“The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore do and observe whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice…All their works are performed to be seen…They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues…” – Matthew 23:2-6
The scribes and Pharisees had a hey-world-look-at-the good-I-do-and-honor-me kind of service. It must have really annoyed Jesus. Just look at his rant in the verses I quoted. But instead of writing about what not to do (the passage cited very clear examples already) let me tell you instead about love and service that create miracles of friendship and camaraderie.
You know that saying, “Big things come in small packages”? How about “Great service is shown in simple acts”? I just coined the second one so it's probably unfamiliar.
Although I just made it up, it’s based on real blessings our Media Ministry experienced the first two Saturdays of this month. We were served with great love by a sister in our community, the mother of two of my members.
On the first Saturday, we planned what was dubbed by the FAMMily (Feast Alabang Media Ministry family) as a meeouting, a meeting/outing (we’re writers, we like making up words) to a nearby resort. Plans were scrapped at the last minute due to bad weather.
Ellen volunteered to prepare our lunch. She cooked food good for an army when there were just 9 of us. We changed our venue to the Feast Alabang Center so she also wanted to feed the other ministries meeting there. That selfless deed was enough to create miracles. The buffet blessed many that day not just with overfilled stomachs but with friendships simmered to full flavor over pans and pans and pans of good food.
On the second Saturday, we organized a Creative Videography workshop. We didn’t plan on serving snacks because the fee was slashed by more than half. She came to the rescue again with her delicious siomai (dumplings) that was more than enough to feed the hungry participants and members.
Her service was done to make others happy. It is not the kind that seeks recognition. It is not the kind that seeks a place of honor – up there in front where everybody can see. It is not the kind that elbows out others just to shine. It is a simple act that served others greatly.
I appreciated her support so much I just couldn’t resist using the word play for my title. I hopia like it.
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