My visit to a parishioner gave her the opportunity to show me her garden. It was luscious, vibrant, and full of scrumptious fruit and vegetables. She told me she sees herself as a servant of the plants. “It’s like a revolving cycle,” she said. “I serve them with nurture and care, and they give me sustenance so I can then serve them again.”

Servanthood is an attitude we choose, not something cast upon us. An attitude of service involves our taking responsibility in our world and our immense gratitude for all other aspects of life that serve the general welfare—trees providing oxygen, insects pollinating, water moisturizing, people manufacturing goods, truck drivers delivering, health workers administering wellness, and so on. We all serve one another and the cycle of life.

Our servanthood never ends. Even our rest serves our bodies and minds; our study serves our understanding; our recreation serves our living abundantly.

The attitude of servanthood is contrary to the attitude of taking all one can get or being frustrated that one never can get enough. Such is the attitude fostered in our consumer society. In this negative attitude, other people become objects to take care of our desires.

The kingdom of God, as described and modeled by Jesus, promotes a communion of servants honoring and serving one another, grateful for the gift each brings.

Profound faith trusts in the unseen forces and processes that make up the great cycle of love in our world, which we sometimes express as, “What goes around comes around.” Service, love, and respect come back around to us so we can send them out again.