Say NO to entitlements

By Fr. ROY CIMAGALA, roycimagala@gmail.com
June 5, 2018

LET’S be clear about this. We obviously are entitled to our rights but 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 have to be most wary when we happen to enjoy some privileged positions or status in life because we tend to think that we deserve more entitlements. And not only would we expect them. We may even demand them for us.

That gospel episode where the two brother-apostles, James and John, asked Christ that they be seated one on his right and the other on his left in the Kingdom, reminds us of this point. (cfr Mk 10,32-45) These two brothers were already close to Christ, but they were not contented with that. They wanted more.

This, sad to say, seems to be a common phenomenon these days. It can affect everyone, of course, but it especially affects the young ones who appear to be more privileged than those in the previous generations because of the many new things they are learning and enjoying now. And they feel entitled.

We should banish this temptation as soon as it makes its appearance felt in us. On the contrary, we should follow the example of Christ who, in spite of who he is, just wanted to serve.

In that gospel episode cited above, he reminded his apostles that “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10,43-45)

The request of the two brothers really smelled of a brattish mind, since it was made just after Christ talked about his impending death on the cross. It was so insensitive of them, to say the least. And they were already two of the closest apostles of Christ!

To make his point stronger, Christ insisted in the Last Supper that he washed the feet of their apostles. Peter at first refused but Christ insisted, if only to give them an example that what he did to them should be done among themselves and everybody else. And he reassured them that they would be blessed if they do it. (cfr. Jn 13,15-17)

Should that reassurance of Christ to his apostles not reassure us also to do the same? We should indeed instill in our mind and heart simply to serve and not to be served. We should try to avoid entitlements, or the pursuit of human glory.

Remember what Christ said once: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Mt 6,1)

We need to acquire the mentality of a servant which is actually the mentality of Christ himself. Let us readjust our human standards to conform to what is actually proper to us as taught and lived by Christ. We usually look down on the status of servants. This has to change! We should be convinced that by becoming a servant we would be making ourselves like Christ.