Chapter XLIV: True Idea of Service.—examples

ST. AMEDEE, who was of a noble family, a relative of the Emperor Conrad, begged permission to clean the shoes of his brethren, and rub them over with stinking grease. One day his uncle, a nobleman, came to see him, and found him greasing these old, dirty, rough shoes. Do you think he was scandalized at the sight? Not a bit. He thanked God that his nephew understood so well the blessing and the nobility of being a servant of Jesus Christ.

In the good old Catholic times, when faith was warm, masters and mistresses understood so well the advantages of serving others, that they themselves used sometimes to become servants, and wait upon their own servants and serve the poor.

St. Harvia, the wife of the Duke of Silesia, used to be taken sometimes for a servant, while she was feeding and waiting upon more than fifty poor persons in the great hall of her husband’s castle.

How different is this conduct from that of many a girl, who, when she is sometimes called upon for a service a little out of her line, and especially if she considers it a little lower than her ordinary work, says: “I’m not going to black shoes for anybody,” “I’m nobody’s nigger.” And that, too, when she knows it is right to call on her under the circumstances, and that she ought to do it without a word. Such a one forgets all about serving the Lord.

I remember well a lady, who was not above sweeping out the church of God herself, mildly asking a Catholic girl to help her, and what did she get for an answer? “I’m nobody’s nigger!” You see this girl was not willing to be a servant of Christ, even in His own house. O Pride! what do you not lead people to do?

Of St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi it is said: “She regarded God in all whom she served, and taught her sisters to do the same, saying: ‘You should think yourselves unworthy to serve souls, who are the tabernacles of the Holy Ghost, and see God in all.’ Although she was a choir-sister, and not obliged to work with the lay-sisters, she chose to do it. Nothing pleased her better than to make the bread, scour out the pots and kettles, and do the heavy washing. She would rise in the night, before a soul was stirring in the house, make the fire, draw the water, and put on the clothes to boil. She used sometimes to send around and gather up all the dirty clothes in the day-time, and go down and wash them all out at night. Whenever others were working with her she took on herself the hardest of the work, and would insist on doing it all herself, if they would let her. She would say: ‘Now I know you are tired, go and rest, and let me do it.’” Yet she was a lady by birth and education, and had everything in her father’s house that heart could wish. Why did she do all this? Simply because she considered Christ in all she did. In the simplicity of her heart she did it as if it were all done for the Lord.

St. Vincent of Paul was obliged to enter the service of Mr. De Gondi, to educate his children. Now listen to the way in which he discharged his duties: “To sanctify himself in this new office, he proposed to himself to honor Jesus Christ in the person of Mr. De Gondi, the Blessed Virgin in that of his wife, and the disciples of our Saviour in those of the servants of the family.

“He candidly acknowledged that this manner of acting, which seemed extremely simple, was of great service to him; and that seeing God alone, under different aspects, in all the persons with whom he was engaged, obliged him to do nothing before men which he would not have done before our Lord Jesus Christ, if he had had the happiness of seeing Him and talking with Him when He was on the earth” (Life of St. Vincent of Paul).

Now, girls, I would like to ask if I have not been as good as my word, and shut the mouths of all the grumblers and complainers? Have I not shut up their mouths with the sweetest sugar-plum?

In all your hard work, all scoldings and fault-findings, in all that touches your pride or your feelings, have I not put you right in the presence of Jesus Christ, who whispers in your ears: “Never mind, my good girl; it is not for Mrs. Smith, nor Mrs. Jones, nor Mrs. Anybody-else you have to do this; it is for Me, your Saviour, who loves you dearly. The time is soon coming when you will be amply rewarded for it all. Do it patiently, do it humbly, do it without repining — in one word, with a good will, and I accept all as done to Myself.”

Now, to sum up all that has been said in answer to the question: In what spirit should you discharge your duties? I say: Look neither to the right nor to the left, but look at Jesus Christ above, and do all for Him, and as you think will best please Him.