Wendy Kachermeyer

Slave is a word that when heard brings about an attitude of long ago of unpleasantness, back backing work and severe punishment. Servant sounds better however it still echoes as if you do the lowest work for someone wealthy. You would receive some kind of trade or monetary payment for your service which isn’t truly a fair wage for the work you provided. How about the word prisoner? Prisoner also says you did something erroneous and have been placed behind bars within a community of others who did wrong and are now isolated and imprisoned against their own free will.

Let me put a slightly different spin on these words of lowliness. I have come to realize I want to be a slave, servant and prisoner of my own free will. I know it sounds as if I’m crazy, out of my mind, even completely weird and out of touch with real reality.

Reflection: Slave
When I truly reflect on this word, my soul weeps with joy and sadness. I love being a slave; it has taken me my whole life to realize the importance of my unimportance. It isn’t an easy task to look at myself and how often I gave myself a pat on the back for a job well done, but it had absolutely nothing to do with Christ but for my own benefit or maybe even glory. When I finally faced that truth, the realization I was working for me and not for Christ, I was in shock for such behavior. I couldn’t believe I would be like that; it is others who do this not me. Christ let me see me, and I didn’t like that me at all. I went to the wonderful Sacrament of Penance once every couple of months to rid myself of all the garbage I had collected over the years. I continue to keep an eye on the cleanliness of my soul. My immense love for Christ has changed because of His complete love for me. I want to do what He asks of me no matter what kind of opinion or thought others have towards what I do for the one whom I love above all. I am a slave filled with sorrow because it took me so long to know Him. I am a slave filled with Joy because I know Him.

Who are you a slave to? Pray

Reflection: Servant
I think of all the disciples and how hard it must have been to walk from place to place to spread the good news of Christ and to serve Him and the first Christians with constant love in their hearts. They received the Holy Spirit and were able to face those who hated them, armed with knowing truth. They frequently faced the possibility of death; because of serving Christ eleven were martyred. What love they had for their Master!!

I find being a servant easy, I love doing things for others. I have a husband, children, sisters and brothers; a couple of friends and doing for them usually isn’t very difficult. I, to my surprise find serving Christ simply difficult at times. Staying within the path He wants me to follow can take great strength on my part. It is nothing when you don’t have a relationship with someone to avoid them. This realization was part of the healing I was given by going to reconciliation. Yes, healing!! The soul isn’t something you want to neglect, self-love can become grand!! Knowing I didn’t have a real relationship with Christ stopped me dead in my holier than thou attitude. I am grateful for understanding and to get back to what He wants me to do and what I feel an over whelming need to do, serve and follow Him.

Who do you serve? Pray

Reflection: Prisoner
Being a prisoner of Christ is something I can’t live without. This Church, this universal prison, this gift of love for the world has me captive and I would not have it any other way. This is a prison without walls and bars; it is historical, intellectual, spiritual, holy and true life. Who would ever give their place in this prison away?

Where is your prison? Pray

All three of these words are beautiful when you connect them to Jesus. They are words of response to a calling that we all have and need to react too. They are words of vast and submissive love that we should and do have for our Christ and His Church.

Wendy Kachermeyer is Director of Religious Education and R.C.I.A (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Dunkirk, NY