in nature, are made to serve us, following a divine law articulated by Christ himself when he said: “Let him who is greatest among you become as the youngest, and him who is the chief as the servant.” (Lk 22,26)
Christ is the very epitome of this proper attitude. Being God, he emptied himself to become man and to bear all the sins of men by dying on the cross, all for the purpose of saving mankind. (cfr. Phil 2,7)
He reiterated this point when he lamented about the domineering sense of entitlement of some of the leading Jews of his time while praising the poor widow who put all that she had into the temple treasury. (cfr. Mk 12,38-44)
While it’s true that we obviously are entitled to our rights, we should not feel entitled to privileges and favors that are above our rights and needs. If they come and we cannot avoid them, then let’s be thankful.
But let’s be reminded that these privileges, favors and blessings are meant for us to strengthen our desire to serve and not to be served. But as it is, we should try to avoid them, since they tend only to spoil and corrupt us. We need to be truly guarded against this danger. (Fr. Roy Cimagala)
