Today's Good News Reflection

Have you ever had the feeling that you've been served enough? Not me! For years, I would feel depressed on my birthday and on Mother's Day, because these were the days I was supposed to be served and yet I always ended up doing the dishes or some other chore that served others. Even when my family treated me sweetly to make those days special, it never felt like they served me enough.

One year I started a new tradition for celebrating my "specialness" as a person and as a mother. I decided that on any day when the focus is on me -- or should be on me -- I remember that every day is when God celebrates the life he has given to me and rejoices in my use of the talents he has given me. If perchance I receive special treatment from others, this is a bonus. It's nothing more than an additional gift from God, coming to me through whomever God has chosen at that moment, like any other day of the year.

And you know what? This makes every day worth celebrating!

When others make us feel special, oh how quickly that feeling fades, doesn't it?

We truly are happiest when we're using our God-given talents and our unique personalities in ways that improve the lives of others. That's because we're fully alive in our specialness -- a specialness that no one else has -- when we unite with Jesus in being who we really are.

No one else ever did or ever will have what makes you you. However, the only way to experience this specialness is to use your uniqueness in ways that God designed you to use it -- and that means in service to others, which glorifies God and helps his kingdom.

Otherwise, we're like a kid who gets an enormous basket of chocolates for Easter and he tries to enjoy all of its deliciousness in one day, without sharing it. Soon, he gets sick. Where's the fun in that?

This is why Jesus tells us in today's Gospel passage that the greatest person is the one who serves all the rest.

Serving others doesn't make us look good in the eyes of God -- that's not where our greatness comes from. To God, we're already wonderful, simply because he made us each so unique, so special. Our greatness -- our innate goodness put to good use -- happens when we make a good difference in the world.