Margaret Elizabeth Sangster, who was popular in the late 19th and early 20th century was an American author and poet. 

She has written a beautiful poem, which goes thus:
It isn’t the thing you do; 

It’s the thing you leave undone, Which gives you a bit of heartache

At the setting of the sun.
The tender word forgotten, The letter you did not write,

The flower you might have sent,  are your haunting ghosts tonight.
The stone you might have lifted, Out of a brother’s way,

The bit of heartsome counsel, You were harried too much to say.
The little acts of kindness, So easily out of mind;

Those chances to be helpful, Which everyone may find.
No, it’s not the things you do, 

It’s the thing you leave undone, Which gives you the bit of heartache

At the setting of the sun.

Our daily life gives us ample opportunities to do good…

… and more than equal, are the number of opportunities that are often lost, in doing good.
The Gospel of the Day is a stark reminder for us, to consider our level of love for the Lord…

… especially through the perspective of the many chances we miss in doing good and serving Him!
A scholar of the law went up to Jesus with a motive to test Him. (Lk 10: 25)
Despite being given a clarification by the Lord, the Gospel says, that the scholar of the law went on to ask another question, “to justify himself” (Lk 10: 29)

 
This attitude to “justify oneself, even without any just cause”…

… is a tendency, whose presence we ought to examine in ourselves

>> And if present, need to root out…
“Justifying oneself, even without any just cause”, could be pointing to the fact…

… that we are too proud to accept the view of the other, even when we know the truth

… that we are unwilling to let go of our ego, with a  fear of being defeated
To this trap of the scholar of the Law, who sought to “justify oneself, even without any just cause”…

… Jesus replied with the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
One of the vivid observations that we can have from this parable is the “sin of omission” from the part of the first two possible helpers – the Priest and the Levite. 
The man who was attacked, and lay in pain and anguish along the road from “Jerusalem to Jericho”…

… was in need of immediate attention

… was in need of aid and assistance 
But the parable says that both – the Priest and Levite – responsible and supposedly God-serving people – refused to extend help.
There could be several reasons proposed as to why they did not stop by, to help the one in need.
Maybe…

… they risked ritual and social impurity  – since they were at the Temple of the Lord and touching the man had a risk of defilement.

… they were short of time – wanting to make sure they would reach in time for their Temple duties

… they were afraid of the robbers – since this 17 mile stretch from Jerusalem to Jericho was robber-infested

… they were indifferent to the cause of the needy – only being concerned with cultic service of the Lord and not translating them into acts of mercy

… they had a past experience of having faced danger – and were unwilling to put themselves into risk once again

… they were unable to set their priorities in order – unable to distinguish and discern that, not just Temple service, but even helping a needy person forms part of a true spirituality

The reasons….

… could be varied

… could be speculated

… could be argued upon
But one thing is certain: They failed to help a person in need…

… and thus had a missed a chances in doing good and serving Him!
>> This “missing the chance in doing good” constitutes the “sin of omission”
Yes, our daily life gives us ample opportunities to do good…

… and more than equal, are the number of opportunities that are often lost, in doing good.
Am in languishing with many “sins of omission”….?

>> Young persons who stray away from the honest and right paths of life – knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or purposely…

… demand our attention to pray for them and to find creative ways of bringing them back to the right path
>> Broken families which face crisis – either due to spousal misunderstandings or children’s worries or financial constraints or any other problems…

… cry out to us, to intervene in their lives by interceding for them and to become channels of peace, reconciliation and harmony. 

 
>> Lethargic Christians and persons with lapsed faith – either due to ignorance or indifference or deception…

… plead to us, to bring their cause before the Throne of God’s Mercy and to be cheerful instruments who “fan their faith into flames”
In all such causes and similar cases, we are challenged to be the “Good Samaritan”…

… being humble enough to get down to our knees 

… being daring and courageous to face humiliations in extending help

… being compassionate and caring to do follow-ups on our acts of mercy
It is only thus that we would be marching forward in our goodwill to firmly follow the commandments to inherit eternal life (Lk 10:25):

 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength and with all your mind…

… and your neighbour as yourself!” (Lk 10: 27)
May our daily examination of the conscience, always remind us of the fact, that…

“It isn’t the thing you do; 

It’s the thing you leave undone, Which gives you a bit of heartache

At the setting of the sun.”

>> And thus spur us, to have compassionate hearts and be a true “Missionary of Mercy”!
God Bless! Live Jesus!

It was the time of World War II. 
There was an urgency for England to increase its coal production. 
The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill exhorted the labour leaders to extend their support towards this requirement.
At the end of his exhortation, he asked them to visualize (picture in their mind)…

… a victory parade that would be held at the end of the war.
He said that, first in the parade would come…

>>The sailors…who had managed the tensions at sea, with great courage.

>> Next would come the soldiers… who had proven their mettle by their bravery.

>> Then would come the pilots… who had displayed immense aerial skills.
All of these would be welcomed and acknowledged with great cheer and applause.

Last of all, would come along, the long line of…

… sweat-soaked and soot-smeared men in their miner’s caps.
Seeing them, someone from the crowd would ask, “Hey! Where were all of you, during the tense days of our struggle?”
And from the hoarse ten thousands of throats would come the answer: “We were deep in the earth, with our faces to the coal!”

The sailors, the soldiers and the pilots had glamour and glory attached to their work…

… but the miners, working deep in the coal mines, were always hidden and away from the limelight.
But very often, it is the work of such people who have their “faces to the coal”…

… which become the foundation and support in accomplishments of mission!
As Christians, are we willing to be the people who have our “faces to the coal”…

… in accomplishing the mission of the Kingdom of God.

The Gospel of the day, is this invitation to have our “faces to the coal”…

… by becoming “servants” in the service of the Kingdom!

 

Servanthood is an important dimension in being a follower of Jesus Christ. 
The Lord narrates the Parable of the Unprofitable Servant. 
In this parable, Jesus tells about a servant who works all day long out in the field, or out taking care of the flock. 

>> And after he works all day long, he comes into the house… 
Is he expected to sit down and rest and eat his own meal? No 

>> Rather, he is required to serve his master by providing him the meal first. 
And after doing all that work – all day long – there’s no word of thanks, no gratitude. 
Jesus closes out this parable by saying that the servant was unprofitable because he only did what he was told to do.

Is it something practical? 

>> Is it something easy?
Our modern-day psychology would speak of the concept of a “positive stroke” that is to be given to those working or those who undertake some labour. 

It’s important that…

>> employers in a company

>> servants in a house

>> workers in a firm or factory  

… are given a “positive stroke”…

>> by appreciating their good works

>> by encouraging with good words and a cheerful countenance

>> by acknowledging their worth and constantly boosting their confidence level
But the Gospel of the Day seems to be demanding much more from a Servant…
A servant…

… who works whole day long ploughing in the field or tending the sheep… 

… who delays his needs and instead prepares and serves meals for his master… 

… who after all his works, doesn’t expect words of gratitude…
The Parable is surely a tough one!

But, the One who preached this Parable is not a mere preacher, but is a practiser! 
Jesus, the one who preached this Parable, practised perfectly, this life of being a servant.

>> He is the Servant,  who works in the field ploughing… 

…sowing the seed of the Word of God, ploughing the Gospel in the hearts of people and toiling in the hot sun of oppositions and mockery
>> He is the Servant, who tends the sheep in the field… 

…providing pasture for His people, protecting them from the wolves of the evil and going after any of the sheep which are lost in the wilderness

 
>> He is the Servant, who prepares a meal and serves at table… 

…nourishing those at table with His own body, strengthening them with His own blood and constantly reinforcing in the journey of life

How are we to be such a Servant of the Lord?
1. Having a mind of being a Servant of God: 

The world of a servant centres not around himself, but around the Master. 

>> Whatever pleases the Master, the servant does.
If we truly acknowledge God as our Master, then we too… 

…will do the works which please Him 

…will think and seek to do His Will 

…will speak the words which are worthy of His grace
2. Being Committed in this task of being His servant 

The world of a servant centres around total availability and openness to the needs of the Master.

>> Whatever is the Will of the Master, the servant is docile and alert. 
If we truly accept God as our Master, then we too… 

…will give ourselves to Him totally at all times

 …will place His priorities over ours 

…will avoid anything that blocks my complete service of Him

The Call is to be a Servant…who is dedicated and selfless. 

>> Jesus is our model and example in being a Servant.
It’s a demand placed on us. 
In working for the Kingdom of God, there are different roles which have glamour and glory attached to their work…

… but we always need to be willing to be like the ‘miners’ –  working deep in the mines – hidden and away from the limelight.
It is the work of such people who have their “faces to the coal”…

… which become the foundation and support in accomplishments of mission!

As Christians, let us be willing to be the people who have our “faces to the coal”…

… in accomplishing the mission of the Kingdom of God.
God Bless! Live Jesus!